The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-05-13
NOTES ON THE LABOR QUESTION
BY AN INTERNATIONAL.

mere are TWO important move
ments now going forward in France
and the United States, connected with
the above question, which will be tenn
perately and firmly examined into in
this article.
/. The Revolution now going for
ward in Paris.
2. The strike of the coal-miners of
Pennsylvania,
He who carefully looks into the sub
jects will find that the intent of both is
the same, VITO establish and define
strictly the rights Of producers.
OF the former it may be said that the
Red Rebellion is the natural result ::of
the good the terrible siege Of Paris has
accomplished for the French. II was
the deadly Prussian pressure that has
amalgamated society in that city, that
has broken down all the barriers be-
tween the rich and the poor, and rem
dered the large majority Of the people
Of Paris fit for and able to establish q
communism similar to that established
BY the apostles in Judea under St.
Peter.
And the multitude Of them that believed
we're OF one heart and Of one soul: Eeith-
er said any Of them that ought Of the things
which be possessed was his oWn but they had
all things common" (4th chapter Acts, Sand
verse.)
If the Christian Churches of modern
days have not introduced something
Of this kind amongst us it is not be-
cause it is not advocated In the Bible
If the Red Republicans have blindly
and foolishly struck at the clergy, it is
because the latter have neglected this
duty, and worse than that, the Reds
charge all their present distress to the
votes Of the peasantry as the plebiscite
ordered by Napoleon, well knowing
that the peasantry are merely the tools
Of the priesthood of Rome.
This is the main reason only they
have demanded that the cities shall
govern themselves, elect their own
mayors, &c. To this the Assembly at
Versailles first proposed to yield, but
NJ. Theirs asserted that in that case he
would leave the Government Finally
it was arranged that cities of 10000
people and under should elect their
mayors, but that the rulers Of all the
larger cities should be appointed by
the Government. This of course was
not satisfactory g the Parisians, who
had had under Napoleon quite enough
and to spare of Government control
Every good man must deplOre the
excuses Of the Revolution. France
has no reason to respect her usless and
beaten officers, but that does not justly
the execution Of her Generals. As re
CARDS the public property, be it palaces
or churches, it would better to sell II
and get the money than to suffer the
Prussian to come again and batter
down Notre Dame out of revenge, be-
cause his indemnity has not been paid.
1t is believed that Bismarck, pressed by
all the Governments in Europe, will
interfere on the side of the Assembly;
let him do 50, nothing 10 more certain
than this, that the party aided by the
Germans must eventually lose the game
in Paris and in France.
Neither are the workingmsn of Pari,
to blame for proposing the destruction
of the column Of victory in the Place
Vendome. We copy the war trophies
from the blinded pagans of Greece and
Rome. In all wars both parties have
reason to be ashamed Of their misdeeds,
and should strive to hide rather than
commemorate them. The fall Of the
column in the Place Vendome will be q
sign to the nations that in enlightened
France the rule of the soldier is past,
and its fall will resound through the
universe. The lawyers is q poor, trade
in which men get something for pro-
ducing nothing; but the soldiers 10
worse, for be is man who has reason
to be ashamed when his days work ID
done. The Duke Of Wellington I'D.
mitted this when he declared that
There was nothing more horrible
than battle won, excepting . battle
lost"
As regards the strike Of the coal
miners, it Ia believed they have effect
ually proved that if Unions Of " Work
ingmen are wrong unions Of ''Schem-
ing Men" are not very right Ii is
well they have exposed the arrogance
of the Railroad Popes who have laid
the cities Of the sesboard under nm in
terdict as regards coal, and Of course
can at any time they please place
them in . state Of siege. by stopping
breadstuffs and cattle in q similar man
ner. The Miners Union has also sx-
posed the werthlessness and inutility
Of certain state governments, not q
speak of that at Washington. which
dared not offend the PsPss Of the Rail-
roads, by taking of thu duties on coal
But il Ne believed here BY many that the
real reason for this movement agains'
the Miners il the determination Of the
Carrying Companies and Mine Owners
to introduce Coolis Labor, % witness
the following extract from to-day's NJ.