The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-10
OLD COUNTRY VISITORS.

A London paper states that Mr.. Thomas
Hughes, NJ. P hiss Just returned from a long
tour in America He has been paving special
attention to the question OF capital aud labor,
the eOnditioa of the working classes, aud the
working of trades union societies in the states.
1t is a somewhat singula- fact that
with the exception Of Mr.. Ak. Nc
Donald. President of the Miners
Union of Great Britain, no delegate,
whether from, a labor organization, a
scientific or statistical society or an
NJ. l.. who has visited our shores has
ever taken the pains to Investigate for
himself the status of the American me.
chanic. Mr.. Coningsby hobnobbed
with eastern manufacturers, Mr.. Con-
molly spent most of his time III the
slums Of New York city, and Messrs
Hughes and Mundella evidently forgot
there. was q West at all, and doubtless
received most of their impressions at
a mutual admiration dinner party, yet
they have all returned to the old world
with the conviction that they thoroughly
comprehend the labor movement in all
its phases, and are perfectly qualified
TO form a correct opinion Of the justice
or injustice Of the demands of the pro-
duciDg classes. s. far as we are able
to learn all of them have derived their
information from prejudiced sources,
while of one important truth they seem
to be in blissful ignorance that Just
III proportion as our country exceeds
the Old world in extent and resources,
will our monopolies, which are being
created and fostered by vicious legisla
ton, exceed the monopolies which have
reduced its working classes to compar-
alive sertdom.
We hear great deal of baderdash
concerning the superior privileges of
the American mechanic, as compared
with his European competitor, but the
truth is, all circumstances being taken
into consideration, there is little to
choose between them. The same
causes will produce the same results.
whether in Lowell or Lyons factory
and if our institutions are not the
same as European NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
nature is rs selfish on one as on the
other side of the Atlantic. Let the
enthusiast, who INDUCES in our Fourth
OF July Oratory-and bestows his
commisseration on the oppressed pau
pers Of EurOpe-ask himself the ques-
ton, what will be the condition of the
American mechanic when our country
ispopulated'at the same ratio as Belgium
or Great Britain, and he will find that
charity in this instance, as in many
others, should begin at home.
Again-it should not be forgotten
that while many of the abIest and most
advanced minds in Germany and Eng
land-even among the aristocracy, have
turned their attention TO the aggres-
sions Of capital, advocated the rights
of labor-and made its claims a special
study the plea Of demagogueism and
the party lash have always been suf-
6cient to deter our public men from
warning the working classes Of their
danger-while the mere INSCRIPTIONS
have made themselves the mouth
pieces and lackeys of the oppressors.
And while we shall always be happy
to welcome all friendly strangers
come from whence they msy-and
THINK them for all kindly advic, we
would direct then especial attention to
the man who got rich by m.ndiDg
his own business"