The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-01-18
FROM MICHIGAN.
Pontiac, Jan. i, 1872.

70 the Editor of the woRSiSoSANs ADVOCATE
1t MAY be set down As utterly Impossl-
pie for the working class 10 Inaugurate any
social OF political movement that will meet
the approval or support u other classes.
And the chief reason is, because whatever
benefit the warkmen may gam must he
taken from thepower Or the profits "a those
who grow rich through his subsection. The
present class divisions ~ society are quite
satisfactory to the upper classes ana the
overworked and underpaid serfs, whr Nish
10 change things ever 50 little, are always
denounced as revolutionary drstructives.
But the wages receivIng class constitute a
majority Of all nations, and. where they
have political power, as with us, have po-
htical and social changes entirely within
vide ourselves into opposing factions, for
The benefit Of those who have no common
interest or sympathy with US, instead Of
inaugurating for ourselves a great political
combination sufficiently powerful u set US
free from the common enemy.
There has never been strike, or con
hict, or dispute Of any kind between capt.
tai and labor, but the entire capital class.
with their subsidized press, have taken sides
against the workman. He is considered by
all vested interests as a common enemy.
to be weakened and put down 1T any cost.
He is 60 ID enough to be a cat's-paw, and
vote Republican or Democratic ticket,
but who ever heard Of his rem omination for
office ; We have stereotyI ed illusions about
the dignity Of labor. but the poor devils
dignity extends no further than the de-
post Of party vote.
Eut, in despite Of all this contempt and
oppression, 1t is Just as certain that LABOR
will throw of its servItude to capital, and
become its master, as tina the feudal sys-
temwas displaced by other elements. The
problem to be solved is very simple. There
IS Just 50 much work to be done. and some
body must do it. There will be Just so
much profit from this work, after paying
expenses, and somebody will get this profit.
Who loes the work The working class
Who Iets the profit : The capital class II
is Just this condition Of things that labor
seeks d remedy. II il weary II toihng ~
many CENTURIES for kings and mobiles, and
and 50 many centuries for banks and mer-
chant Isinces. IL longs for larger share
Of those good things it has so profusely
created br others.
Laborwill never receive its fair share
until Il has control Of the agencies that
create wealth, as well as Of the wealth IT,
self. Molern necessities have 50 snmph-
fed the cNation Of what is called money
that It lsns easy for the working class To
establish teir banks and issue their mil
lions Us Il for any other class IL do the
same Law authorizes and legalizes all
currencies, federal or State. These laws
are passed ~ men elected by the people,
through paGy organizations. II Il per
fectly clear, then, that the working class
must contro legislation before they can
help themselves, and to control this legis-
latIon they Inlst elect their own candidates
through then own political organizations
We'll, did " not have political labor
party, and va it not failure Did not
the working chss desert il IN its struggle
against the otter parties II the efforts
Of labor failed through the labor party as
they did, is itnot tolerably certain that
they will throuD any other organization
These are pennent inquiries, and must
be answered. w had a labor nrganizAtirn.
but one fatal detct consisted in its charac-
ter as secret Nth-bOund sucietv This
necessarily rendsed its membership linn
tied, and threw otrboard the great general
public, which forrA parties and carries cleo
tons In a counhy ike ours. there u IA
more necessity foraecrecy as to the mem
beers ct a political hclety than secrecy for
It's platform. Sucn ecrecy is also ineffcct-
ual as means OF pttectiOn, because spies
can always be mtroaced, and its leading
men be masked
Another point otweakness Law in the
limited remedial mAsures offered Dur
platform was good as lr as it went. in the
suggestion Of goverTAent policies. but
the carrying out Of eNy policy and sug-
gestion would have IA the working man
still working man, s&iect TO all existing
disabilities and tyranRA He would have |
been % unable 70 coNol his destiny or