The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-03-18
PLAIN TALK TO PLAIN PEOPLE

In letter recently received from a
friend in New York, occurs the follow
ing:
Zone thing that positively Injuries the cause
Of the National Labor Union in this section of
the country is the begging appeals the Presi-
dent of the National Labor Union publishes in
the papers. / make all the excuses / can but
people say, 1t is too thin.' Why don't he go
to work p Is the National Labor Union organ
lied to support its officers 2 and the like, which
are very annoying"
We could publish half dozen ex-
tracts of similar character, but the
above will suffice for our purpose. In
reply we have few plain questions to
ask, and we hope some of our New
York friends will answer:
/. Is the laborer worthy of his hire ?
2. Was the President of the Nation
al Labor Union guaranteed a stated
salary
3. Has he received the amount guar
anteed ?
4. Has he performed his share of the
contract?
s. Can he follow any calling while
attending to his official duties?
6. Can he support his family on
charity?
z. Are those unions which promised to
support him under any moral obliga-
ton to fulfill such promise?
s. Should the requests that such OBJ
legations be fulfilled be styled begging
app ealsF
If Mr.. Trevellick has made any other
request than that the amount honestly
due him be paid, we are not aware
OF the fact. We are not going
to mince matters bit. We say it is a
burning disgrace that he should be ne
cessitated to ask for his salary at all.
How long would the men who growl
about his begging appeals agree to &C.
cupy his position on the terms upon
which he has occupied it? We wish it
distinctly understood that we are not
I pleading personally for Mr.. Trevellick.
We ignore the man entirAy We are
pleading for the recognition of Gprin-
ciple-the application of the golden
rule, do unto others as We would
that others should do unto you" What
right have men who work for others,
and who demand pay for such work, to
expect that those who work for them
should live on air? Consistency is a
jewel; it is a poor rule which don't
work both ways. Is it Just, much less
magnanimOus, to expect that the Pres.
ideDt of the National Labor Union
should be at the beck and call of every
organization, and devote his undivided
energies to its interests, and at the
same time taunt him about making
begging appeals, when he imply asks
for the payment Of his salary Ifthose
for whose welfare he has been and il
contendlng neglect or refuse TO contrib
ute to his support, to whom can he
look? Office rent must be paid. sta
tlonery purchased, and a dozen Incl
dental expenses be met, and money is
required for that purpose. Now, sup
pose Mr.. Trevellick were to accept the
sinews of war" from either the Re
publican or Democratic parties, what
wi of indignation would be heard on
every hand. Protests, charges of bribery,
betrayal and corruption would flow in
from every quarter; and yet class Of
men who will neither dance nor pay
the piper" who don't contribute a
dime themselves, are equally deter
mined that nobody else shall do SO, if
they can prevent it by denouncing all
efforts to obtain money in legitimate
manner as begging appeals. We certain
ly don't know any class who are more
anxious to get well paid for their ser
vices than wOrkingmen. and those who