The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-05
: SOUND ], ADVICE.

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The following letter, which, explains
itself, was written by Mr.. Clinton
Briggs, of Omaha, executive of the n.
j.. U. for Nebraska, in reply 70 . com
munication received from the president
Of the Bridgeport Protective Union Of
Connecticut:
MY DEAR SIR,-Yours Of late date,
giving some account of the Bridge
port strike and asking our aid and
sympathy, is at hand, and carefully
considered
Your people have the warmest SYM
patty Of their fellow-workmen in this
city. and though poor and iaboring
under pecuniary embarrassment, an
effort viii be made to assist you.
Permit me. however, to add that in
my opinion these strikes can never re-
suit to the permanent advantage OF the
great cause IA which we are enlisted,
and the most we expect is that some
temporary advantage may be realized
in some instances. You cannot sue
cessfully fight capital in that way, as
all experience sbundsntly shows.
Strikes have been very frequent all
over the country for the past few years,
and. YET. the dominion Of capital is more
absolute today thsnl ever beforeih the
history of our country.
This remedy does not reach the
cause of the mortal disease which is
nov pr6ying upon the vitab OF the so,
ciai system, but It is, at most, only q
feeble palliative, or, more properly, 9
symptom of the disease.
There is only one way to successfully
combat organized and relentless CAPT
tai, and that ia wsAk tAs BALLOT. You
must strife for pos0er-for dominion
/ Take possession of the National and
State Governments, and all Of the de
partments thereof-the Legislative, the
executive, the judicial. Why not
Are you not of the millions for WHOM
this Government was created, aud By
whom it has been preserved and made
great and glorious? While those who
DO actually govern, and mould us t.
their purposes, az the potter moulds hi
clay, are counted only by the hundred
Where are your representatives in higt
places, or even low places? Have yor
anybody IN the Congress Of the United
States, or in State Legislatures, or il
city or town councils, to speak for you
Perhaps yon have, but their number il
not large enough even to constitute S
e t"rlorn hope"
Why is this? It is simply because
the masses, without regarding the SUB
stance, are daxzled with a name They
will shut their eyes and vote the Demo
cratic or Republican ticket, il they
knew it would kill them the next min
ute. It is true, they love home anC
the comforts Of home, and they love
their wives and children, and wan
them well fed, well clad, well educated
and well cared for; but what is all this
TO be compared to the glorious priv
lege of voting the " straight" Demo
cratic or Republican ticket Thus you
give power to men who neglect and
despise you-the instruments Of their
elevation.
And can you tell me what there is
in either of these parties to merit your
confidence and devotion? You may
tell me that they once had merit. Yes,
and so had Benedict Arnold; but now
how fallen! Both have the same end
in view-power and plunder. Both
are controlled and manipulated by a
few dozen men, who in turn are gov
erned by that great money power whose
headquarters are in Wall street. Both
are clinging with death-like tcnscity to
the dead issues Of the past, and to the
customs and traditions of a by-gone
age; and both, hope, are dying of
that disease known as 6 want of public
confidence" t Sc
Men speak of the glories of the
fifteenth amendment" and hail with
delight the advent of universal suf-
frsge. Bnt of what particular signifi-
canoe is this TO you? The Napoleons
reared the thrones of their despotism
upoh the broad base Of universal suf-
frage. What you nesd most is o six
teenth amendment, giving to the people
a stable national currency, low rates of
interest. and free homes on the public
domain to the actual settler, to the ex-
clusion &c everybody else. Revolution
is the word-peaceful. but prompt or
ganic and decisive. Time, now.
The only remedy for existing evils
j. for the people to rally round the
standard of the Labor Party, and give
it political power. Victory will be
yours some day; how soon is for you
TO decide. Emulate the example of
President Trevellick, who il so nobly
doing his duty in the great work COM
mitted to his charge, and let us aid his
efforts and strengthen his hands, for
You may well regard him the " nobIest
Roman of them all''
Respectfully yours,
CLINTON BRIGGs,
Executive for Nebraska of N. l.. L.
To j. FL. POWELL, Pres't. Of Mechan-
les Protective Union, Bridgepo rt,