The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-26

the forces Of nature. One Il the Oldest
and most. FhihpehsNgie Apseutions makes
this division eight for the usual svocationsi
~ ifH eight for The service u. God md the
1el6 ofswdxihy htstljers, and dsbt Tor re-
treatment and sleep This division is based
on scientific, and natural laws, and Is sup
ported By FanEiin, Combs On the Consd-
tuition of Man. Dick, and many medical
men, all writer's on physical heslth, rs well
as insurance actuAries. An these most un-
equivccabiy declare that an excessive labor
'diminishes power and hastens death. Dick
alleges, and very Justly, that the fatigue Of
excessive labor tends to induce intemper-
ance, while the proper medium increases
power and tends 20 virtue iAad longevity.
twill not be denied that ten or fourteen
hours day deprives the toiler Of DISPOSE
ton, opportunity, and capacity to rise in
the scale Of moral aud intellectual being !;
that it denies him all social and physical re-
creation, and makes him a mere beast of
burden for bis master, the capitalist. On
the other hand, as the wages of labor rise
and the hours Of labor are shortened, the
thinking, skillful worker finds time and
means to improve his methods and develop
useful inventions. Since these improved
conditions there has been vast increase in
labor-saving inventions, and it only remains
now 70 further improve these conditions,
that all labor, BY whomseever performed,
shall have equal pay. and all inventors shall
have the control Of the products of their
brains rs well 90 muscles, and no longer
the slaves Of the capitalists
THE ISSUE MADE UP.
On the one side are arrayed the bankers,
Insurers, spectators, and who live by prey
ing upon the producing classes through sab
tile fiscal contrivances and the usurpation Of
the public domain. On the other side are
the enterprising wealth-prOduoing classes,
in all departments Of useful labor, calling
or prOfession-in . word, all who earn Q
living by honest industry. .....
Before going INTO tins conflict Of right
and justice against wrong and oppression,
there ktei lessons to be learned ana duties
to be performed. We must learn that all
great political and social reforms, to be per
manent, must begin in the lowest stratum Of
society and work upward, and expressions
originate IN the upper and press downward.
This greatest Of reforms must baGn and be
contaminated by the people. That intelli-
gence and virtue in the sovereignty are ne
cessary to wise administration Of Justice
under any form of government and that il
is not of 30 much importance what party
controls the government. as that it be toiseh
and justly administered. That as each
citizen IS an integral part Of the govern
ment, he has important duties to perform
duties too saeRed 70 be neglected or iltrusted
to any one, and which be should earnestly
seek to know and faithfully perform. He
should think for himself, and act out bis
convictions Of right and duty. To arrive al
truth and justice, he must divest himself Of
oil preconceived opinions on questions Of
public policy reject error, regardless Of
its source or consequences; eschewing party
prejudices, he must meet and act with bis
fell0w-citizens for the common good. He
who is unwilling to do these things cannot
be good citizen Of free government, for
this is the only way the general good can be
promoted and a successful effort made
against the common enemies of labor in all
departments Of industry. Having learned
these lessons and determined to perform our
whole duty, we are ready to 20 to work
with the certainty Of success. The enter
prising producing classes, if properly united,
are numerically rs Ave to one, compared
with their oppcsers and as this is the gov
eminent Of the people, il is their right to
legislate on al subjects in such manner as
best accords with the highest interests of
the whole people, subject only to the Princi-
pies Of natural justice ~
! We owe it to ourselves and those who
suffer with us to use all reasonable and Just
instramentalities for the accomplishments Of
the results aimed at in our present effort.
We should ignore party politics demand
I the election Of the best meu to Office from
this moment forward organize societies and
clubs, based on the general principles in
volved in this conflict support and en-
courage newspapers in our interest estab-
lish others whenever possible; print and
circulate documents; hold meetings; and
do ali other possible and lawful acts for the
purpose Of lifting ourselves and country
out Of the mire which threatens our very
existence.
r. F. TREvEL1cK, President
A. 7. CAvIs, First KcePres't.
c. KUHN, Second Nce -Prss't
A. CAMPBELL, oo,.ucu
A. M. PUET, ~
Fl. J. Walls, SCI retGry.