New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-08
TIE QUESTIONS OF TO-DAY.
A LECTURE BY WENDELL PHILLIPS.

auspices of the Mercantile Library Association, for tho
benefit Of the French sufferers. A largo number OF
prominent and not prominent citizens occupied seats
on the platform The lecture itself involved n
discussion Of the Temperance and Labor Reform
questions, and in advancing his views the
lecturer made no cndcavOrs TO comprommse matters
with his audience, although running counter their
convictions in several instances His remarks were wen
received and heartily applGuded, exception being taken
in instance only when his condemnation Of Ger
many and invccve against Bismarck were Kissed by o
portion Of his audience Beginning with "reminiscences
Of the antisavery contest including discussion Of
Prohibition and the relations Of labor to capital
he closed with all appeal for Woman Suffrage.
Charles T. Allen, President OF the Mercantile Library
Association, said that the entertainment for the relief of
the suffering French evidently great success, aud
that check for 81 900 would be handed 10 the Treasurer
He then introduced Mr. Phillips, whose lecture included
the following:
REPUBLICAN CITY GOVERNMENT FAILURE.
In every great city on this great continent the
Mayor and Aldermen are nothing but standing
Committee nominated by its grogstops, and have
not been anything else for many years (Applausel
And thus it follows that there has
been great city this continent governed for 20
consecutive years decently so far the protection Of
NE t[ee speech and property is eonceTned 20 i2r as
frage has gappod hitherto with the problem Of govern
diamonds aud walk on London strand and be safe. You
would not try it in Broadway without making YOUR VIII
DiOdAhag - IcouiN VI
suffrage.
PROHIBITION ADVOCATED.
What wish 70 do b TO lift the temperance idea TO the
level OF its patriotic significance. know that 1t has two
Sides One is the Christianity that puts its arms round
the drunkard and enwraps him in the warmest sym
pahy and tries plant in his heart much resolution
as he capable Of The other side tries to make Il safe
for him to walk IN the streets BY means Of prohibition
craftsmanship II this does not succeed We Will try
another plan. In Illinois, one Of her richest men said
| Given me- pgslu 70 III
into the drinking saloon, land will share my wealth
with you tomorrow" lie cOuld not do IT, Nobody but
God can plant In human soul that ygor Of resolution
which trample this appetite under foot But there "a
thing which law can do, which the safety Of repnbh-
can institutions demands and that is to shut that door,
tGreat applause.l
THE CURSE GERMAN WAR.
But the absorbing question of the next generation will
lie the labor question. In Europe its aspect IS poucal
here 1t is social. We have half million OF work
ingmen in Prussia flung against half million Of WORK
ngmen in France They did not hate each other; their
ignorance Of each other made of to create IN
friendness. While the Frenchman had built out of his
| ina ginaton demon and called Il German, the Ger
/ man had built out OF his Imagination monster and
faea We see two forecs THROWN together
in Europe, to accomplish this last collapse Of civilization
danger OF the 10Th century Men say viii take SlOOOO
to restore the beauty OF Pnrs but that is hardly con
sideraton WORTH mentioning beside inc eraSer aspects
or the question. II has devoted inc Russians 10 ss-
1 al he enarqss of be ae mf hat de S Tey
take three adult years ont OF every mans ne,
of Psop e have given three years Forty,fyo
millions of wasted years wherein a man has neither
planted nor sOwn. to leave mortgage on his fellows
That is TO make the Prussan army nation able TO
dictate TO Europe nj the point Of the sword And En-
gland is ever 10 maintain her place, she, too must adopt
the system And must France; and II You i've you
will 1O0OOOOOO of wasted years in Europe-wasted IN
the mere preparation for battle. The restoration Oh the
fcudl system would be greater evil and the name
Of bismarck, that produced such system, viii
tiOn. Great applause ana cries or "hear her.J inc
Napolcon broken sword lay at his foot he forfeited his
title Of statesman, unless he prove that he was the
tool Of bigoted King heariless soldier llsses ana
applause long continued UP to t.at moment every
and revenge the insults 20 years at Berlin When
Bismarck stood there, II he had held out the hand OF
have with the people Of France it would have have
| a dozen such territories as Alsace. lApplauseI
FRANCE DEFENDED.
Instead OF that lie has planted in every Frenchmans
heart the cruel purpose TO carry back revenge to the
gates Of Berlin know what is said Of Germany, her
metaphysics and her advance in Professionalism. but
Franco has done more for popular rights than dozen
Germanies [Applausel But for her. English Whig ari S
tocracy would have sat like incubus on Europe for
centuries to come; her revolution which is called hell
by some, the revolt Of thought against superstition
OF the people against Kings, ana WIN an her snorIcOn-
ngs France has done more for cylllzation than any
other Kingdom IN EUROPE lAPP4uSe on b Ee 'ao
he departs from her and her. normal CONDITION, ana e
place she occupies is standing protest IN favor OF rgh
humanity hDerly, ana lnc IE,ss' IPi 81 at
congregates against her There are only three grtat
powers III tnc NOlu tO-Idy I<uEihlh Stto'
behind her the Irish question on one hand the Ala
bama claims the other Russia Prussia, and this
becomes the United states to send out congratu-
lations to the basphemCnst Emperor ,r Of Ger
war fAppausel mean what say for France
uprising Of the people. She is the only power in Europe
that with her viii against it, has been the DulWaK
piause With ali her shortcomings in the cause Of the
people France is volcanic and Germany lnud ana she
and aIistocratc in Europe. And England let France
fall, leaving herself the sole representative OF freedom
ders Bismarck from debating the same law in London
be allowed to doInineer over Europe, for the working
will fling all these dynasties 10 pieces within the
next twenty years
LABOR AND CAPITAL
This question is social here. Here 1t is the protest OF
labor against weath-labor against capital / am not
going enter in any breadth upon the complaint OF labor
against capital, although agree with IT, II is sound
that believe our children viii listen TO and wonder that
their fathers ever doubted for moment. Your great
Grandchildren will sit these seats and listen 70 some
orator telling the story Of vanderbilt with as much
wonder modern audience hears Agassz describe the
habits OF a DastOdOu- aughterJ-Or as We wOnGer now
that thought il right TO keep ielow-cIeaie IN
listen TO the story Of Vanderbilt or an AstOr VIII IN
crcdulity do not say that these men arc WfOhg lAoy
ont of 100 children lying IN their cradles tomght IN
this city, ten will have turned cut weak; hey cahho dY
ANYTHING without leaning on somebody Ten more WIN
make poems invent things (Laughterl Their feet
never touch the ground, they do not. want any
bread, or if they do, God gives, it 10 them
augLter1 OF the 80 left, ten will be rich; they VIII be
worth from million forty millions and Of the 20 re-
naming members they will rise every morning 70
coin their daily bread Here Is u man OF
co; lie is Worth forty millions; he has has
gathered n in forty years. There 10000 men tht
Toll for him At sixty Iros them rise each morning
to beg of him toll. In the chain which connects
The o there Is link which neither Justice nor CHRISTI
anity sanctions, and YOU VIII find IL out
These are tho that trade In money ih1
swan stocks and these the men tlaI
trade in time Out OF that class come 1Ourhiths OF the
rich men Grard said the first $1,000 he ever gathccu
| lx,tI fonf han sal