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

who y 10 blame for this species Of rob
Der, Not the storekeeper, but you, your
selves. You were freemen, and allowed it.
Again, there are eight saloons in the vii
lage, in which no less than one thousand
dollars are annually expended in sonl-de-
basing pleasure. This wcula make total
Of go, 900 in the past five years. This sum
added to the total store account makes
CSC, 900, which rightfully belongs to the
workingmen Of Church Hill, and which by
their folly and crime have gone into the
hands Of others. Now this $50, 900 could
have bought and opened up the best coal
bank in the State, and if it had been
rightfully employed you might have all to-
day been your own Capitalists, operating
your own mine.
Even in these hard times you have many
opportunities for improving your condi-
ton. You grumble and curse the store for
selling dear, and for denying you goods in
dull times. Men, become your own store
owners. Although here in | speak against
my own interests, ! say to you that unless
you do more than combine for the protec-
.ion of your labor, unless you put init
practical operation the theory of cooper
ton, owning and running your own stores,
mines and other industrial works, the time
Is fast approaching when you shall be mere
seIfs. Look at your condition to-day.
Without employment, no pay when pay
day comes, and paid in notes for which you
can no where get their value-all this
brought about by capital and corrupt legis-
lation, for which workingmen are respon-
sible in more ways than one.
Let fifty of you band together and com
mence bookkeeping on a cooperative plan,
each member say putting in 800. You
| have then 81, 900 TO commence with. Make
a rule that no one member can draw over
that amount, but that when he gets be-
| hind i'll the store account to the sum in
vested, strike him off from the company
books, and sell his share to another. In
this way no losses would be sustained You
would get your goods cheaper and each six
months would see you with dividends OF
| from 20 to 40 per cent. Of the capital in
vested And beginning IN store you
would soon reach coal bank.
Last Lodge evening, while we we're dis
cussing the question Of the Miners Ma
tional Association in open Lodge, | listen
ed attentively to the remarks Of the
woI Inv chairman on the means which the
miners o. Great Britain have in funds
many Of YOU were pleased with the sue
c, IS o. IT, association Of that country
nevo th'nkiry bow many hundred times
nor morey yoI Rave squandered and
tbro N away. TIE English miners, in
many cases, now, own stores and
are about to open coal mines. The
lesson they teach can be repeat
ed here Bot instead of receiv ine
lessons we Il ould be q; ching the English
ard it is our shame that we are rot ; fol
OF - OPP Irtuni 'es ar "A hundred fold great
er .or soc'~' ard worldly Improvement.
We odght roo t. biaTe capiS lists and
sla.oIs TO- tyI..ruy and corrupt laws
We are more corrupt tlan they, fDr VIZ
have corrupt ] both them and ourselves
TAey irving Tor gain. We have stood
WIN money ard means IN our hands anC
helped them - their nefarious crimes o
robbery and pei iona' a2grard'sement. W.
h We helped them to make bad laws, VI
have helped them t. become rich More
over we lave robbed ourselves volunta
rily robbed ourselves and on fan, lies L
help them rob u.s. No wonder we are de
spiSed Of them-we deserve to be despiseC
we ought to desPise ourselves w,
Ought 10 Eide our heads for very shame.
The republican Institutions Of America
vii SUI i've or perish as workingmen learr
TO use their fr adom and their opportuni
es for their own redemption or continu
to Wa tie their means and ends Ill III Prov
dence aud VICE and the tine IS here OF
band turning scale for good or evil
The lessons Of the times vii be in vain
unless the great principle of co-operativ
industry sball take root and flourish, un
less workin2men commence the work o
regeneration they must conquer them
selves, conquer their follies, passions an'
prejudices, and having done so, the powe
of capital and the corrur ions Of leglsla
ton vii cease to be, and America will b.
come in fact as in name-a free country.