The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-10-23
RE-ORGANIZE.

I'VE have passed through the cruclble.
I'VE have touched bottom Things
must and will revive Such are the
expressions we hear on every side Hope
in the future seems to be slowly but
surely, arising in the breasts of our bust
ness men. The dark clouds which have
been lowering over and around the horizon
IF the commercial world are steady break
ing away. The mist and gloom which sur
rounded us is clearing off, and We are en-
tering into a brighter clearer and more
congenial, and healthier atmosphere.
During the gloom and darkness which has
prevailed i'll the industrial world for the
past three years, our trades unions, both
national and local, have undergone Sc
we're ordeal. Their strength has been
tested, and the fidelity of the individual
members Of the several organizations, TO
the principles which they avowed and sub
scribed to, have been tried as If by ire.
1t has been contest of partially united
and incompletely organized power against
a we'll disciplined, fully organized, power
full, wealthy and INSCRIPTIONS foe, whose
relentless shafts have been ever aimed at
the arteries of labor, have sought to crush
it in every movement it has made toward
progress, Improvement, and unihcation.
That there is a single local or trades or
ganIzatIon III existence to-day Is more
matter Of surprise and wonder than
thing that could Or should have expected,
and can be attributed only To the fact that
the workIngmen Of America are At last
realizing the necessity for such organIza
tlons
While We regret that some u our ma
tIonal organizations have become democrat
lzed. and have, IN fact, ceased 70 exist, yet
Ne are satisfied that their principles are still
regarded as the only means BY which our
workingmen can secure a Just compeusa-
/ tion for their labo~. In such hight We
believe they are held By the great majority
of our working people but Ill order ~
carry out these principles education is
necessary We do not mean mere school
astic education, but such a. viii teach
men the knowledge VI discipline, and the
power Of unity.
Such education can be spread through
organization only. We must not forget
the fact that '.worhiugmen are like an
other men; they are Of many classes and
of every character, from the prudent and
thoughtful man, who ue-lects mo- important
duty whose intelligent foresight provides
for all necessary requirements. and fore
sees all probable contingencies, and pre-
pares himself to meet them, To the care
less and thoughtless slave If impruyideuce,
who foresecs nothing, who provides for
nothing, and Who has no strength for the
performance Of the duties of life, except
such as lie derives from the action Of 9TH
ers. The latter, as rule are the class Of
men who do not belong to trades unions.
Many of these are well meaning. but weak
and thoughtless many IF them also are
I llC mere SLAVES VI l8iloldilCt anu sell III
diligence. but all Of them, nevertheless,
are necessary to give completeness and
I power To that mighty industrial army
on the spirit, discipline and direction Of
which the workers Of Great Brltain-nay,
We might say, the workers Of the world
depend for their emancipation.
This emancipation this education must
be the grand object If reorganization.
As We are leaving the dark and dismal
clouds Of the past behind rs, and are as
cending, as 1t were, into higher and a
| brighter world 81 organization, let Us
/ lift with us those Of whom We have here
| tofore, being SO regardless and SO careless
/ Let our leading men be unremlttIng in
/ their eudeavors To find them out To III
struct, advise, stimulate and encourage
them. Teach them their duties TO them
selves, their families and their fellow work
| ingmen. Do this and in the near future,
We viii raise an army of labor, which, in
all its equipments will measure swords
with its old and ancient foes capital and
its agents