The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-12-20
IDLENEss AND STARVATION

crime and folly Of the labOring class, in
thus wasting the means Of the capitalists
and their own time and in some instan-
ces demanding Law AGAINST such oonspir-
acies
Where is the religious press that desc'nt-
ed so much On the immortality Of strikes
and the consequent idleness Of both capt.
tai and labor. protesting that idleuess was
death to the community. Where is now
their yirtravS indignation against idleness,
when millions Of men and capital are idle.
at the expense, too, OF actual suffering.
actual hunger and cold. and a loss to the
community incalculahie. Do these edi-
tors suppose that laborers can not see this
difference III then treatment of idleness
and loss, brought on b. laborers and idle
ness, and loss brought on by capitalistsi
Yet one involved tut few men and hut
little capital The other involves millions
Not a word is said about the Wickedness
Of those whose knavery or stupidity has
caused this enormous evil When did la
borers ever refuse reduction II wages. II
the employers could show 1t was just and
according Ia the reduction made on his
profits Journalists. religious journalists
who could reproach few laborers who
struck work, knowing themselves robbed
OF their dues, have not a word 10 say
/ Il IL.
of millions They are chop-fallen and 81
lent as the skull ~ poor lorick Why do
they not demand a reason for Tins enor-
nous loss, and the punishment Il IFS au-
Z thors1 1t is incontestible that the pres
ent trouble is owing either 10 the blunder
/ or the Snavery Of capital. Why, then.
I should not capital be punished and com
PEELED 10 sustain the men and women they
have deprived Of work.
4 If laborers had been thus guilty, what
! terrible denunciations would have been
\ hurled at them. what punishmeuts too
severe for theml But they viii not even
caudidly discuss the subject, hut attempt
to screen the capitalists by transparent
which have no foundation in truth. De
these journalists suppose the laborer tod
ignorant to know that present position
Is not their fault, or that they can be made
to suppose it a visitation Of Godi The la
borers know full well it is visitation Of
stupidity or knavery; that in either case
it is the fault OF those VII prH - ta r
:lis controlling power t-y br. n- of th,
sennr ., and -' '-n only.
:, seems "a he expected in some quar-
tiers that laboring men must accept the
situation. and conteutelly starvs, With
their wives and children in the midst al
plenty. and that, too. when the National
Legislature is debating. yes, actually d..
batting with an audacitv in crime. as uu.
common as it is disgraceful. whether they
shall return to the Treasury the money
they took from the people, money earned
ana paid by the very class now suffering
for food and clothing Had Congress the
reason for theft that they we're suffering
for food or clothing; had they even the
pretence u insufficient, inadequate com
peusation, the case would be different
Y But every laborer knows that previous 10
I their stealing their pay was fully four times
more than they earned; whether their
earnings we're estimated by the hours they
we're employed. the hardship Of the en-
ployment or the benefit to the employees
/ Had ancient Athens seen such a state Of
things as HOW exist, the government that
! produced it or suffered it to be produced
by the knavery or stupidity of its wealthy
citizens. would in less time than has nov
elapsed paid for the crime with their
lives The starvation Of citizens in the
midst If plenty, was unknown 70 the re
pubhcs Of Greece.
Il it expected that men, reasoning men,
will sit down quietly and contentedly
starve, amidst plenty a plenty their own
hands have created, plenty which e dis
sipated by plundering Legislators, in lu1u-
rious revelry, knowing, as they Do, that
the present distress resulted from the want
" money, sufficient money to do the bu-
siness Of the country; knowing, too. that
the government controls the amount Of
money, and knowing further that the gov
eminent is controlled by capital and run
in the interest Of capital, of men whomany
of them desire to reduce the rate Of wages
and others, to extort per cent. a day for
the use Of money, OF buy up property at
half cost
We hope that Workingmen now out Of
employment will make good use % their
leisure There is nothing so discouraging
70 labor reformers as the apathy and
want of interest in their own welfare, 50
often manifested by laborers. Often they
will hardly 90 to hear free lecture on the
subject Of labor reform. let alone paying
the lecturer anything for his pains. They
will hardly read book that is giren them
on the subject, to say nothing Of paying
for one, yet the capitalist has his lecturers,
his writer's and his preachers BE pays
them literally, and they serve him faith
fully. Let the lahorer learn who are his
friends and adhere to them. Let them
not neglect the assembling Of themselves
together; LET them draw more closely the
bonds of union, mutual trust and reliance,
for now more than ever is union needed
In proportion as they act together will
they he powerful ard respected. In pro
portion as they divide will they be weak
and desnisnd Let than debate the best