The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-05-21
BArrrMoRE, MaY 4, lafl

kRWM MAhAhANDs
BArTMoRE, Nay 2, len.
70 the Editor OF the woMKmoMSsp ADvcc.rp
THE CIRCULATION OF THE ADVOCATE =
This isGmasaer which yOur cores
pondent approaches with great diff.
dence, but as il is the first time thu
subject has been mentioned in this
correspondence, it viii not therefore
be considered in the form Of bore.
ing," if few words should be said.
II is matter Of surprise to many
why The ADVOCATE has not a larger
circulation in this city, than what il hn
It is something strange, very strange
indeed, that of a working population
of over $4,000, there should mot he
found more that $50 readers of paDer
devoted exclusively to their own inter
ests- This is q disgrace to the intelH.
gence Of the. woskingmen If this civ.
III one would take the trouble 10 SteD
into Taylor's or Harrison's periodicl
stores, and see the piles Of Ledeers
New York Weeklles, and Others ofthe
same class, and see how eagerly thew
are sought after, and that too, BY The
working CLASSES, they would be led to
believe the very existence Of that clsa
depended upon the matter containedh
those papers.
The agent Of The Advocate in this
city has worked hard, and has made A
great sacrifice, how great il known
only to himself, to circulate it; and vet
after four or Eve years hard labor, Ne
has succeeded in getting up a list Of
$50 subscribers. Now if be had to pay
fol, bis papers and allowing that all were
paying subscribers, it would yield hum
the net sum Of 81. 90 per week When
we consider the extent Of the route.
and that it requires two days hard
walking to deliver it, it will be seen
that it is bad paying business.
The agent, in his efforts % circulate the
paper IN this city, has contracted a
debt of several hundred dollars, with
the Office at Chicago, which must Be paid
| ~ some sCGy.
The objections which have been
raised by many who have ceased taxing
it, are 20 trivial that 1t would be
wastA OF time to answer them. Tho
man must be very busy indeed, VINO
cannot find time to read, or else he
must be very Indifferent to his own
welfare, and that of his fellow work
men. Hf
1t must be remembered that Tue
ADVOCATE has struck out in the support
Of a principle-one Of the grandsai
principles that ever was conceived by
man-that is the reformation of the
laboring world. In the discussion Of
this principle there may have been, and
yet may be, views and arguments vt
forth that are not acceptable to all, and
especially so to some in this latitude;
yet at the same time, it will be borein
mind that nothing in these arguments
lessened the dignity, injured the rePu-
tation, or robbed the workingman. The
principles set forth were, and are 10 3D.
vance Of the age. The masses are not
prepared to receive them, and will nH
even consider them unless forced upOB
them by extraordinary power or cirsum-
stances, such az, for instance, was the
case with the emancipationofthe negro,
and abolition of slavery.
The ADVOCATE has advanced ideas
on the negro and the Caucasian, and
the relation Of both to labor, which ere
far in advance Of other journals and
parties, but which were Objectionable
to our Baltimore workpeopIe, and gain.
ed for il the reputation of an abolition
organ" The effect Of such reputa.
ton was just what the oppressors Of
labor desired, and the wOrkingman
cannot play a. a better game to suit
the employing, than to be Indifferent
as to the success Of 80 valuable labor
organ. What will be the course of those
men who have Observation-Disclosures
as an abolition paper, simply because
It contended for the right of the black
man 70 be protected in his labor, ami
that the white man should take steps
TO organize him into labor associations
now that the Democratic party Of this
state has elevated him TO the high Po
sition Of citizen, by comforting upon
him the right of suffrage, and Prov
ding for his registration the coming
fall VIII it not be amusing 10 gee
men who denounced THE ADVOCATE
for its" damned niggerism, playing tor
dy to that self same niggerism in the
next election campaign. Verify the
world moves, and strange things move
with it. But now that the negro Is q
voter, that the great Democratic parry
OF this state is willing and eager TO take
him into its fold-that the Republican.
party has made him =" brother OF
high degree, and now that the abolition
question is a dead cock in the PIT, cap
not something be done TO advance inc
circulation of THE ADVOCATE. "A ltue
energy on the part of its friends in tne
various shops in which they are
work, would certainly be benehcls
There can be no excuse that It Is nV'
known, for the agent here has distnDu,
ted hundreds of copies gratuitously' ne
is now canvassing for it, and ! hope y
will have assistance in his task BY Ine
friends Of the cause in this city. ~
assistance he needs, as il is imPosslos
for him to gain admittance into many
Of the workshops. In several ne VI
been refused admittance, and be Dss
been ordered off several buhdlns
where he tried to solicit subscribers
The want Of a true workingmAn pa
per in this city is an admitted necess,i
This want cannot be better suPPne"
than by gaining for The ADVocAfhs r.
thorough circulation. Where y n na
but 1870 readers, it ought to have o'OO'