The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-08-01

20 The Editor II thu NuEAtNousN'- ADVOCATE
II appears from the ADVOCATE that the
essays ~ ''the best method ~ secure the
cooperative efforts 10 the working men
and working men and working women Of
America under one organization, did not
meet with entire approval II rs mpera-
tive that We All mite together in one body,
but the question comes up, what are We "a
unite for What to We expect e. gam by
such a universal uniun IT labor The mum
berless unions nov existing, have al
some specific object. Deemed essential, but
yet. not If sufficient Importance t. induce
a general uprising Of labor, aid its unfit
cation into one body.
Before Ne can unite all, it seems essen
tial that We should have some principle ~
idea that meets the reception Of all some
thing Of paramount importance, worthy Of
great sacrifices ~ time aud means some
thing that Ne cannot be cheated out " ny
hostile legislation and unprinciped rings
For ages past, labor has been in greater
or less serfdom to capital IL has been de-
pendent on the capitalist for everything,
and been increasingly cheated cut VI its
earnings through profits and interest. All
its efforts a. permanently better its con
dition have been unavailing. At this mo-
ment thousands w working men and wp-
men are out 81 cmploym ~ working
at half wages.
The question then comes up. shall We
| continue this antIguated 81 stem Of serdom
and dependence, with its uncertainties
robberles and mseries, Or shall We 50 revo-
lutionize our system II labor and finance
as to unite labor and capital into ms body,
make labor self-depcndeut, insure short
hours and satisfactory WAGES al An times
enjoying al the wealth, leisure. refinement
and happiness which naturally hows from
such "A condition Of mastcrship
This is the point e. be decided III adj
vance If al mitication. We must unite
| either To- pcrpetuate or overthrow the an
tagunislns, irregularities. uncertainties,
miseries and crimes e the existing, soclal
system, and independent capital and de-
pendent labor All our unions for half a
century have been based on the SUPPOSE
ton that labor must BE- dependent on cap
Ital for work and wages We have neither
conceived the idea of the independence 81
labor, nor struggled e. establish II, except
through the imp -rfect workings az the ~
operative idea And here We have had ii,
chance to succeed, because allthe currency
was manufactured By and held exclusively
for the benefit Of the capitalist. Never
III all time, has labor had its own bank
and currency, or to-day, Labor would pos
scss all the wealth now la the hands ~ TIA,
dominant capitalist class For 1t has al
been created by labor, and taken from j
by interest aud profits.
Labor must lay down its ultimatum .
independence from the control Of a capital
list class must proclaim its right To it
own financial management, AMI To chang,
or abolish all existing wages which keep 1
IN helpless bondage to capital. The unfit
cation If labor on the basis If lndepend
encc must succeed, for independent laho
creates IFS own currency, sets itself t
WORK. regulates its hours of labor and 1t
wages, the profits II viii SGT apart fur edu
cation, I'D age, and other purposes.
free and united labor can in ten years ear
and purchase every railroad. mine, factor
aud forge la the United States tn
} wealth which il uuw possessed by ca pita
vii ~ back to labor ny purchase
There can re identification Of labor tina
Is not based ~ the idea NJ independents
Il the capitalist This includes every
thing. j. +. BRAY.