The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-05-27
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.


In our last issue we had something to
say in general way respecting the rise
and progress Of the Labor Reform
movement, TO which we propose to add
few words as 10 what, in our judy
ment, is the duty Of the friends of the
cause at present.
While the progress of the reform may
not have been as rapid as the justice of
the cause and the reasonableness and
fitness of the remedies proposed would
seem to have warranted, or to meet the
hopes and expectations OF some of the
more ardent friends of the movement
yet when we consider the magnitude Of
the difficulties to be met and overcome,
and compare the limited means and in
tiuence at our command with the almost
unlimited means, power and influence
welded by our opponents, it will be
found that there is nothing in the pres
ent situation to dshearten, but every
thing to encourage the true friends of
justice and legalized equality. Many
Of the ablest and best men in the private
walks Of life, as well as in public sta
ton, with number of Independent lead
ne journals u a,sis, HH99w heartily endorse and
earnestly advocate the adoption ct our
monetary and land systems; our man.
ner Of managing and paying the public
debt, and other leading measures; and
wherever they have been fully and freely
discussed before the people, they have
been approved with wonderful unanimity
by the mass of voters in both the old
parties.
The recent decision Of the Supreme
Court sustaining the constitutionality OF
the Legal Tender Act has not only re.
lieved Us from the odium Of being re-
pudiators, but has turned it back upon
our opponents, who refuse to abide by
and obey the law as Interpreted by the
highest judicial tribunal in the nation,
in the payment of our 500 bonds. II
has likewise added to our ranks thous.
snds who really believed our monetary
system and financial policy right and
jus;, but were prevented from adopting
oar views lest the Legal Tender Act
should be declared unconstitutional
When our charges that the design q
consolidated capital, in the shape Of
banking, railroad and other grasping
monopolies, was 0 reduce the agricul
tural, mining, manufacturing and me
chanical interests-in a word, the whole
producing element Of the nation-t(
abiect submission, were first made, the!
were,reated as idle tales and assaileC
by the press and the politicians In tn
int rest Of these monopolies, rs the hol
low vaporings Of an idle and vlclou
populace. But time and subsequen
events, with what OF fair discussion tina
has been elected, have fully established
their truthfulness and INDICATED thei
authors from the false imputations an
vile SANDERS heaped upon them by tn
minions Of the money power.
The persistent, determined effort :
withdraw the legal tenders, or people
money, from circulation, and to surfer
der the whole money power into th
hands and keeping Of systems of bank
ing corporations, thus clothing them wit
power to regulate the value Of all IL
property in the nation, and to max
such distribution Of the products of II
dustry and enterprise between caplti
and labor as their avarice may dictate
the plain violation of the law IN pur
chasing our bonds at a premium OF te
to twelve per cent, when they ar
clearly and rightfully redeemable at pa
in legal tenders; the consolidation
all the great lines of railway from ocea
10 ocean, thus cutting off all compel
ton in the carrying business, whereof
the producer and consumer are alike d,
frauded Of the Just rewards Of their ]:
Dor; with tile combination Of capital i
mining, manufacturing, and all othe
branches of useful industry and legit
mate enterprise, has excited an inquir
and awakened an interest in candi
minds in all stations Of life. The re
suit is that farmers, business men, m
crate capitalists, and patriots are ia
coming to see that if this money oil
garchy and these overgrown monoPohf
and combinations are not restricted
proper limits, they, too, must soon b