The workingman's advocate., 1872-10-19
FAITH IN THE RIGHT.

than another in which You are deficient, it
IS the virtue Of perseverance. You are
toe easily discouraged and led astray You
have too much faith in the judgement Of
others, and too little in your own. 1t is
this defect AS much AS any other agency,
which has gwen capital 50 completely the
mastery over you 1t knows your failings,
and has made the best use of that knOwl
edge 1t has suwn the seeds Of dissen-
sion and suspicion, and you have been the
too willing tools to propagate them. In
stead Of listening to the calm, still voice
Of reason, exercising that judgement with
which God, in His wisdom, has endowed
you, or meeting sophistry with argument,
you have been disheartened hy almost
every difficulty and, in too many instan-
ces, succumbed 10 their influences, when
every obstacle would have disappeared if
met by that calm. determined spirit which
takes no denial.
Now, IN our labor organizations, as IN
all Others, professional croakers may be
found men who always STE the darkest
side VI the picture the thunder cloud
but never the silver tinge; whose prophet
ic and magnifying powers are always
called INTO requisItion when the manhood
or backbone If the association is tested by
adyersty Who arr always ready to SOW the
seeds uf suspicion Or dlstrust in every en-
terprise who invariably asperse the motives
uf those Who battle for the right, under
Ilea uf rxpcdiency. while they were never
known u lnauguratt or advance an idea Of
reform. While It Is not surprising, there
fore, that this class If men should creep
strange they can exercise the baneful IN
huence they de-. The first step in the
right direction, then, is to think for your
selves, and be guided by your own judg-
ment, despite the special pleadings Of any
malcontents But while We speak So we
are not iusenslhle t. the magnitude Of the
contest before you. 1t is indeed a
Herculean one, which requires, nay, de-
uands, the undivided en, -gies If the
laboring class. if victory is expected to
perch upon your banners On the one
hand We nav" the army If capital, power
FIJI, urganized and united, entrenched and
defended by legislative enactments and
the sympathy # public opinion on the
other the army Of labor, ignorant and un-
disciplined, opposed by the prejudices and
conventionalities Of society but with the
weapons of Truth and Justice, the triumph
Of the right Is simply a question Of time.
Patience is doubtless required inch by
inch and step by step the approaches must
be made no coup ds m0ut can avail it
Is the constant dripping which wears away
the stone it is the persistent effort, no
matter how slow. which will eventually
revolutiunize the existing relationship be-
tween capital and labor. Under these circum
stances 1t is almost certain you will meet
reverses, but Is II the part of wise men TO
sit with folded arms, because your success
has not been commensurate with your
deserts The dictator Of nations truth
fully remarked that Providence generally
favored the strongest battalions, and it
may be added, with equal truth, that sue
cess only crowns the efforts Of those who
have striven to attain it,
But while it would be useless to close
your eyes to the difficulties by which you
are surrounded, none but the craven or
traitor would think of surrender. No
better evidence need be given that the
systematic cooperation Of labor aims a
blow at the monopoly nf capital than the
alarm raised by capital itself II knows
land hence its frantic efforts) if it can in
timidate you, weaken your counsels, appa
your courage or divide your strength, that
all is well This opposition, We insist,
instead q disheartening, should encourage
you 10 renewed action and renewed alleg
lance To the principles which have called
il forth
To you, fellow toiler and hoper, We have
also word 70 say. Although the shafts
uf envy and malice may often BE- poised
with demons skill, never falter or prove
recreant to your trust Remember the
value q the prize for which you are con
tending that the darkest hour of
night is just before the dawn Of day.
Even though you are mAligned OF misrep-
resented though opposition, covert or
ayowed, meet you at every stepl Let
your perseverance rise with your difficult
ties. Prove yourself equal to the emer-
gency. Faith and energy are required.
Firm in the right, leave to the future the
vindicatiOn of your motives, and 70 your
detrac.ors the satisfaction afforded by the
possession Of guilty conscience.
Dare 10 ts right Dare 70 be true
All the worlds sUOrning cannot harm you
stand BY your conscience, your honor, your faith,
stand like hero and battle I'LL death
Remember, also, that present failure
entails future disaster that the contest in
which you are embarked, is to decide for
generations yet unborn the status Of the
American mechanic That it is the use
and not the abuse Of privileges that will
ever work your redemption.
You must be prepared to meet these re-
suits. You must have an undying faith
faith which brooks no denial, which is
disheartened by no opposition and swerved
by no personal considerations faith in
the final triumph Of the right-and all
will be well, for
Worth, not wealth, must rule mankind
Thoughts are weApened stronger,
Tbs proIer impulse has been given,
Wait little longer