The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-08-12

one who begins the raid, is generally the
meanest skunk Of the whole pack. do
not class them all alike, for among them
are generally noble men who refuse to re-
duce the wages Of their men or women, un-
al compelled by competition. This skunk
says, now "a the time TO reduce wages, and
increase my profits, for help is plenty.
The animus is purely selfish, with a reck-
less and utter disregard Of the right Of
every human being to earn his bread BY
the sweat OF his brow, and when our states
men look calmly on at these wrongs infict-
ed upon the only really indispensable class
OF the community, it is quite time they
too had become regenerated, and time for
the working classes to undertake il. But
II they think either the Republican or
Democratic parties are going to do it, why
let them 90 on voting these tickets, and
they will soon find the bottom has fallen
out Of their republican institutions, and the
remedy will have passed from their hands
The article referred to says the remedy
for strikes and reductions Of wages lies in
cooperation. This is true but the
cooperation that will cure this condition
must be universal not partial. II even
one man or woman is to be left out in the
cold, that one is as deserving Of our com
misarafion anJ - hao..,,a. -. ......l n M
duty of humanity to gather even one stray
siIcvP into chs fold, ~ If half tho world
were suffering the pangs Of misery, con-
scquently it becomes our duty to seek for
remedy that will benefit the meanest as
well as the greatest. A principle of CO.
operation must be adopted that every able
bodied man and woman can take ady antage
of. Then will condition be inau zurated
where the cold hand Of charity will no
longer begrudgingly dole out to the aged
the plundered products Of their labor,
while wishing them dead, because their
condition reproaches society with the
wrongs it IS inficting. No one can look
upon an animal worn out with toll, even if
1t be a man or woman, without feeling Of
remorse, if comfort is not the attendant of
old age
Now the question is, how ara we t. pro-
vide the means Of cooperation for all those
Who may choose to seek III The plan by
which this can be accomplished is easy Of
adoption, plain and simple costs nothing:
already in operation, and tbs reason why
its benefits are not felt and recognized is
because its application is partial and not
universal as il should be, and what is most
singular those who are Its authors, those
upon whom its responsibility rest are the
very persons WAC are least benefited by its
operations. Of course ! refer to credit and
labor as the basis Of credit, and ,here is nc
other, and II credit benefits anybody, it
should most Of all benefit the laborers.
1t is no use telling us that accumulated
wealth Is the basis Of credit, for if there
were no laborers to work the coal mines a
Pennsylvania, it would be as useless h al
tempt to raise money upon then for &C.
curlty as upon the deserts of Ara.is.
The contractor, the employer of labor, ne
matter what its nature, If he is a borrow
er calculates to pay interest with the sur
plus profits Of labor. The money lender
Y It he accepts collaterals as securities knows
very well that labor only makes them val.
liable. If they are stocks in mines that do
not pay to work he will not take them. n
farm that dOee not yield profitable crops
he will not pay the labor required to run
haU
no value IN the estimation Of the money
lender. u any thing that has been con-
structed by labor is offered as security for
money, be it houses, railroads, bridges or
works Of art Of any description. it is labor
that has made them valuable securities.
There u only one exception-town lots
that though lying idle increase in value
without labor, but this is only seemingly
80 for without the presence Of laborers and
the surrounding wealth that labor creates.
town lots would not be .obbled mp for they
would have no value.
II We have established the point that la.
Dor, and labor alone is the only true basis
Of credit, then we assert that il is possibl,
70 make cooperation universal, and we
also insist that it would be Beneficial I,
every living being on the face Of the earth
the rich as well as the poor.
! agree with Mr. SINNERS idea 81
government workshops" Government il
already too cumbersome, such ideas ar,
NapoleOnic, would require Napoleon anC
some form Of despotism to carry them out
What we want is a system Of government
the details u which are arranged, and con
troled by the communities Of which I'll,
nati"n be il limited or extensive, is com
posed
We want a financial system or NOR,
properly, a system of currency which shall
he simply the crdit Of the nation. Tn,
constitution gives power ito omit bills o
credit; let these be used as a medium q
exchange, and we require no other curren
cy. Let them be furnished to all indus
trial cooperative associations, to purchase
property, and erect buildings, and what the,
save IN rent will enable them TO hquidats
their debt even if no profit result from
their labor. This plan will enable So.
operation to become universal Mere
anon. O. H. SMITH