The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-10-29

happy in the privilege Of making nice
and beautiful things for other people ?
WHY are YOU not content to make fine
houses and offices for others, while you
live in novels, and garrets, and cellars
yourselves? Why are you not con-
tented to spin and weave and make
fine clothing for other people, and dress
yourselves in coarse and cheap gar
ments? Ye VITO make fine carpets
and elegant furniture, why are you not
satisfied to sit and sleep on bare floors
and use broken Chairs? Yc who make
beautiful jewellery and silver plate,
what matter is it 10 you that they never
adorn the persons of your own family
or table? Yewh make fine carriages,
why are you not satisfied TO let those
who govern you ride in them, while
you drag your weary limbs on foot.
% We ungrateful laborers, why are you
not satisfied with a government 50
" generous" that it gives" YOU a
home if you will only "squat" down
in the wilderness, and educate your
children without cost" The Tribune
and its Republican party government
are so patronizing and so " generous"
to the laboring man that he ought to
feel highly honored and very thankful
for such favors, but somehow it strikes
us that man who devotes eight or ten
hours day to hard labor, earns enough
to buy a home, educate his own
children if he received the Just reward,
or full profit Of his labor.
Has The Tribune any idea that this is
a peoples government? that the public
lands and public schools belong to the
whole people? That the laborer sup.
ports the government and has a right
to say what the government shall OF
shall not 40?
Perhaps it is not necessary that
laboring men and women should ash
the Tribune or the "many minds" in
sympathy with it and the Republican
party, whether their needs and re
duirements" demand separate
party in their interests" or not. What
a blessed thing it is, that common
laborers" (if mem have a right to vote
and hold Office and organize a new
party without asking the consent of tht
Tribune or the Republican party.
Any person reading the above article
from the Tribune, not knowing thu
facts, would suppose that our govern
ment and our present administration
were Just about as perfect as there wa
any need Of, or as they could well be
One would suppose that our govern
ment was so justly and righteously ad
ministered that there could be no op
preston, no wrong, no want, o
poverty, with their attendant miser,
and crime.
4 Somehow the laborers Of this nation
have got the idea into their heads tina
I labor produces wealth, ard that the,
have right to enough OF it to Civ
them some Of the comforts and enjoy
ments of life.
Somehow they have got an idea tina
the government of people has some
thing to do with the distribution of tn
fruits and profits of labor, and doubt
less they will work on this problem til
they solve it, Notwithstanding the dus
that is constantly thrown in their eye
by such papers as the Tribune.
Ifthe leaders Of the Republican part,
would only keep in mind how tn
necessities Of the war forced upon then
the abolition Of slavery, and how re
luctantly it was done, 1t seems to m
they would hardly have the face t
claim 50 much credit and graf ude 70
the performance of the deed.
Mrs. GOODRICH WILLARD.