The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1870-12-25
PROSPECTUS
OF THE
NATIONAL LABOR UNION

AND
7uroAu or Lab or.
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Ftuooca;sens and Working,nen
Of the United Sates:
The question of the hour is, How can the
nottingham best improve his condition? This
question is not only being agitated in the United
States, but throughout the civilized world. The
universal law of our exitence is, I'm the sweat
of thy face thou shall eat thy bread" We desire
to impress you with this fact that it is Divine
law, that we must labor and that the comforts
of life can only be attained by honest, patient
toll
It should be the aim of every man to become
capitalist; that i, every man should try and
receive MI exchange for his labor, which, by
proper economy and investment, will, in the
future, place him in the position Of those on
whom he is now dependent for living. At lesat
it should be your aspiration to become the owner
of your own homestead, and place that homestead
beyond the reach Of want aud poverty As work.
ingmen We can only possess these blessings by
being industrious with our brains and hands,
temperate in our habits, and economical witL
our means.
It is the duty of our National Labor Union,
and more particularly the Bureau OF Labor creat-
cd by your delegates assembled from nearly every
state in the Union, to advise with you upon the
best aud most speedy means to better your COLI
dition in the United States.
We look with painful emotion upon the pre-
sent condition Of colored labor in the several
States Disorganized, poorly paid. assaulted,
aud, in many cases. totally i'll different to its own
welfare. After careful survey and consideration
Of this vital question, in which We have consult
.d the wisdom aud experience Of the most pro-
found economists aud labor reformcrs Of our
times
We advise you, lst to immediately organize,
because labor only protect itself wien or
sauized; that is. by being organized thoroughly
you have the command OF capital You receive
better pay for your labor. You learn where and
how to invest your labor to better advantage.
You learn tho value Of the capital invested with
vOuT kaitOl-uOW W acSfO~s sAssss S>SR~S"' 1850
make that capital respect your labor. You learn
where and how to create employment to give
yourselves work when yVu are deburred Wy OPP
n.s,;ts combinations You le,lrn the waits vi
vour falow-wurkmeu anl how " provide for
them.
In word, without organization, you stand III
danger Of being exterminate' You cannot ex-
pect to be proiitably employed, and the trades
will soon die out in tn. race With organization
you will tnd employment you will force op-
posite combinations to recognize your claims to
work without restriction because OF our color,
and opou the way for your children to learn trades
aud move forward in the enjoyment OF III tae
rights of American citizenship. How shall you
>rxanizo? We answer call general meeting OF
ne workinxmen in every city and town, and At
.cr discussing the Importance OF organizahon,ap
yoint committee Of one from each branch Of
trade or labor represented, to prepare plan
or organization When they have reported a
plan, then appoint your COMMITTEES ON consotu-
ton and permanent organization. When they
report, proceed immediately ~ form yourselves
into al association, send o copy ofyour consntu-
tons aud list of officers to the Bureau of Labor,
And yet your charter. We would advise, Where
,n.r, is a sufficient number Of any particular
branch, that thoy conize separate associatious'
"A each man desires to follow that business tor
which H., has been educated As constitution fer
IL. government Of carpenters associauoil
.ill not suit for the government Ola laoorcrs a'
ISOLATION, it is important that You organize each
,r,,uch separately. Five men of any one branch
organized, Gan accomplish more III the interest
81, that particular branch, than being associated
With five hundred men OF several branches
Mixed organizations have always proved dls'is'
,rous To the labor reform movement, except III
delegated bodies. The above organizations re-
;errcd to, are simple organizations for the pro-
| soction Of labor and wages
| We would Gull your attention to, and advise
md that YOU form yourselves into cooperative
| Trade Unions While these are the most bench
cial associations Of modern times, they require
auch Judgment, and intellectual ability to MAKE
them a SUCCESS They seem to DO necessity M
ahis time in order to fur ish employment tn col
,red men in many States III the Union. W,
could not furnish general plan Of Organization
Zach particular association must DO governed by
special rules We can only advise you how tc
organize, when you inform the bureau what you
propose organizing We can but say the genera
principle is. for each man to take 4 Ven amount
of stock, and pay That in weekly " monthly In
stallments until they have enough to commence
business, with. SO that, by combination of theil
money and labor, they will from capital ant
h,,,; .s that will s,ive them AN independent liv