The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-05-25
THE GREAT BUGBEAR.


and their persistent misrePres sntation of
the objects sought to be accomplished by it.
Much As they affect to deprecate strikes,
or any movement tending to secure the
recognition of the eight hour system much
as they complain Of the arbitrary exaction
of trades unions and their unreasonable de-
mands-they are prepared to admit that
reduction Of the hours Of labor, or an in
crease Of wages, comes legitimGtety within
their sphere Of action but the moment
resort to the ballot is suggested-or de-
termination to secure by legislative enact
ment, the death knell of monopoly, is moot
ed homiiies and essays by the score are
furnished to order to prove that all such
attempts must prove Abortive, and that IS
soon as politics are tolerated or dH9ussed in
a union-as soon as it leaves the beaten
path-opening nne pocket To admit an ex
ira penny, and shutting its eye while the
robber extracts a shilling from the other
its days Of usefulness have ended. And
what is stranger still, wOrkingmen them
selves too frequently endorse this state
ment
1t is essential then, that we should
thoroughly understand is implied by
political action. In a republic por
popuL is supposed to be ROE dei where the
Law makers are supposed to derive their
authority from the consent Of the governed;
where the bullet supplants the ballot where
the humblest citizen has, or rather should
have, an equal voice with the most exalted
in the administration Of the government +;
where, in short, the whole social fabric is
triOtism Of the masses, every citizen should
be a politician in the highest and best &C
ceptation Of the term. But the great diff
6culty seems to be to discriminate between
partizan and political action between
using the ballot to secure the recognition
of labor's rights-or the repeal of labor
wrongs-and descending to the cesspool Of
q Republican or Democratic caucus to NOM
mate some characterless charlatan to the
responsible position of ward alderman or
county supervisor. The science of politics
Is the science of government, and it Is the
lack Of this knowledge which has permitted
the great mass Of the industrial population
to be gulled by . pack of professional
knaves-to eatrust their best interests to
their keeping, and allowed them, under the
guise of law, to weave web which will as
suredly reduce them to vsssalage as de-
grading as that occupied by the &" European
pauper, and convince them when convic-
ton comes too late; that their day Of grace
has passed
The hue and cry of those blatherskites
against . class legislation" comes with a
bad grace from men who have heretofore
controlled our State and Federal councils
in their own selfish interests who have
systematically ignored the claims and rights
PlSss, II'''e IIIVuIUU, PAOIIU OplIIlOIr fler
variably misrepresented the claims Of the
bone and sinew Of the land.
But let us look little closer at this
House of Representatives in whose hands the
interests Of labor can safely be conhded the
I representatives. too Of class who comprise
70 per cent. Of our voting population 7
Echo answers where Railroad land grants,
manufacturing mOnoPolies, banking and
bond holding corporations, have their SEN
tinels on the ramparts, ready, at all times,
to give the alarm, to defend, explain or
apologize for the iniquity that gave them
birth, but lAbOr-the producer Of all ,ceaIth
to its lasting shame, be it said, has no
authorized representative there.
These views, to our mind, are 90 practical,
so applicable, so full Of common sense, and
have been referred to so frequently, that
they are impracticable only to those who
are 50 blind, 50 devoted to party that they
have determined to tramp along at the old
jog-trot gait, no matter what the cost. We
have seen men protest, time and again,
against the introduction of polstics ~ into
their union-against the means sought to
be used to remove the grievances against
which they have protested, 60 to the polls
and waste days labor to elect the very
demogogues-which had helped TO create
them. Consistency thou art jewel
Now, then, for q practical application
an example which comes home to every
workingman in the country; In this city
an anti union employer, who for years past
has made himself obnoxious TO ali honora-
BILE mechanics, and who has made his boast
that no member Of labor organisation can
now secure work in his foundry recently
caused to be arrested q number Of his
former workmen-reputable citizens-on
the charge Of vAgrancy, because they re-
monstrated with those hbels ON humanity,
who have sold their birth-right for mess
Of pottage, and who, on acquittd before a
jury, caused their re-Arrest, under the fol-
lowing statute
| II any two or more persons shall combine
for the purpose of deprving the owner or pos
SCISSOR Of property Of its lawful use or manage
ment, or Of preventing, by threats, suggestions
of danger, or other 1seGmS any person or