National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-24
PERyRRsION OF LABOR ORGANIzA-
TIONs.

We have In this city what arc called the |
headquarters" Of ccumcnlCal councils and |
other organizations Of laboring men with |
hlgh-sounding titles. The object Of these or |
ganiZatlOns, as understood by the rank and
file Of their membership, is pralseworthy, for
the reason that II involves or invites the ele-
walton Of the laboring classes. Tho lntelll-
gence Of our mechanics, their virtues and
their capacities, stand unriyaled In the civil
lied world. 1t may be that the Germans or
the French excel us, as they undoubtedly do,
in tho perfection Of the manufacture OF kid
gloves, baby toys aud similar supernultics or
luxurics, but we excel the world in the COM
plcteucss Of our engines, the telcgraphs, rail-
roads and other substantial necessities. The
knowledge of this fact tends TO make
our laboring classes, and particularly our
mechanics, more independent than the peo-
pie engaged In the same pursuits In other
countries. They read the newspapers, and
think and act for themselves. The imme-
diatc result Of this independence OF thought
and action compcls the assiduous attention Of
politicians and publclsts to their wpnts.
Perhaps the number Of publlCists now eTtant
In our midst Is limited, but the number OF
politicians Is continually increasing. Where
publiCists would seek 10 serve the laboring
men by the Inauguration Of reform and the
discussion Of honest measures for their relief,
the politicians sclhshly seek either to mould
tho action Of the worklngmen to their own
advantage, or, like dcmagogues as they arc,
accommodate themselves 10 the crude and
sometimes unjust or unwlse theories and
demands Of their poorly-lnformcd VIC
tins. 4 most notable instance Of this
kind Of domagoglsm Is to be found in
the presence In Washington Of Ex-senator
Pool, Of North Carolina. Defeated In his
political aspirations, and disgraced at home
by that defeat he has transferred his
scene OF operations from the Old North State
to the national capital. Instead Of trying 10
dupe ignorant negroes into the falsc belief
that he Is q statesman, he now attempts to
dclude the workingmen with the false belief
that he Is their friend. The same selfish rea-
son exists for the latter effort that existed for
the former. lie is an office-seeker, and q
most unscrupulous one at that. His selnsh
manipulation of North Carolina last summer
while attempting to secure Legislature
pledged 10 Ills reelection to be United States
Senator nearly lost the State 10 the Republi-
can party and the moral influence Of a first
victory in the campaign to the nation at
large, and did lose us at least one Congress-
man. He did this with money entrusted to
him or his friends for the use Of the party at
large, and not for an especial purpose, We
pay no heed TO the rumors which have OBJ
tained credencc regarding appropriation Of
funds for private uses during the campaign,
for we do not believe them. In other words,
We do not think that his dishonesty affects
him in his private character, but merely as
apolitician, by which trade he thriycs or has
thriven. 4 word TO tue wise Is sufficient
Now let our workingmen keep their eyes on
this man, and others Of his ilk, whose hands
arc soft as woman's, and whose only object
in counting their friendship Is to elevate him
self into Office. II this be not true, let us
know some other reason for his protracted
stay In Washington since his term as Senator
expired, and explain to us his sudden solici'
tude in behalf Of men for whom he Cannot
possibly have the slightest natural sympathy