The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-05-29

thrift, economy and equal rights. Our
people are in craze to get something for
nothing. We shall entirely be ruined un-
less that fever is abated. A body Of men
and women must arise in the land, as
stern and strong of purpose as the early
Quakers, Cromwells, Puritans, and the
Dutch Covensnters, who will resolve first
to subdue their own bad passions and ap-
petites, and then coolly inform these self
ish brutes who are lording it over US in
politics, commerce and social life, that a
change has come-that real Republic
genuine Democracy, is to be restored.
This information they can largely impart
through the ballot All how the power
of that grand engine grows upon .;
whereas | have quite despised it. Oh
mighty, mighty American nation, what
can you not yet perform with your civ
ilization, intelligence and general edu-
cation, through that control Of the ballot
which yet remains to you
One thing among others absolutely neces
sary for the recovery Of American free
dom, is the cutting down of the enormous
fortunes that som men have accumulated.
We might endure to have a few Of the
greediest worth-say half million, but this
thing. Of fortunes of tive, ten, twenty,
fifty and one hundred millions will ensure
the death Of the republic. 1t would be
better to have French revolution and
general conhscation, than to let this con.
tinue. But such bloody work is unneces.
sary while we have the ballot. and car
slowly but surely cut down these vast &C
cumulations Of plumber by means o.
graduated taxation, land limitation,
| etc.
Confound the greedy swine who are de-
vouring the substance Of the country, anC
still grumbling about their hungry stom
acns. Listen to them. Here writes fel
low to the New York Tribune that " tn,
stagnation of trade is due to the strikes O
the workingmen." The panic forsootl
was caused by the fact that capital wa
driven from manufactures, building, etc
by the greed OF workingmen. This lettel
writer had friend who said to him
There is no money in building now. Al
soon as the cellars are dig the stOnemason
strike as soon as the foundations are up tn
| bncklayers strike as soon as the walls ar
up, the carpenters strike and as soon as tn
woodwork Is finished, the painters strike
The last houses ! built cost me IS, 600 each
| had estimated their cost at "a, 900 each
only got ~, 500, consequently lost $500 apiece
! went out Of business" What are yol
doing with your money! 81 am down o.
Third street picking up railroad acct ptances
at l. to Is per cent. per annum:"
There is where you find the great secre
Of all our financial mlseries Capital
nosing round like a hyena picking a
things" at II to 1S to IS per cent. Tn
mans complaint about strikes has, 0
course, this foundation at least, that tn
turmoil Of the times, and the as yet awk
ward attempts Of the workers to bette
themselves, makes building a precariou
business. But his loss of $780, probabl
means that he rated his own time 4
s., 900.
) The day will surely come-though n,
} soon-When all interest on money wi
be abolished as a fraud. The origins
; meaning of that usury' which is S
much denounced by old law-givers an
prophets, was simply ANY price at ALL +,
: the use of money. The time will CON
again when people will no more ask
} profit on their loaned dollars than they
now on their loaned loaves Of bread, an
; will be content to get back full equivi
lent for whatever they lend, whether gooC
or the solidifed labor of the past
} SAMUEL LEAvITT