The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-06-01

kafnmering at the same anvil ons n q Re
publican and one in Dsahocrxf; see two
colhers delving in the GHme shEfk me
Democrat and The othsf q Republicaza In
Europe, Citisen Chairmau much o. nafion
may war against nation, the canzb az dy-
nasties il always one. Ever ready % shed
the blood of their subjects in their quarrela
with others, they always unite to suppress
q popular movement and TO Oppress their
people The church and the school CON-
bine to infuse into the minds Of the people,
under the treacherous names of nationality
and patriotism, q spirit of hatred against
neighboring nations. This is done in the
interest of dynasties, and to destroy this
prejudice gdre rise to the I. w. A. Have we
nothing Of this character i'm the United
States ! think we have. There is some
thing deeper in American politics than the
mere difference between two great popular
parties. Banks, boadholders, railroad and
land grabbers, Democrat and Republican,
are always ready to combine in like man
ner against the people and divert their at
tention from their own wicked and avar-
icious plans, AZ set the laboring masses
against each other and neutralize their
power under the raIlying cry OF party.
The workingmen are blinded, misled. de-
luded, swindled and plundered by cold and
cunning self-seeking politicians. To know
ourselves diseased is half the cure, and our
people are not yet aware Of the cancer that
Is preying deeper and deeper into their
very vitals. What is then the plain duty
Of the ]. w. A. in the United States To
answer the question in one word, Il Is poiit-
ioal agitation. There are those who think
that we are not yet strong enough and
that the time has not yet come for such q
movement. This objection was well an
swered by Patrick Henry in the House Of
Burgesses in Virginia. I shall not repeat
his language, we know it well IL we wait
until our great social thinkers have agreed
upon one form Of social organism we shall
wait forever. If we wait until the people
rouse themselves, il may he that the yoke
will then be too firmly rivited on their
necks to be shaken off, and the Inter
national shall have been organized to nc
purpose | am tired hearing the objection
that because perfect plan If social organ
lzatlon cannot be given, that, therefore,
things are to remain as they are. Nothing
for the ideal in beauty, and the good man
strives for the ideal in virtue, 80 we strive
for the ideal in the State. This ideal will
never be reached either in science or art
for il is infinite and the human capacity is
finite, still it is the glory of our nature t.
struggle towards it, The world is wearied
with philosophical discussions which car
never reach or influence the people Alb
straction is for the closet breathing life de
mands action. All the ground principle,
have been settled long ago. They wer,
enounced by the so-called demagogues al
Athens, by the Gracchio at Rome; they are
laid down in the New Testament and have
run through the ages down to the American
Declaration of Independence. The Iais sion
( u the present age IS to carry these ideas int
practical operation. Rousseau, Frurier
Mills and Spencer have each theil
place-and a high and important place, bu
the instincts of humanity are higher, anC
cannot fail to propel in the right direction
What we need to-day is another Peter thu
hermit, another Luther, another Mirabeau
repeat it, if the /. W. A. is ever t
accomplish anything in these United States
it must by means Of political agitation
7 The people must be made to know, in thI
! first place, their true condition; they mus
be instructed thoroughly to understand anC
I appreciate their situation then they viii
see and feel the Slavery and degradation t
which they are subjected by their Cypress
ors. The main, might i not say, Glitter
| Chairman, the entire work of the l. W. A
/ in this country is that Of a propaganda
What glorious held ! With perfect free
don Of speech, freedom of the press, free
dom Of assembly, on the side Of truth anC
| justice, with naturally intelligent and al
/ oppressed people for an audience, and pos
I sessing the right vi the ballot. what NIGH
not be accomplished with patience an,
zeal The people will listen, and Their
will be no lack Of would be leaders anon,
those who are called great in the land. This
in my humble opinion, is the work befer
us.
Let the people lie awakened, aroused
excited. Let the propaganda be uncom
promising, aggressive and fierce. Fire tn
popular heart. Go and tell the farmer o
the West that the railroads and monel
changers have made him bankrupt q
and tell the actual settler in the wilderness
that he is to be pushed off from his Iittl
home, where he had located In good faith
BY United States bayonets to make room
Tor corporation Of land thieves tell tn
men, women and children, who are toilin,
in Thousand mines, mills and workshops
driving the pillow or working at the desk
that if they are wages laborers they ar
slaves. Point out to them their ute
helplessness, and hold up the prospect I
the husband and father, Of wife and daugh
tiers battling for dear life in the struggl
between starvation and brothel, Shout,
he be taken from them. Sound the alarm
Tell them that slavery has only been par
italy abolished. Contrast their condltio
with that Of the black slaves at the South
who were sure at least Of shelter and al
tention in sickness, and Of food and raj
ment and home in age while the poo
white slave has not even the guaranty Of
bare existence. Tell these day drudges Z
iniquitous excise laws, which remove tn
burden Of taxation from the rich an
place it upon their already heavy ladene
shoulders. Tell them that the rich AZ
growing richer and the poor poorer ever
day that corporations and monOpolies Al
lengthening their cords and strengthenin
their stakes that they are the raw ms
terial for politicians "a manipulate te
them that the congress ~ the nation, irr'
spective Of party, has become nm agenc
for joLbers, and that the flag does not "
float over free people. Enlarge uPo
these themes, enter into the minutest dt
tails present them in all possible phase
and points Of view, and bring them HON