The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-03-05
Oppression Of Labor.

VRPA cobAOu VI AaDOI.
The following essay was recently
read, by w. ii. Layton, before the
students Of Adrian College, Michigan :
Me- PRzsIDKxr, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
hail with delight the privilege
granted me to appear before you this
afternoon in defence Of our vast re-
public, a subject that cannot but find a
warm place in the heart Of every true
lover Of his race, of every true chris
tian and phil&nthrophist. Existing as
we do In free republic, blessed and
surrounded by free institutions, Grad
died in the lap of liberty, and educated
to know no one but God az our ruler,
are you surprised that an American
citizen grows warm and excited when
under the very canopy of Liberty, he
witnesses growing rule of tyranny
and oppression unequaled even by that
OF African slavery, which 100000
American freemen 80 recently split their
best blood to wash from our fair land.
Need ! call your attention 70 the
slavery / refer too? Can there De one
in my audience so blind so lulled to
sleep by the fattery Of the oppressor's
tongue. as not to have become ac-
quainted with the fact that even here,
in free America, slavery. yes slavery, in
IT'S darkest form, exists. Are YOU
startled at this statement Can you
deny but that such is the fact? You ad-
init all this. but yet while this monster
is increasing daily in it's proportions,
engul6ng everything in its onward
tread, you lie passivsly and iaactivs ; il
not soon aroused to be enclosed in the
fangs OF demon, who can hold you
powerless at his side. Let us con-
slider this subject those Of you who
deny that there is any occasion for
seriousIalarm, or are opposed to the
uniting of labor, or wnat is more com
mooly known ar the labor reform.
1t ia the hue and cry of all opposers
of labor reform, that the interests OF
labor and capital are mutual, and that
the uniting Of labor is to bring the
two in conflict v ith each other. They
raise their hands in holy horror at the
idea Of workingmen's rights "Tbose
OF this class who are identified among
the working classes, claim that they
have all the rights they want, and are
content, poor men, to remain as they
are. We saw this same thing existing
among the late slaves in the South, bat
did IT prove that slavery was right, OF
that the majority did not want to be lib
Grated ? Admitting your first PROPOSE
ton to be true if the two are mutual. .wha
necessity for the conflict Order and
discipline would be furthered by sucl
q course this il the first law to pros
perity, both would be benefited. Blu
why this commotion? What is the caus
Of az Mis opposition By capital tosOard
Iobor, ,schose Interest yo~ claim are mutual
Can capital do without labor, you ask
reply, it can in individual instances
And on the other hand you admit thai
labor is dependent upon capital. IL is
And how true even to the morsel the
poor man eats. Should capital desire
to enforce any set plan of operation,
how does it bring it mutually about
i BY conferring with labor? No. by
\ commanding, and it must be done
Il What gives capital this power? be
cause they have everything in their
own hands, even to the bread the Ia
borer eats, the clothing that he wears,
and the house that be lives In. Capita
confer with labor! Why the idea
y while the present state Of affairs ex