The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-29
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
Wendell Philips and Others on the Brain,
Money and Sinew Of the Great Interests
Of the Counry-What the Work
man Il, Does and May Be.
BOSTON, Nav %, 1872.

BOSTON, May %, 1872.
A Convention of the Massachusetts Labor Union
was held here to-day in the horticultural Hail. G..
M. Chamberlin was chosen President. wendell
Phillips read series Of resolutions which approve
OF all associations Of workingmcn as a means Of
training their members to cooperation and of fixing
the attention of the world on the condition of
the working classes; denounce violence and inter-
ference with personal liberty, but believe strikes
are expedient and necessary and congratulate the
parties in the late strikes on their success;
advocate the establishment OF a congress Of labor
unions; regard cooperative associations as q cure
for most of the evils suffered by workingmen; hold
the lessening OF the hours OF labor as necessity;
express favor for a government scheme to reduce
interest to two or three per cent and abolish the
banking system; that all dividendpaying compa-
MES should be obliged to divide one-haIf of the net
profits among the laborers, and that imported
pauper labor to work on long contracts should be
EDUCATE THE LABoRER.
s. =. CUMMINGS made on earnest address, In
which he argued for an education which would ut
the workngmen to 90 down to the bottom of the
industrial system Of the day and overturn 1t, and
put in its place a correct system What was wanted
now only preached in general to the capitalists,
come to view the labor question from It's true stand
point; Out Of this agitation he hoped that labor
the development of the land and hence he well
coined in a broad spirit all classes assembled at this
down.
f. s. WHEELER spoke in favor of the text that
the unconsumed products OF the past belong to the
/ present. We have replaced great families with
great corporations, which throttle the labor of the
land He would take the charters Of these corpora
tions and tear them to fragments. He had in the
interests OF the working classes exerted his power
against the intolerance of sects and the prejudices
OF race and sex. One last barrier remains-state-
craftsmen who usurp power.
woRKMEN AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
JESSE H. JONES, OF Abingdon, spoke of the rela-
tOns of the Christian Church to the labor question.
He claimed there was no religion in the man who
did not serve his fellow men with all his power, as
| the Master taught, without pay Material pay for
spiritual exertion was lie. The Church, being
was pOor--the average OF his occupation being be-
yond the hope of ever owning the house he lived in
had little energy left to lift himself out of his posi-
ton. His help must come from without, as help for
the slave came from without, and the Church was
ordained to afford that aid
SOCIETY WAS A MILESTONE
about the neck OF the laborer-an absolutism,
despotsm-and man could not do business even
without violating the fundamental principles of
Christianity. Competition was war, and the ope-
the certain man. spoken of in the parable who
'fell among thieves and the Church, which should
war between capitalists would soon lead to a gen.
eral war between labor and capital, and peace was
Church, instead Of regeneration for the indi:
vidua, should devote It's energies to
9s to d business for Rs WassS aDos without o
material pay; The conversion of the world was i'm
possible until labor reform was successful WIN the
Church bring about the revolution, or have it thrust
! upon herr The present benevolent associations
/ were but paatves. The occasion for their foun-
! dation should be banisled.
UNITY OF CAPITAL, BRAIN AND LABOR.
IN Mr. 8 8 FOSTER differed from the last speaker,
! mutual action among employers and employed.
Capital, brain and labor should unite. He
was an employer, and many Of his men
worked fewer hours day than lie did, and some
years made more money than he did. He wanted a
law that would insure the brain and hand worker
good subsistence.
community without labor was pauper, and il he
did not work be he rich or poor he ought to die,
monopolists he considered the greatest enemies of
the working population of every nation, as grocer
@ toward his as net pro He hs
the right Of suffrage to women; the restriction Of
ltion of the banking system and modification of
railroad corporation privileges He opposed Gree
The negro was cursed In his liberty without soil to
make him independent.
p NJ. BUFFUM of Lynn said the only way open for
the laborer to wealth was through ring il he was
fortunate enough to get into one.
Mrs. ALLERToN spoke of revolution as Gods chosen
way TO progress.
Evening Session.
The evening session Of the Union was well at
tended.
Mr. GEORGE A. BACON, OF Boston, insinuated that
werNingmen might expect something from the
great political parties if the leaders OF these par
ties did not devote their entire energies to the
search for place, pelf and pewer
Colonel BAYLOR OF Georgia, said the South
wanted industrial reconstrueton--the institutions
which had made New England what she was.
J. c. WILSON, secretary OF the Carpenters and
JOiners Union OF New York, urged the Massachu-
setts mechanics to stop talking and combine to
carry out their DESIRES for politicians were not to
be depended upon.
Rev. JOHN r. SARGENT created quite sensation
by stating that a poor man in his working clothes
was not welcomed up the broad aisle OF Boston
churches, and the equanimity of the audience was
further disturbed when a "Hard-she Baptstr took
execution
WILLIAM DENTON believed in the advancement OF
the human species In accordance with natural
with labor movements the world over, was part
OF the grand advance to higher state. Butless
right and ought to be expected. He hoped to see
interest abolished and oilers set to work.
A LETTER FROM SENATOR SUMNER
Wendell Phillips read letter from Charles SUM-
ncr, who some time ago remarked TO him thgtiyhen
to. devote himself To- the interests of labor
hut nv sEs & IN p% Tso ,e
esr lions Tor greater ecia ofcqndilien and increased
u experiment OF an erIthorl in the national work
sPi c s'T TX s1
casy yaFabe because tromiSes more time for eduea
M be aS
cao 81 re nl ann abyS aGars " and sS d s
nsnn ydnr accept my bel shfs spa S'e
TO Co,,sITTrr or TINE LAsoE CoNyIsT1os
Mr. PHILLIPS believed In cooperation on the one
side and the abolition Of interest the other.
wages slave would DO only wha wouls preserve his
Character as a.Norkman In a market sense and the
agitation should be kept up to the extinction Of
INC wages slave and his tyrant, capital.
Make man ooendenf that his chdren's
bread Is sure and he is an independent voter-a
bnwafk against crime M. Phillips closed with a
review and ccnsnre Of the Massachusetts, Bureau OF
eighthot,r advocates.
:, The detaate lasted unbl eleven o'clcae, wher Mr.
offered vert adopted