The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-09-21
81, 25o, 249 Is
EIGHTH ANNUAL SESSION
OF THE
NATIONAL LABOR CONGRESS,
WHICH CONVENED AT
Cleve'7nd, Sept. Is, 1872
Cleve''nd, Sept. l6. 1872.

On Wednesday, Sept 10th, at ten clock,
the Eighth Annual Session OF the National
Labor Congress commenced in Cleveland,
OHIO, President Trevellick in the chair.
| The following il his address
I t. the Delegates 70 the Eighth AnHaai Session
/ NJ N, Nofjoadi LabOr Congress.
l gether as national body. the representa-
I tives Of the workingmen. Our constitu-
| ton requires that the President shall, at
I the annual meeting Of the National Labor
I Congress, bring before you a report not
only Of his official labors during the past
year. but also make such suggestions as he
may deem necessary for the good and wei
/ fare Of the different organizations you rep
! resent, being well satisfied that If a nation ID
| prosperous labor must be protected in its
rights by Just laws, and that a unity Of ac
ton should exist within that numerous
class If diversified labor you represent.
| During the past year the progress Of the
cause has not been IS rapid AS many OF us
could have wished, but under all the diff
cultles much good has been done through
the all Of the press and the acquisition to
our ranks Of many, who few years ago
were openly against us. Many Of these
converts to our principles are doing good
service wherever they can make their ntiu-
ence felt
/During the past year, "a charters have
I been issued from this office, in addition
to the charters granted BY the different
State organlzatlpnsth the number Of which
| am unable To give-the executives not
having reported as required by the consti
tuition and for want Of clerical help much
has been left undune that ought to have
been done And here let me call your at
IGNITION u the fact that until the services
Of competent clerk can be provided for
this office nothing like complete national
organization can be established. In this
connection let me call your attention to the
absolute necessity Of a more perfect organ
ization, but in order to accomplish this end
it must commence with this body The
! call is issued for meeting Of the repre-
sentatives of the industrial class all CO.
~ eratIye societies ami organizations that
have or may unite together fOr the com
mon good to elevate the producing classes
from every position Ill life, no matter what
their calling, SO they form part Of the ma
tiop's vitality.
/During the past year | have visited.a
large portion Of the eastern, middle and
western States. Have spoken "A times
often to very large bodies of men. have
also visited scenes of death and disaster,
caused by want Of proper legislation, and
the unscrupulousness Of rich corporations
and everywhere that have been, men have
I asked the question Is it not possible
] bat iona ~. S.
perfect organization ~ This question is
asked every day at this Office or at the
office Of our official organ, the WORKING
MANS ADVOCATE and here let me say that
notwithstanding the terrible loss by its
editor, Occasloned by the burning up Of
the office and all 1t contained during the
great fire in Chicago, that paper is still
alive, and dealing trenchant blows at mo-
nopOly, and in favor Of justice. Now gen
tlemen it IS for you to perfect this organ
ization, for this is the place to make their
wants known, and here they can make
their influence felt
4 Much valuable time has been lost by in
action and by reliance on local effort, but
be it remembered that it is united action
alone that can accomplish the great work
before us. Them let representatives from
I all trades unions. cooperative societies,
labor unions, industrial societies, as well
as from the useful callings and professions
come together and thereby make their
wants known and compel that justice that
has 50 long been denied them. Let no
trade believe that they can succeed alone,
! for the downfall Of one class, Of our coun-
trys producers is an injury to all Others
and if one body is compelled to succumb
to the unjust demands Of capital, all can
rest assured that i'll turn they too will be
overpowered/ Therefore the only safety
of labor is in the unity of the whole, and
in this connection let each remember that
it is not the work Of a day but the struggle
of a lifetime
Let them remember that capital as now
organized is the master Of labor and not q
Joint partner in the firm. 1t increases in
power whilst labor starves. 1t is at war
against labor, and day by day is taking
from it that to which it is justly entitled.
1t is true that our opponents, tell us, and
often the public press, that capital as now
organized is not at war with the interests
81 labor, but it only requires one moments
reflection to see the falseness Of such fool
ish assertions. To illustrate the power
money mas over lADOT lct It's lake Two Auc-
chanics, 20 years Of age, each earning over
expenses-one dollar per day. As the re-
suit of labor at the end of 40 years, one
will have saved by his labor $12, 120. But
suppose the other puts the one dollar per
day at interest at seven per cent. as soon
as earned reinvested half yearly, he too
will have as the result of his labor at the
end of 40 years $12, 40, but the interest
will have given him $52, 275 and 80 cents,
on what labor earned and interest together
ga, 1876 and 80 cents !; more than four and
one-quarter times more by interest than
all that labor earned. This is Just the
power capital has over labor, and until
these questions are understood and acted
upon by the masses who produce the wealth
of the nation, the gulf between labor and
capital must grow wider, and strikes and
descriptions take place in business and
these results can only n prevented by wise
and just Legislation. gLef II be remember
ed also that all the knowledge We may have
of our wrongs and the justice of our prin-