The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-09-18
PLATFORM
National Industrial Congress,

OF THE


ment and aggression Of aggregated wealth.
which, unless checked. will Inevitably lead to
the pauperization aud hopeless degrAdaIion.of
the toiling masses, renders it imperative, if
we desire to enjoy the blessings Of the gov
erment bequeathed US by the founders Of the
Republic that a check should be placed upon
its power and unjust accumulation, and sys-
tenn adopted which will secure to the lAborer
the fruits of his toll and
WHEREAS, This much desired object can
only be accomplished by the thorough unfit
cation Of labor and the united efforts of those
who obey the Divine injunction that = In
the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy
| bread :" and
| WHEREAS, The great desideratum Of the
hour is the organization and direction, by CO.
operative efforts, OF the power of the produc-
| ing masses for their substantial elevation,
| vet we recognize i'll the ballot box the great
agency through which our wrongs can be re-
| dressed f; and
| WHEREAS, While we fully recognize the
power and efficiency Of Trade and Labor
! Unions, as now organized, in regulating purely
trade matters, yet upon all questions apper-
tanning to the welfare of the masses as a
whole, the influence Of these organizations,
without closer union, must prove compare
lively futile Therefore
Resolved That we submit to the people Of
the United States the objects sought TO be &C
comphshed by the Industrial Congress
First-To bring within the folds Of the or.
ganization every department of productive in.
dustry, making knowledge a standpoint for
action, and industrial, moral and social worth
not wealth the true standard Of individ-
ual and national greatness.
AZ. s,,..t
share OF the wealth thew create more of
the leisure that rightly belong to them
more SECRETARY advantage; more Of the
! benefits privileges and emouments of the
world III a word, all those rights and priv
/ eg,.s necessary to make them capable OF en-
| loving, approaching, defending and perpet-
uatIn-, the blessings Of our republican govern
meut.
! Third To arrive at the true condition OF
| the producing masses in their educational,
/ moral and financial condition. We demand
! from the several States and from the National
I Government the establishment of Bureaus OF
Labor Statistics
Fourth-The establishment Of cooperative
instit ltions, productive and distrbutive.
| Fifth-The reservIng Of the public lands,
the heritage Of the people, for the actual set
Ter not another acre for railroads Or spec
ulators.
| Sixth-The abrogatIon Of all laws that do
not bear equally upon capital and labor, the
removal Of unjust technIcalltIes. delays and
| determinations III the administration of Jus
tice, and the adoption N measures proyid
ing for the health and safety Of those en-
| gagged in mining, manufacturing and building
| pursuits.
Seventh-The enactment Of law to com
pei chartered corporations to pay their EN-
/ ployes at least once III every month, IN full
for labor performed during the preceding
month, in the lawful money Of the country.
1 Eighth-The enactment Of law givin.
mechanics and laborers first lien on thel
work and also pre-, emitting stays Of execution
in case OF labor lien judgments.
Ninth-The adjustment of the contract
| system on the national, state and municipal
work.
! Tenth To inaugurate system Of publ,
markets to facilitate the exchange Of pro
duets OF farmers and mechanics, tending t,
do away with mindlemen and spectators.
Eleventh--Io Inaugurate a system Of cheaI
| transportation, to facilitate the exchange q
commodities.
Twelfth-The substitution OF arbitration
for strikes, whenever and wherever employ
ers and employees are willing to meet on equi
table grounds.
Thirteenth prohibition of the impor
tation Of all servile races, and the discontin.
uance 81 all subsidies granted u national
vessels bringing them 20 our shores.
Fourteenth To advance the standard Of
American mechanics, los the enactment and
enforcement of equitable apprentice laws
Fifteenth To abolish the system Of letting
By contract the labor Of convicts in our prs
ens and reformatory Institutions.
Slxteeuth-To secure for both sexes equal
pay for equal work.
Seventeenth. The reduction Of the hours Of
labor to eight per day, 50 that the laborers
may have more time for social enjoy ment and
intellectual improvement, and be enabled to
reap the advantages conferred by labor-saving
machinery, which their brains have created
Eighteenth secure legislation provid-
ing for the assessment and collection If mon
les required to prosecute wars from the
wealth Of the nation, On the principle that
if the government possesses the right 70 draft
the poor mans body for purposes of national
defense, it has an equal right to appropriate
the rich mans accumuiatiOns under the same
conditions and in order that such debts as
that which now Expresses the people, may
never again be entaIled upon ourselves and
our posterlty.
NneteenJn-lO prevent, by all lawful
means, the practice now in vogue Of invoking
the aid of the military whenever or where
ever the toiling masses refuse to submit to
the arbitrary or unjust demands Of aggregated
wealth or unprincipled employers-by which
the men enlisted the nation defenders be-
come the nations opprcssors.
Twentieth The establishing by Govern
ment ~ a just standard Of distribution
to labor and capital by providing a purely
national circulating medium, based on
the faith and resources Of the nation, is
sued directly to the people without the in
PREVENTION of any system OF banking corpor-
atoms which money shall be legal tender
in the payment Of all debts, public and pr
vaLe, and interchangeable at the option Of the
holder for registered Government bonds. bear
ing a rate Of interest not to exceed 3 IS 100
per cent, subject to future legslatioip by
Congress