The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-01-28
THE INTERNATIONAL I'M spain
BY c. OSBORNE WARD.

1t might not be uninteresting to re-
view a few facts further than those
which appeared in my letters on Span
ish industrial organization. Theoreti-
cally. and may say substantially, the
finest solidarity or group of societies
ever observed are to be seen in BARGE
Iona. Of the SO workingmen's socie-
ties "a belong to Federation having
their head centre at the Ateneo, Aths-
ne,sm. This federation of societies is,
in turn, allied to and forms a part of a
more general association, the Interna-
tional.
Thus a multitude Of specific interests,
each operating Tor itself, receives the
mutual support of the whole. If the
tricks and sneers of outside shopkeep-
ers prove too severe trial for the tail
ors' or bread-bakers' cooperation the
central committee call a meeting some
times; indeed, grand demonstration
of all the thirty-four, who come to the
rescue Of their Eeighbors by pledging
them their patronage and advice; or if
the mariners or clothmakers' or trades
societies get into difficulty the same
mutual aid comes from the bread-bak-
ers' and tailOrs'. This 10 the true prin-
ciple of cooperative solidarity. Now
the grand ultimatum of this is a guar.
anty of sympathetic and material sup
port from the individual to the solidar-
ity where it is organized and intelligi-
zed by contact and discussion, and
again reflected upon the people, enrich
ed by the new forces ofexperience and
judgment. Thus if a handful Of gas
filters conceive the idea of establishing
themselves in cooperative shop of
their own, they apply to the "centre
federal and have their rules made to
conform with the principles of coop
erative solidarity Of the International,"
adopted by the Spanish Labor Con-
gress. The federation then guarantees
their success. Or, if there is need Of q
new trades union of resistance to coun-
teract the forces Of exacting masters,
the FIRST step is to secure the indispen-
sable guaranty of the ce~trO federal
The material encouragement thus
guaranteed to workiDgmen is immense,
but the moral support is greater. This
harmonious cooperation of "a socie-
ties of various specific objects, formed
when | visited it an aggregate force of
1000 members. This Ateneo CatalOn
(Catalonian Athenium) is an ancient
mercantile hoSst5f sTs ~ 30 AIDA
verted into sssuA pIspuv,s .tra
academy. 1t Becn the results Of the = ;
de Mercaderes guards OF s1 Ss ar%es st Fl
Of the old cily,in the middle of dense
working population. This school has
many rooms in which are taught most
branches Of practical education. In it
is to be seen fair specimen of the
plan Of the lnternatiOnals who seek to
obtain fol- the individual the elements
Of perfect manhood, and il, with the
celebrated German Arbeiter buildings
-Verein, a fair example of the prac-
teal career Of that institution. None
but working people and their children
are admitted to study there. Although
the Spanish school system is miserable
and the Establishment of the mind dis
regarded until, the world comes TO look
upon these people as uncivilized, yet
/ am convinced BY this proof that it is
not the fault Of the people but Of the
intolerance Of a depraved aociety for
it 10 not an uncommon thing to see q
father studying in the same bench with
his son, in this school which is the 6rst
opportunity he has ever had to learn
from books. Mr.. Farga Pelesier, the
energetic director of this school, told
me that the tendency of instruction at
the Ateneo Catalan is to inculcate the
necessity among Spanish workingmen
of form federal which rejects the
form monarchical, and is founded on
the most revolutionary basis of the SO.
cialistIc problem.
But the Spanish federation, backed
up by the great international Associa.
ton Of workingmen, is not confined to
its "a affiliated societies Of Barcelona.
A league Of propagandists was organ
lied two years ago consisting of pub
lie speakers who are sent out to lee
ture to the people. These lectures are
held in places where the working peo-
pie are in the habit Of going. Discus.
sions follow, and the people are en-
hghtened. The spread Of the associa-
ton throughout Spain is largely owing
to this system. Madrid, Valencia,
TarragOna, Sarragosa, Malaga, in fact
nearly all the important places of
Spain are creating their centres and
schools. The entire membership Of the
Spanish workiDgmen's federation, is
over 10000 and il contains about ffty
sections of the international.
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR