The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-11-29
THE WORLDS WORKERS..
Who Built fer the WorId-IIie Reward of the
NH

Who Built for the WorId-The Reward of the
Lahorers.
In his lecture the Other night at the Cooper
Union, before an immense audience OF work
ingmen, Charles Bradlaugh said
in England we are divided into -four
classes, the ariStocracy, the Church, the mid
die class, and what Mr. Disraei is pleased to
term the lower stratum of society. The low
er stratum? Who built the cathcdrasY Who
make the rent rolls Of the aristOcracy? Do
not the middle classes subSst by their own
energy? Is it not that lower stratum OF sOCic.
Ity that construct the roads, that build the
ships and that pilot our commerce to lands
whence comes the gold otpower? Applause.
Let me offer YOU the method of distribution
First, there are the consumers and producers
| Then we have the governing and governed.
Lastly, propose the moneycd class and the
mOncylcss, the latter embracing all who have
to subsist by the sale of their labor who can
not procure in addition TO food, clothing, and
shelter, The luXurics Of life What do mean
by luYurics? Should the labDrer be dcbarrcd
the privilege of enjoying the beauties of poe.
sy, of painting, Of sculpture, of music? These
are among the luXures which every human
being should be enabled to enjoy for they
bcautity life, they elevate t&c soul they
strengthen manhood
The ariStocracy IN the Old World and the
moneycd class in the New claim to be the
educated classes. This do not deny. 1t is
their crime il they are not. Applause. If
the aristocracy are not the best cultured class
in the State, it is because they have neglected
their opportunities. If the laboring men are
not educated it is rather their misfortune
than their fault 1t is the inevitable result Of
their position, of the soul and body oppreS-
sion under which they have lived. The word
~ ,pn mt 70 fr,, ln
lips of the aristocrat. say to him and his class
THE misfortune is the laborer'S but the crime
lies at your door Applause.
Now, one word in regard to subject
which many Of you deem bugbear. Politl.
cal economy is not the enemy of the working
man. One of the wiscst and best of men has
tried hard to teach you this. Is there one
man among Englishmen who has done more
than John Stuart Mill [great applause to
show to workingmcn the Importance of "A
knowledge of this subject? 1t is the want of
this knowledge among workmen that has left
you IN the power OF capital.
"All that | say tonight turns upon four
words-high wages low wages Low wages
means poverty; badly furnished, badly vcnti-
lated homes; disseminated wives, unhappy
children. 1t means poor food aud little of
that. 1t means the squandcring Of time and
money in gin and beer saloons 1t means
misery, and disease, and drunkenness ard vice.
You have in this country unskillGd laborers
who receive from $3.50 to $3.50 for work for
which in London they would receive only
from two and nincpcncc to three shllings"
THE mere nominal amount Of wage is no
guide to whether it is high or low. If so
cents in Naples will procure As much food rs
$50 in New York there is really no differ
CnCe between half IA dollar II day and a dollar
and half The Ncapoltan laborcr is us
well off as the New Yorker. All wages are
low which do not give the workmcn sulli-
Client food and clothing and good shelter for
himself and family, and in addition to these
leisure for amusements and mental CLlturc.
ANY wage that pinChCs is low. A high wage
is that which gives in addition to the com
forts of life an opportunity to form reserve
fund. 1t Is essential to the good of the com
monwcalth. Poverty bcgets ignorance,
which is the mother Of disease and crime
and what cures poverty is blessing to the
world
"The improvement Of the condition Of the |
working class does not depend upon the AS. |
tors and the NanderbiltS, but upon yourselves !
When the panic comes, where, in what homes |
are the suffering and the sufferers: The blow
falls upon those who are least able to bear it,
TIVE misery burdens the weakest Where will |
it fall this winter? ON the laboring man. his |
patient wife, his little children. What will
YOU do? Ask the Government to aid you II
What do you mean: DO you live in repub- |
lie? Are you the servants or the masters |
When you ask for government aid you forget
your duty and your right. You tell me that
YOU represent scycn-tenths of the voting power
of the country. If you are right, then your
trouble you have brought upon yourselves
the disgrace is yours, Loud continued APP
plausc,I Don't talk Of Government aid Don't
think OF charity.
"You whine about corruption in your leg.
islaturcs. Who put the bad men in places of
power? Who but yOurscves-yOu who /
could, if you would, make your own sclcc.
ton? What manlincss is there in Keeping
your organization out OF politics while sharp
men play hurdy .gurdy tunes upon it to suit
Have done with differences
among themselves. Combine against the
miscellaneous monopolics that disgrace YOU
Don't lie supincly on our backs while cor
rupt men are running for office Act, and
act bruvcly before it is too late