The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-05-20

financial influence and meaied power than
the Common weaith which gave them exist
epce. / do not make this statement a q
reproach to the State which gave existence
tc these corporations, or a. an attack on
such bodies for their manaer Of doing ba..>
ness. only show by facts what can DC
achieved By combination. 5W
The ospitsliuka has discovered that Gin
Union there b strength" Why then blame
labor for having lssrned to appreciate sne
same tru<hs? As understand it, You
have combined, not 70 draw bills Of credit,
not to take deposits at low rates Of interest,"
and loan them ssain al exhorbitant prices
not to charge five fold prices for your labor,
not to resist and stop the highways for the
public convenience. not 70 speculate On tne
necessity Of the poor, not TO starve men,
women and children into abject Submission
not to monopollze the use Of any Oh toe una
terial resources Of the State, but sllRly to
secure for your labor wages adequate 70
meet the necessary demands upon you tor
the support and education Of your fsmiiies.
You do not propose to interfere with any
of the schemes Of the capitalist 10 enlarge
his franchises or increase HIS treasures
You simply ask the common rights eajoyed
by all zen, to secure the fair and just fruits
Of your daily toll Those who would at
tempt, either by the misinterpretation Of the
powers they now possess, or by securing
additional prerogatives at the hvor Of legs
iative bodies, to deprive the laboring man
Of this right, are they who invite to resola-
ton and force by cOrruPting free govern
ment. | do not assert my friends, that
such has been, or Is the case. only infer
possibilities but whatever may happen, let
1t be fully understood, that under no cir
cumstances, can the law of this land be
violated with IMMUNITY. That which |
would not permit in corporation seeking
to ppress labor / dare not, ~ q sworn
officer OF the law, encourage In an associa-
ton, drawn together for mutual benefit,
when in pursuit of that object, it seeks 10
interfere with the personal nights Of other
citizens While one set Of men are legal
ly entitled to obtain as much for their labor
as they can command, they have no right
to coerce other men to adhere to the same
rate of wages The first may refuse to
work with the last, but they have not the
moral or the legal right to interfere with
the labor Of those with whom they work ~
to wages. 1t is my duty to make this point
perfectly plain. Whenever q combination
Of men seeking an object, violently intsr-
fere with other men who are pursuing their
industry for such wages as they are-willing
to take, the act is a conspiracy amounting
to crime against Law and order !; and law
and order must be sustained AZ all hazards.
This is stern talk, my friends, but as it is
not my habit 10 deceive those with whom
am called to deliberate, ! do not propose to
delude you BY false and specious advice. ]
speak thus emphatically out that we may
perfectly understand each other. and that
YOU may be guided in the right / did
not come here to Bight to dissuade from do
ing your duty to yourselves, but to encour
age you in this right. You are too iutslli
gent and have too much manly firmnes
for any man thus to attempt to lead YOU
but you can appreciate The truth when 20.
reflect that your government is one Of Law
and Obedience TO the law IN essential to th
success Of the government. Without
government labor and capital would bot
De in eternal antagonism, without hope o
ever coming to terms. But with q govern
ment respected and the law obeyed, bot
these elements are secured in their rights
4 never want to see the day when any por-
ton Of the American people have becom
so wrong in their views, and so desperat
in their character as to oppose legal and Of
fetal authority. i have seen enough Q
this already, and knows what il costs to pun
ish those who make such Attempts. Ma
God deliver this nation from ever again be,
( ing forced into civil war!
Thanks to the trainers Of our laws, yov
have a remedy ut the ballot box, for what
ever wrongs or expressions you may suffer
The elective franchise was given TO NEE
precisely such cases as yours. You hav'
votes, and must cast them for your owl
benefit. If you want Representation, Iearu
whom to trust, and when you know q MAJ
to be faithless to your interest. or you ar,
certain be is unworthy Of your confidence
don't vote for him. The calm and inuelli-
gent use of the ballot is infinitely NOR,
mighty as q revolutionizer in the Interest,"
Of labor than riot and bloodshed. We m
only just entering on the period Of true
appreciation of the elective franchise, anc
you have yet to learn fully what can be ef-
feeted BY its use while those who suppos.
themselves entrenched behind special leeis
lation will, sooner or later, realize that there
is no hiding place in the country In which
wrong and injustice can escape the castiga.
ton Of the ballot. Free government would
fail to be impartial if the situation wert
otherwise. That which makes a man supe.
riOr in this country is bis force Of character,
intelligence. energy and intrspidity. Every
man is at liberty to display these as best be
can, and as be prospers in LIE BY the fair
test Of these qualities, be demonstrates the
blessings Of good government as well a
bis own ability to succeed. Ft
There should be no conflict between labor
and capital, and If wise counsels prevail,
they will go hand in hand. :,
I have always looked upon labor and
capital rs twin sisterA or perhaps to Illus
trate my meaning more strongly, a The
Siamese twins, connected together with
chord, the severing Of which might be fatal
or greatly injurious to both. Without L.
Dor capital would be comparatively useless.
Without capital labor would fail to be re-
munerative, and public and private enter
prise would cease. Neither. can. thersfors,
ehorOach upon or wrong the otber with in.
punity. am friend Of that protection 10
Americas labor which has brought this
country ioits highest conditiea Of pssspsr.-
ID and when the nation extan7s liz pfe
teefiss md fastsfine policy 49, ~ "a
ductive and manufacturing interests. tks
'cspitalist and transporter sboald not Be- per-
miaae6 to applY all the aavauh<z,e ssts 4hem.