The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-17
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tested the Labor movement none have
proved a greater curse, OF contributed
more to retard its progress, than the pro
fessed friendship Of the leech, or time
server This class has been as voracious
as the locusts Of Egypt and as numerous
as her myriads of flies. For the time be-
ing, at least many Of them have gained
their unhallowed purpose, and hoodwinked
their dupes through its agency, while 9th
ers, soured by disappointed ambition, have
used what little influence their treachery
obtained, to sow the seeds Of dissension i'll
its ranks, and misrepresent alike the objects
sought to be obtained, and the agency used
to attain them.
Some have had an axe to grind, when
the labor grindstone refused to do their
dirty work some have desired "a ride into
power, OF be acknowledged As leaders IN its
ranks, or thought the movement Was a lit
tie stronger than 1t proved To be- others
claimed to have found the philosophers
stone. the panacea that would remove all
ills to which flesh is heir, or dreamed they
could revolutionize the relation between
capital and labor by the utterance Of some
grand idea, which was second hand at best,
ana had been advocated fifty years before
they were thought Of. But classify them
as We may, not one in a hundred have
been actuated by principle, or embarked
ia it for a nobler purpose than the advance
ment of their own selfish interest
I'm the advocacy Of the labor movement
especially, persistency, consistency, back
bone is required. The man who is willing
70 be all things to all men; who is anxious
to catch the popular breeze, no matter at
what cost, who squirms at every change or
charge Of popular opinion who has not
the courage to assume a position which he
deems to he right and maintain it at all
hazards and under all circumstances, and
who is not actuated by principle, has no
right in its ranks Untiring, untlaggng
effort, never Gying faith ia the ultimate
triumph Of the right is absolutely lndls-
pensable, even though ten thousand enc
mics should be made by its advocacy. The
future must be left to take care Of itself.
We have no faith in those who are always
placed on the defensive, who are continu
ally trying to prove that they are misrep-
resented, who are always discouraged at
the aspect of affairs; who are invariably
deploring the apathy q the working class
es; who never see the silver lining to the
cloud; who are afraid Of saying or doing
something that will place them in false
position: who, in short, lack the moral
courage to say ~. Or ~. They are simply
millstones round the neck Of labor, and
the sooner they avow themselves in their
true color the better for all concerned.
To the man. however, who is honest and
earnest il his endeavors, who is willing to
sacrifice his personal ambition OF petty dis
likes for labor's progress. the signs Of the
times are indeed propitious. The rays Of
\ the sun Of progress are penetrating to the
darkest horizon; men who ten years ago
would have secuted the whole movement,
7 or at least disdained to have discussed its
merits. are today seriously considering the
means by which the impending conflict
may be averted l. gisators, who would
then have rIdiculed the presumption of an
/ appeal to the Law making power, are nov
compelled u lend a willing ear to its de
mands, and beginning to realize that they
are the seJro,.ts not the masters Of the people,
while the public press, the molders of pub
Inc opinion, too long silent, is waking to a
realization IF its mission, and now admits
that labor has rights which even capital is
bound to respect.
And all has been accomplished in a few
short years, in the face Of the most dis
heartening opposition. Labor to-day needs
only t. be true to itself, and victory is as
sured