The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-06-05

Ladies' and Gentlemen Though not
connected With the organization, 1t gave
me pleasure IL accept the invitation Of the
Association Ot Currency RefOrmers to ad
dress whoever might be disposed to listen
% me TINS evening and | desire to say ia
the outset that l am not speaking III be
hHt u w against any political party, or
foe the purpose Ot organizing a new party.
engage IA this discussion, and welcome
the labor IN which 1t will involve me, be-
cause believe that the interests of the
Z "up.g aud the nation ImpenOusly demand
q change IN our financial system, and in
tn tull knOWledge OF the fact that those
whr claim To be the leaders Vi the Rspub-
hcan and the Democratic parties, derIde
my opinions The derislon " presump
uous ignorance OF greedy svarlce, i'm
presses me With no fear. Their missiles
are less dangerous than have hitherto
encountered IN what seemed TO De a less
huu,Iul cause than tins. Some IF YOU
Nil, doubtless, remember that IN 1896
FIR me 81 address a Republican meeting
III certain arts III this district, Was to en-
counter shower Of bricks or eggs, or
bOth, anu that 1 persisted 70 the end
That despIsed cause trIumphed, and | am
ss devoted to It's principles now as | was
when receiving the sneers and blows Ot
many u the people Who have since hon
orcd me by eight consecutive elections 10
Congress
IL may be well t. remember nov, when
We are without organization, or a press in
this city devoted to our cause, that it was
III the Fourth Congressional District that
! vas thus treated when advocating the
R ubhcau Cause. Nor may it be map
propriate for ne 70 say now, in the outset,
that, health and strength being gwen me,
mean to be Instrumental IN carrying the
agitation Of this question Of financial re-
form INTO every hamlet IN the state Of
Penusy wanna. (Appause.)
l louk upon the people OF my district as
1t II, Of my old 0Istrict, which embraced
the Fourteenth and Twentieth Wards,
aud Of that when | first represen ed,
which included also the TIM teenth Ward,
ana stretched away to the Delaware at
Brldesburg, and see their Industries par
alyzrd and themselves and families InpoY-
crushed.
Honest and thrifty working people by
tens Of thousands, III this district alone,
are out Of employment. 1t Is now much
more than a year since many Of them were
home to lind them III ragged penury |
Many Of those who, in the autumn Of |
1873, held tide to their little homes, and |
we're paying of any Incumbrance that |
might exist against them BY applying |
what they could well afford to set apart |
from their monthly earnings to building |
associations, are in despalrIng poverty, |
and, having read the shertf7s bill describ-
ing their homes. have seen them pass at |
nominal prices into the possession of
others.
Men who have each winter contributed
to the ward fund for the relief If the poor
in almost every ward in Philadelphia,
v re during the past winter glad to &C
sept relief, and | rejoice at the fact that
IA many instances the Committees refused
70 register the names Of such, that they
might not hereafter be reproached because
their necessities had compelled them to
accept as charity the money they had pre-
viOusly given Of their abundance for the
relief OF Others.
Tie capital of the district, so far as it is
embarked in productive Industries, sympa-
thizes with the depressed condition of la
Dor. Yonder piles Of brick, covering
whole blocks, which we're recently reso-
nant with the hum 4 industry, are now
silent almost - death. The owners Of the
land buildings and machinery lose money,
confidence and hope, daily. They do not
now employ as many hundred men as they
did thousands but two years ago. Their
We. ks rag then day and night, now but
few If them run full sixty hours to the
week. Rent, interest on invested capital,
the destruction resulting from the rest and
rust Of machinery are eating them up.
And while all this goes on we notice an in
crease Of pauperism, Of crime, Of insanity,
and terrible increase of suicide.
The journals complain that not only the
Dtreets Of cities but the roads from one
great city to another are fill, d with tramps,
and ask that the authorities shall deal
summarily and severely with these able
bodied idlers. Why should they be pun
ished - restrained Why are they idle
Why do they, through cold or heat, foot
sore, weary, hungry and ill-clad, trudge
sullenly from town to town and city to
city 1t is because they can find no en-
ployment at their homes, and rather than
beg where they are known, and it may be
they thus work their way
ewearily, often crossing upon the highways
hordes Of other unfortunates IN pursuit of d
employment at any wages. Among them [
there are doubtless many who are unwor-
thy. But give the lsboring people work, I
and most Of the tramps will gather back to 1
Forves. furnaces and workshops, and be-
ZONE rent payers and purchasers OF the '
productions Of the joint capital and labor |
u the country.