The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-31
TURNER HALL.

The Necessity OF Political Organization
en- the Part Of the Working Classes
An Appeal to the Laberers-Dovvn With
the Monopoiists-Thc Labor Question
To BE Settled by the Ballot-Discourse
by Mr.. l.. ThOmpson.
At the Cosmopolitan Conference, held in Turner
Hall. SO East Fourth street, yesterday afternoon,
Mr. L. Thompson delivered an address on the SUBJ
ject, "rhe Necessity of Political Organization on
the Part of the Working Classes" Alter alluding
to the Importance OF the subject and the necessity
for great fertility Of thought and power of argu-
ment-in which he was lacking-in order to do 1t
Justice, he propounded the inquiry-''Who compose
the industrial classes Pn He considered that in
dustry is a principle inherent in mans nature.
The millionaires of the city were among the most
Industrious OF ALL though their labOrs were
devoted to amassing wealth ilched from the
poor seamstresses and from laborers in general.
The stock gamblers work hard to obtain other
peoples money, and the burglars and thieves
equally so. The lawyers, too, are an industrious
class whether laboring to put the halter around
the neck Of some poor wretch who, in moment OF
frenzy, has killed fellow man, or to allow those
who have robbed the city Of millions to go scot
free. The beggars, too, are industrious, and the
poor woman, with her sickly child who has passed
the day in almsasking, goes to her wretched abode
weary from her labors SO 1t Is that under our
false system OF social life the inherent tendency to
industry has taken the wrong direction. He pro-
posed, however, to address only that class whose
labcrs tend TO good; that, in the past has been
isolated and is now suffering from q want OF CO.
operation on the part OF its members. He
first referred 20 the manual laborer, whom he
considered the most important member OF society;
though the humblest; and next the artisan, the
mechanic, the teacher as necessary parts OF our
civilization. What has been the condition OF those
who represent the arms and feet OF social lie
They have been called serfs vassals, pebians,
slaves Those who have caused the earth to bloom
with fertility have been set down as slaves, while
those who denOunce them as such have assumed
to themselves the title OF mobility" He then
showed that though the condition of those had
been modified they were not yet free. He depicted
the effect OF the subjugaon Of the working classes,
attrbuting to it the 100000 of the pauper class in
London and corresponding number in this city,
while crime and misery are rampant everywhere.
CHURCH AND STATE.
There are, he said, two institutions who have
tramped On the masses In all ages-the Church
and State. The efforts of the priesthood had always
wars brought about by them had caused thousands
OF deaths. We make war against 1t, and shall con-
government has been exercised rather to cypress
than to protect the working class, and only
through the power OF political organization has It
have been used are various. One OF these is reyo-
luton, now adopted by the struggling victims of
Of their redemption seems near at hand. This
our fOrefathers used, with what success we
know. The second method referred to was the
'strikes.' These he represented costing too
much. 1t was, in fact but a contest between the
labOrer's hungry stomach and the rich mans long
purse. They were demeralizing breeding strife
and dissensioR. The thru method and the one he
thought to be right, was in the
PRINCIPLE OF COOPERATION.
This. properly applied, will accomplish all that is
desired. He ridiculed and denounced the fear Of
emigration, which some w0rkingmen entertained,
and regretted the action OF the trades unions on
S the to a. We to wa tns aS to sass
the ballot in their hands that they may
assist us in overthrowing the great monopolies:
know we have the power TO break mp the present
system OF finance. We can knock the bottom out
OF Wall street. 1t is Of no use petitoning our rep
resentatives; they are thoroughly corrupt. pro-
pose to call a convention, and at once. We have
four years before u.s. and let us adopt our platform
OF principles, and send out our representatives all
over the country. We can nominate our candi-
dates at any time. Meanwhile we must labor 10
place our representatives in the municipal and
State legislature, so, when the centenary arrives,
our candidate will be IN the White House. We no
longer want to pay millions for the privilege OF
currency.
THE POWER OF THE BALLOT
Is omnipotent, and we must go to politics for q So
and shut up the gambling shops. Referring to edu-
cation he said the colleges and schools have here
tOore been for the benefit OF your Oppressors. You
can inaugurate system which shall throw the
doors OF them open'tO your children. BY the ballot
you can break up class legislation, which favOrs
such men as Tom Scott in Pennsylvania Jim Fisk
In his day here and Cakes Ames in Congress.
He argued at length that nothing could
be expected of those now in power, and, as the
wOrKingman IL in the numerical majority, he
should assume control OF the government itself;
that there should be no such thing In the community
as workingman begging for toll. He would have
included in the platform Of principles that the
eminent should give remunerative employment to
the people, ana not leave them in the hands OF the
monopOlists. who pay the least for the most abo-.
Our progress depends upon You, and II you have
the will and the heart 1t can be accomplished.