The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-10

cause, and not strong drink as is the every
day argument Of our self-appointed tenn
perance reformers. Unrequited toll has
caused more murders, made more thieves.
more forgeries, burnt more
property, committed more suicides, made
more drunkards, made more prostitutes,
and furnished our Jails and penitentiaries
with more inmates than all the drinking
establishments in the country and yet
our modern spirituaizers, our soul
saving reformers tell us intern
perance destroys the soul Internperance
IN what, | ask ! Intemperance in drinking.
Does any one suppose that those flppant-
mouthed gentry would make it their bust
ness to visit all parts Of the country seeking
as their object the salvation Of souls, Il
they were not also tainted with that VAN
plre-like desire to sap the nearly empty
pockets Of poor workingmeni If their Oh
Ject Is to save the soul and body Of an over
worked sinner, why do they not strike at
the foundation Of all crimes and advo-
cate for the shortening Of the hours Of la
Dor and higher wages for the toillng mil
lions. All that wouldn't pay that would
be agltatlng temperance in labor. That
would be too much like labor reform.
Labor Reformers work from sympathy, not
for money. Avaunt ye hypocrites, perdi-
ton is full Of such refOrmers strip a man
or woman Of all and every right but the
right to labor nearly all the hours that the
Almighty gives them drive them to de-
spar by the excess of cruel wrongs inhlct
every punishment that inhumanIty can IN
vent compel them to commit deeds Of
lawlessness, driven to desperation Wy the
cruel hand Of your oppressive power hunt
ell like criminals, despised like outcasts,
you will preach temperance to them in a
States prison.
Fellow-miners, think Of it, Roman
slave owners, aye, even our late southern
shareholders appreciated the value Of their
chattel property too much to see them.in-
Jured or oppressed 50 much AS t. drive
them to commit a crime The loss Of a
slave was the loss Of 50 much money. But
u day slavery is conducted on far more
economical principles in the interest Of cap
Ital. Whitemen and women are compelled
to perform the same servitudr as the black
slave used to perform without incurring
the risks IF health and life If the poor
worker to the owner Truly. there is need
for Reform
1t Is but a short time since the miners Of
Murphysboro district, No. 2. If our State
association were forced t. ignominlous sub
mission, By the importation Of the lately
emanclpated southern slave using black
slaves 70 subdue white men to slavery, not
as means Of defeating our brethren IN
strike, bur to destroy the last vestige Of a
Miners Union in that section.
The late troubles in Indiana also com
mands our attention. The same instru-
ments were used there, and for the same
| object the destruction Of a Miners Union
How well Capital has again succeeded
| leave You to Judge when you read Of the
paid tools a our government being called
out with all the paraphernalia Of war t.
protect the imported slaves who were sent
for t. superuede the men of our own flesh
and blood, who struck only for Justice
| The late troubles IN Missouri also com
mand our attention. Every surrounding
mining place Is assaulted by oppresaks Cap
ital
! All these troubles referred To have oc
CURED III our very midst, and vet no effort
have We put forth 10 aid or assist the brave
men who have battled for our rights a. vel
AS their own. Let US remember then
struggle Is ours That the same agency
/ that destroyed them can be applied to ev
/ cry mine, lodge, and district Throughout
the entire mining country, and may be A
! successful Each separate organization car
very easily be- beaten IN detail by our EN-
I ployers and ultimately end in the complet,
rum of cur union, unless speedy means ar,
adopted to p'eet the emergency These ar,
/ present questions that require immediate
4 consideration and prompt action Our fu
ture lies ia another sphere. The eight houl
movement should be urged to he Adupte,
\ by every miner in the country The short
enlng Of the hours Of labor from twelv,
hours to eight, will furnish work for tire,
mining should also be established. 81 tha
places who have good wages may not b,
| Hooded by miners coming from places
/ where wages are unremunerative pre-
yention Of local strikes should also I've useC
that good, sound, wise measures NAV b,
adopted whereby strikes might be abolished
entirely, or when driven to extremities ",
may strike as one man. from one end Of
the country to the other Thus, if forced
our power will be felt Let them try hyt
| H,ggerS, then.
! Last, though not least. the benevolent
part of our organization is not sufficiently
extensive to Justify any miner to pay nv,
| dollars to become member, and then paN
| fifty cents per month, and run the risk q
being compelled to leave the district ur
State with travelling card that cannot IN
troduce him into a mining community out
side the limits Of the organization render
ing it worthless Our benevolent part
should extend all over Americas broad
continent that the poor oppressed miner
| might hnd home and warm friends
wherever his journeys may lead him. Our
constitution and bylaws require revising
and amending Other questions Of great
Importance that perhaps may occupy the
mind Of more intelligent men than myself
demand our immediate attention ] earn.
estly ask and urge every Miners Lodge
and district throughout the States # Iii
nois, Indiana and Missouri to give TIN:
appeal their immediate and earnest cnnsid-
Grafton, and to take such action as viii
speedily convene such a convention as will
forever secure to every miner the rights
that belong to the most abused and noblest
Of Gods creatures Those who have not
organized do so forthwith. Meanwhile. !
ask as & favor that no miner will aid in a
strike until further council
GEORGE kINGHoRN, p g. o.