The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-11-29

PONTIAC. November 10, 1873.
To the Editor Of the woRkrSex.N's ADVOCATE.
have read with interest The articles in
your lest two copies, by Hon W. II. AL
len, L L d., on the Labor Question. =
In the first article he clearly shows the in
utility Of the various movements inaugur-
ated by trad urions to permanently ben
eft the working class. No measure which
they ever sought for would have averted
the present crisis, or given them work and
wages under all circumstances. And this
is the one thing necdful, and the test for
all remedies. Unless the masses Of men
and women can have work and wages at all
times, and also comfortable provision for
age and intirmIty, they are little better of
then the old southern slaves. Their free
dom is simply the freedom to starye dur
ing financial COMMISSIONS.
Mr.. Allen, in common with every other
sensible man, would cultivate good feeling
between employer and employed. But how
can it be done, so long as The two ere in
antagonism He tells us Of industrial es-
adjustments in France where constant en-
poyment s given from youth to aye. The
workers are " comfortable ard contentCd'
and ''the proprIetor3 prosperous" What
is this more than modified phrase of our
late slavery Ard how would il work in
crisis like the prefent, where all indus
tries are disorganiz d ,
1t is confessed BY him hat the late In
dusdisl Congress displayed -" CT good
tense. although adopting some question
able propositions" The most "q1es.ion-
able wsq a legal tender ccIreucy, issued
directly % the people. 1t "a fact that we
are lcft in doubt as } whether this curren-
cy should be j. 1ued 90 the general public,
without SecLrity, or Only to tho-e who had
properly Of some kind to mort ,aye.
NJ. Aliens rem, iy is s nply cont'ru-
alton o the present system of employers
and employed with e-,a'n risk or in
tercst To employers, and division of prot
its a ter Pay rent o. l,sk and la1o-. This
system is in operation in some Biieish es-
tab;shnents, and = an Improvement on
that which gives crpital az the profits.
Eut if IS this vely interest under FL its
forms, that is the great curse and deyor -e-
VI PlOSCSuS va duu nhuct tuCiC-
fore be got rid o.
1t see.cs impossible to male the "upper
classes, ard those who live by tie " rongs
inf csed upon l..bor though the present
social system, conceive th..t this system
can be chan red for ht gher I'd more adj
vanced one that while the present sys-
tenn was indispensable up to a certain point
Of social development, this development
naturally generates rev forces and con-
ditions, which requii corresponding social
changes. A crash IKE the present e1hib-
it's the utter rottenness end instability of
our fnancls', productive and disti ibuting
arrangements. They generate friction,
and break down under the friction. When
we look at the unarimity with which all
interests, as if by common consent are
re dacing wages and discharging workmen,
utterly unconcerned at the result upon la
Dor, the whole thing almost has the aspect
of gigantic Conspiracy of the monied and
dominant classes to strike down. at one
blow, all the barriers which labor has SO
patiently reared to prot e itself. What
strength to-day have al our unions and
platforms to help us ! Labor lies power
less at the feet Of capital, begging for work
and bread at any price.
Mr.. Allen confesses that the evils under