The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-09-04
THE CINCINNATI CONFERENCE.

greets lts readers, the Clnclnnatl COnIet-
ence will have met, deliberated, and sd-
journed and its action, in all probability,
been telegraphed to every section OF the
country. Its success or failure, az the high
est dcceptdtion Of the term, therefore pos
sesses more than a passing interest to
every friend of the producing classes, in
whose name it was called, and whose in
terests it was originally intended to sub
serve. Ii is from this standpoint, dis
carding and disavoWing any desire to
throw a stumbling block IN its pathway,
that we now address the Labor Reformers
who may participate in its proceedings.
Brothers, co-workers IN the cause Of
labors emancipation, the contest upon
which We have entered-money against
muscle-might against rights a contest
Of no ordinary magnitude, one in which
no Jealousy, no division of effort can be
tolerated. Our only hope Of success de-
ponds upon unity Of action and oneness
Of purpose. No petty aspirations, no
stand in our pathway. A long pull, a
strong pull and pail altogether is re-
qulred to lift us to the position TO which
We aspire. Any other course brings dis
aster in its train We need all the int1u-
ence, all the brain, all the honesty, all the
unhagging effort we can command, if we
expect success to perch upon our banners /;
and it behoves us as sensible men, as men
alive to the Importance Of the situation
and the issue involved, to weigh well the
results Of our action before rash word or
unkind deed may render such cooperation
difficult if not Impracticable.
As is well known, the Cincinnati Con
ference had its origin III a call issued by the
Anti Monopoly Convention, which met at
Harrisburg Pa, on the I'd, Sd, and 4th
OF March last, participated in by 256 dele
gates and presided over.by Mr.. John +.
WEIGH, the intention being to bring about
a union between the farmers and working
men, on a platform mutually acceptable
the Contention appointed a committee to
invite the representative men OF the two
classes to conference. Subsequently
and rithout trdrrdlt or authority from the
appointing potrer, one or two men have seen
tit to set at naught the Instructions given,
and arrogated TO themselves the right to re-
move large number Of the original com
mittee, to dictate who shall and Who shall
not participate in Its proceedings, requir-
ing pledges from those to whom invitations
have been issued, committing themselves
to certain line of policy, foreign to the
objects for which it was called, thereby
transferring 1t into a star chamber confer
ence.
Under the circumstances, it is s&f-evi-
dent that large, ce,y large proportion
Of independent labor reformers- farmers
and mechanics who are and who
have been UNIV ling to commit themselves
to any cut and dried policy, before pub
lie expression Of opinion mas been secured,
must be ostracised, and necessarily excluded
from the conference. In this Dumber We
ind every representative man in labor s
ranks, and we honor them for the man
hood displayed. If they cannot act as
free moral agents, as untrammeled. un-
pledged representatives Of labor interests,
they refuse to act at all. They are free
men. They have refused to submit to die
tation have accepted the invitation ex-
tended III good faith, and propose to let
the sober, second thought control their
ballots.
We would do injustice to our friends,
to the honest yomanry Of the country, to
every impulse of true manhood, did we
suppose OF grant, for moment, that the
programme laid down by the marplots
would be ratified by representatives Of
labor's interests. We have known them
too long, too intimately to harbOr the sus-
plcion for moment.
With an assurance that perfect conf
dence begets, an assurance that death alone
can sever, we place the issue in their hands
We know and they know they cannot
afford to sacrifice interests III which their
welfare, aye, and the welfare Of the hn-
man race is involved, to crafty the am
bltion Of any mOnomaniac, or class of
monomaniacs Actions speak louder THAI
,r0rdS The Olive branch is offered in
good faith. The garland of victory is
within our reach-will you, dare you by
any act, covert OF avowed, under any pre-
text, spurn the effort.
Good men and true, bid you God
speed in so far as your efforts are directed
in the right channel. Principles must be
kept in the foreground personal ambi-
ton in the rear. Come and let VS. reason
together. Let us all act equal to the en- err
gency, determined to give our opponents
no cause for rejoicing United we are ia
vincible, divided we fall an easy prey to
the enemy
Truth fears no discussion. Exclude no
true and tried friend. Trust to the com
mon sense Of the convention to exclude
any wolf in sleeps clothing, any man who
cannot give reason for the hope that is
/ in him.
Jay GoULD's organ, the New York Tn