The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-12-27
FROM MlCHl6Ah.
PONTIAC. December 81, 1873.

To the Editor u the WoKNINsHANs Advocate:
1t is SAID that history repeats itself. Can
not srroug resemblance be traced between
17-2 and 1873 In the hrst case our coun-
rrymen wrr, protesting against and seek
IN, relief from the eNactlnns "t an urc-
sn,psible government now they are pro
TESTING, a,liust .hc forced idleness and pov-
.r-y induced hy the mjsnanagement Of If
responsible capital la 1913 they had not
..r,,,ut, the stature at the Declaration Of
lul,r..Ylru.r. nor conceived % a political
r.iubl pui in 1873 the agricultural and
manufacturing masses have not YET grasped
tle ui., .- X new Declaration of lndepend-
.u.e ~ labor from the selfish aud ire
-t.,aslplr ...vernmcut It capital l. i i'm
possible, thar 1876 should witness this new
Declaration. ana lay the foundation for a
social public!
A second meeting of unemployed work
iusmen .ud women Vas held il New York
To- consider the condition Of labor, and de-
wise remedy. But the notices exhibited
an the walls of Coopers' Institute, as eN-
prcssions ct the popular thought, were as
various and unsatisfactory as those OF our
ancestors century since. While some 81
these notices were merely statements ~
complaints others proposed r'i"edleS
'Go, eminent employment the remedy Tor
strike, 1--WE want uo India rubber cur
reucy. THE pin for panics graduate
taxes Mans avar,ce must be limited.
Equal laws and homes FIR the industri-
Gus. a. Which II these measures would
have ". -ett.j the panic. and which If them
is a remedy
The res buttons adopted were ii a SINH
Jar unsatisfactory character rs remedies,
because. like those of l11I3. they did not %
far enough wv seek 70 remedy effects
without touching causes.
According I. the statements made at
this meeting there were lS2, 900 members
nj trades unions but II employment How
are trades unions ur amy protective orga-
ulzatIons II labor I, exist ia such state
of things These 'uauIcs STRIKE them all
down AZ blow.
Ii our foretathers had contented them
selves with simply protesting against the
action 81 the British vernment, We should
have been British colonies to-day And
lust - long As labor submits to the ire
sponsIble domination rf capital, it VIII he
plundered nj It's earnings through cunning
processes Of trade, viii never be able To
save dollar To- tau back upon, but WIll ~
exposed to loss ot employment and s,arva-
tion continually TN tlr grerdIuess nr mis-
management vi capital
The remedy m both cases il the same
absolute independence and selfgovoru-
uent The e'i FIR government help. so
long ~ ONr -nyvrnulneut Dr. controlled amt
by mumed rings IS ridiculous.
There is mot working man or farmer ia
Congress Money and rascality are um-
Labor of all kinds Is no
where
Neither could a mere political govern
ncnt -Iyr us help Il " would. il has mo-
employment to give TIL, employment II
the masses IS wholly ma the hands 1T capt.
tall which owns and controls alike, mills,
actJries, mines workshops AMI banks Il
is substantially thc governing power NJ the
republic and the millions of party voters
SIMPLY elevate its ta.I, inJn flee under
the dictatlen ut party leaders The hon
est farmer aul working man. uuu-r our
present party discipline. h1ve really no
more voice in the elect TfIf members nf
CanLr y. -Hau { Parliament
Wa l1II3 the question was asked, what
ri-hJ hl, kiI Gr.r-o tnj Ia Parliament
to -o,rin. eoutrrI auj ,aN these colonies
90 1873 70 Ia rrue a-o ri dst, What right
has tha mnu,I pnE-r. through t> hanks.
ITS corporations, ms rla-s and IT'S govern
Inent hIryHugs t. control ami govern
labor. take from 1t the last dollar. and throw
K nur ot employment ~ srarve Ii the
hrs. condition was worth Z revolution is
uat TUE Inst still more soy
Labor, either ia the farm n IN the iac-
tory, needs enlightenment. The truths t.
he learned arr very simple. Men must
work. they must have places to work III,
they must have a currency 1T some kind to
pay for work and buy and sell commodi-
ties The factory and the mine and rail
road crush labor because they monopullze
All tile money. Through their tools in
Congress they compel the government to
gice them exclusively a currency, and with
tins currency they s-t labor to work, or
buy produce dt their o.rl prrr. and grow
fat On the profits ana interest sucked from
this labor.
suppose We change .nis unjust arrange
ment little, and give the money to organ
led labor, that It may SCI itself % work by
building or buying factories, &C., for it.
self What, chem Fare we'll to rings and
shoddy arisrrcracy. Labor works, and re-
tains all its profits and saves all interest
81 more lurk-luts aud strikes, no more
''Pauics, mo- more unemployed and starv-
ing operatives. Labor viii retain the mil
hons it nos gives up To capital Labor Of
aII kinds, Ike the colunists. will ultimately
be forced into the conviction that there is
no remedy short Of entire independence Of
the domination of capital When it ar
riyes ut this conclusion it has already mas
tered the situation Its ballot gives it con-
troi OF national and State governments
Its majority gives it power to aJrogate OF
amend all constitutions aud laws lnimical
70 itself Its command of federal money
renders it independent Of al hostile rings,
interests and factions.
Such a change takes nothing from capi- |
tai that belongs to it. Ii has no just claim |
to the exclusive use Of the currency, which |
is made an Instrument If tyranny and rob |
berry in ITS hands. j. Il. BRAY.