The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-11-19
UNPALATABLE TRUTHS.

OF their advocates.
UNPALATABLE TRUTHS.
There is no truth palmer than that
every people make their own condition,
and deserve and are fit for no other
There is vast deal of sympathy wasted
upon what are called oppressed nation
alities. The maudin sentiment about
the poverty and suffering of the work
ing classes has served some purpose,
we suppose. Political tricksters have
affected it TO wheedle votes and secure
elections but the fact that the poverty
and suffering remain-we mean that
poverty and suffering which are the re-
suit of class legislatiOn-nOt only shows
plainly enough that the politicians sym
patty fer them was not only affected,
but that any real, earnest sympathy
that would work and labor to remove
them is undeserved The "hewer of
wood and drawer Of water" class are
self-appointed. 1t is disgraceful that
there are nations oppressed, classes
overworked, men underfed, women
half clad, children in rags, and hungry;
but is not the disgrace chiefly charge
able to the oppressed nation itself, to
the overworked class, and the underfed
men? When the half clad women can
vote, the disgrace that they are halt
clad will belong to them, except in SO
far as their action shall be neutralized
by the votes Of men. At present, with
no ballot in their hands, they are not
chargeable with this disgrace. 1t is
time to talk plainly about these matters.
The workingman who cannot buy
tea for his sick wife and children, who
cannot clothe them nor himself, wlo
cannot pay the rent Of respectable
house to live in, ami yet will vote for
candidates, will support political par
ties whose platforms, when embodied
in law, cause these high prices for rent
and clothing and for what he eats,
ought never to get tea and coffee,
deserves the rags he goes in, and the
miserable shanty, neither wind nor
rain proof, in which he stays. He him
self deserves this, we mean-not his
wife, for if she had his power, his bal
lot, she would have too much manhood
or nanliness, or at least too much cour-
age and self-respect to continue to up
hold and vote for the continuance OF
those political conditions which, as the
ballot has created, it can remove.
Workingmen often say it is all the
same to us whichever party is in the
ascendant; we have been voting ever
since the foundation of the government
for democrats and wings and republi
cans, and change in administration il
unaccompanied with any materially
beneficial change in our state. Pre-
cisely so. There has only been change
in acknowledgements in policy. 1t has
only been more or less tariff, more o.
less public land granted or stolen, more
or less banks, more or less franchise Il
the privileged few.
The conditions Of life have been com
paratively easy in this country till with
in few years, and the want of bread
had not driven thoughtful men among
the working classes to consider th,
causes which have SO rapidly assimi
lated the condition Of the industrial
classes in this country TO that of those
classes IN the despotic nations Of Eu
rope. 1t is not change in admins
tration that is needed or that will bring
any permanent relief 1t is a new pol
icy that is necessary, an entire revision
Of that legislation which has made mar
subordinate to money; the incorpora
ton of the principles which will eff
hciently and equitsbly divide the earn,
lngs of industry between the capitalists
and laborers, and the elimination from
our commercial codes and monetary
laws of that agency which absorbs and
concentrates the wealth Of The nation
into the hands of the few non-producers.
The workiDgmen cannot plead igno-
rance of these principles at this dav
and their voluntary support of men and
measures, politicians and policies which
con only continue the old order OF
things, is sufficient evidence that this
old order is good enough for them
that ten hours labor each day, insult.
6cient ifnot unhealthy food, rags, want,
suffering, the whole joyless tenor of
their lives, is, We win not say the CON
dition which suits them best, but that
any earnest sympathy for them is en-
tirely wasted.
Workingmen have a platform Of