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

Slf1ocO,OVU,UV az per CENT, ..s =
the rate under present system, 81, 1874 ,O0O, 900
4lfl, loo, 600, 700 at per Ct, the
pate under proposed system. l04 ,OOO. QO0I
Net annual saving 70 labor. $3.50, 200, 900 |
This equals 81, 332, 900 for each secular |
day in the year.
We have thus endeavored to bring to |
viyw the causes that are depressing labor in
all departments of useful occupation, and
totpoint out what to us appears to be the
proper and efficient remedy for these evils. |
We insist that the prevailing destitution
ard suffering among the industrial classes
does not result from insUficieut prodnctou,
bat from the unfair distribution of the pro-
ducts Of interest and enterprise between
cspital and labor, caused by the institutiOn
OF money on a wrong principle, and with
too great power over labor and property.
The hg "a rate Of interest on money favored
b. our present unjust monetary laws, whilst
Stimulating the enterprise Of the very few,
AID certainly securing to them great wealth,
represses the enterprise of the great mass
o. the people, b, depriving them Of the
just reward of their labor, and tends to the
Increase Of pauperism and crime, and the
Inevitable overthrow Of the government.
Labor constitutes the real wealth Of ma
ton, and, without claiming tor it anything
more than its natural rights, We insist that
these should be guarded by the most ieal-
GUS care. The rights of property can only
lie protected by general laws. II is utterly
isnpracticable for the government to have
Supervision over the individual agreements
! and business transactions of the nation.
All it can or ought to do 10 to make such
general laws for the governments Of proper
ty as will naturally tend to effect its eQuita-
Ne distribution" This our present none
Sary system does not and cannot do. The
inevitable result of its practical workings is
ip build palaces for the few, and kOvels for
sne many to clOthe the fSw in purple and
line linen, and the many in rags; to enable
The fcs0 to fare suRptIoGsy, and reduce
he many to penHry and sCGrt to cen
fralize wealth and power IN the hands Of the
3eW, and to impOverish and degrade the
ssary and, finally, todedrOy that freedom
and equality essential to the preservation of
nur liberties.
! !, While the mSaetiry- system we present
places the moneyed interest of the nation
ander the direct control Of the sovereign
PEOPLE, where it properly belongs, it will,
| by the establishment of Just standard of
distribution TO capital and labor. secure to
at least nine-tenths of the population the
.9ecuniary benefits which are Justly due
chem, and leave the remaining one-tenth in
me undisturbed possession Of their present
wealth, and, like their fellow citizaus, at
liberty to increase it by any useful and hon
est employment they may find. 1t will do
justiceEto labor, by distributing prodUcts 30
producers according to the labor or service
performed in their production, and secure
Individual comfort and happiness to all who
are able and wiling to work; it will foster
iand encourage industry and enterprise in
the development of our natural resources,
;and rapidly increase the national wealth; it
twill restore and maintain that freedom and
equality essential to the preservation and
Hperpetuity Of our institutions.
K PUBLIC LANDS.
This subject is one Of paramount import
ance to the American people, and therefore
we deem it legitimate to define our position.
The public domain of any country belongs
ito the whole people of that country. The
government is simply trustee for the peo-
jple, and no more, and can have no right,
without the consent Of the people, to divert
the public domain to any purpose whatever
incompatible with this original and Joint
Ownership. We therefore bold that the
tgo yernment has the right to occupy such
portions as may be necessary to its func-
tons that the balance should be held in
reasonable quantities for the actual settler
as free homesteads; that all public sales Of
land are unwise and wrong, and that all
donations to private corporations or individ-
uals, for other than the purpose and use
named. are wrong in policy, rs well a.
/ breach of the solemn trust accepted by the
government, and should cease from this
time henceforth.
THE WAR QUESTION.
! Aggressive wars are always in the inter
lest of the few aud against the many, snd
usually without sdficiena ppvccation. All
! the immense national debts of the world,
crushing out the life of labor, are the pro-
ducts Of war. The standing armies, for the
! pafpose Of enforcing governments and laws
, against the rights and wishes Of the masses,
cost thousands of millions annually, divert
|. hundreds Of thousands Of men from the
productive industries, cultivate the basest
\ passions, make murder a profession and
! science, ill the land with widoWhoOd, or
I phanage, poverty, and crime. A.
\ War is destructive Of life, property, ma
tional and private morality. OF the three,
4 the latter is most disastrous to society and
l human welfare. In proof Of this we need
i only to refer to the present reckless disre-
i gard Of Me prevailing in our own country
4 The cardinal objects Of government are.
I protection Of life, liberty, and property and
as the two first are more important than the
latter, it is the duty of government to as
sess and collect from the welth OF the
/ country the money necessary for the prose
4 cution Of wars, SO that no debt shall be en-
tailed upon labor. For this reason An
wars are really for the endorsements Of pro
! perty rights; therefore, a. the telling masses
I fill the ranks of war for the vindicatiOn of
these rights, il is but just that property
/, shall defray the expenses incident thereto
\ LABOR AND Trs NIGHTS
: We hold these truths to be selfevidcnt
( That the rights of all useful labor are uni
/. tary and can never conflict; that labor has
a common cause and interest in ali efforts
/ to elevate and improve the condition Of the
toiling masses that no class Of hbOeD can
! be excluded from our efforts and sympathies
/ without the grossest injustice. We there
| fore invite to our cooperation all classes Of
! laborers, male and female; for this IL q
struggle for liberty and Justice for all useful
! labor. We tender to all such our sym