The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-01-02
1875

Happy New Year! Before this ,.sue
will have reached its many readers they
and their numerous friends will have
passed the welcome greetings Of q ''happy
new year" and the congratulations and
compliments Of the season will have passed
from mouth to mouth. Let us hope We
are not toolate TO join in the greeting, and
wish our friends many returns of the sea-
son and a long and prosperous life TO enjoy
them.
In looking over the past we have wide
and extensive field before US, a field in which
there is ample scopetor thorough research
deep thought. and serious reflection. Let
US start with that period when the laborer
was the master Of the world, when he was
''lord and master Of all he surveyed" II
it is true his wants were few, and his means
of supplying them meagre. but, ~ he pro
crossed both in numbers and III knowledge
his desire increased, and the means To
crafty them became more ample II
is thus We find the labOrer under the patrl
archical system living in a common unity,
a common brotherhood, in which want and
misery-twin brothers were unknown.
But the selhshness, avarlce and cupidityof
man became predominant, and We next
find the laborer in Egyptian bondage,
from which he passes Ia a system Of slavery
and Is bought and sold and exchanged, to
suit the whims and caprice uf the MASTER
his children taken to satisfy the sensual de-
sire Of a hcentlous aristocracy, until his ma
ture revolted, and the streets Of Rome and
cities Of Europe ran red with rivers Of hu-
man gore. The laborer rends asunder the
chains Of slavery, and proclaims himself =
free man But no sooner does he feel his
manhood than the web of slavery is woven
around hun IN subtle and invidious man
ner, but no less binding. and more oppres-
sive than before. Il Is IN this condition
we find him at the opening Of the fifteenth
century, when, as il were, by providentlal
interference, new heml sphere is discover
ed refuge for the prosecuted labor OF
the European continent Is found. and again
in the providence Of God OF IN the progress
of nature, as we please 10 term It. another
channel is opened, whereby the laborer
may once more obtain his natural position
in the economic structure uf civilization
But even here the money power attempts
to assume its regal sway, and labor Is taxed
and retaxed until again IT seeks relief
through bloody revolution, and frees itself
from the tyranical expressions Of foreign
power. Another step has been taken IN the
onward march Of labor. hut while It has
cast from its body all the outward and
visible signs Of subsection, 1t still retain In
its bosom the serpent which was To des-
troy its vitality and cast it back into slavery
and dependence. The serpent-our pres
ent financial system-has encIrcled itself
around the body Of labor, and is now slow
ly but surely coiling itself around its
limbs Let it get itself but once secure,
and it will sink in fangs deep into the heart
and its poison VII course through every
artery, and every VEN, until the last spark
Of vitality is crushed out, and labor be-
comes submissive. and bows t. the mandates
Of capital.
These are the conditions under which
We enter the year 1875 IL is the ire
pressible conflict The Capitalization of
wealth means the Capitalization Of power
the Capitalization Of power is despotism,
and desp"tism is the destruction of democ-
racy and republican institutions. These
are the issues before the American work
ing men OF 1875. Are they equal to the
emergency We shall wait and see, and
in the mean time do our humble part
fcarlessly and independently.