The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-03-04

SAN FRANCIsco, Feb. %, 1876.

To the Editor Of the WoRKISoxAS's ADVOCATE
In my rambles to-day around the streets
of this golden city Of the west, chanced
to stumble on newspaper bearing the
title Of The Pdc!rc Grocer. In its editor.
lal columns | found an article with this
caption III large capitals To MER-
CHANTS AND MIDDLEMEN Is DUE
THE PROSPERITY OF THE COUN-
TRY. The pith Of the argument is that
NO country can become rich by simply
producing. All the creating, building
up and retaining Of wealth is done by the
well directed brain power Of the middle
men, the merchants and manufacturers
whom the Grangers call thieves and
leeches. This writer, IN his exuberant
/ agony cries out, What would become of
the country if these Granger fanatics could
carry out their policy 1t is almost i'm
/ possible to conceive a more foolish and
ruinous course than that .aken by the
Grangers. Could they carry out their de-
.
rograde to what it Vas when ships came
heavy laden and went away empty; now
they come light, and there streams out of
the Golden Gate an endless stream Of
deep freighted cargoes. (,Ieaning prob
ably deep laden ships Thanks to the
merchant for it., to whose sagacity and
furesigh this writer says We are indebted
for it. One would De apt to suppose that
these deep laden ships were indebted for
their cargoes to the
INDUSTRY OF THE 0RANGERs,
who year after year have been toiling,
eKhausting the soil Of our fertile valleys,
living in a shanty that some farmers at
the East would hardly consider shelter for
their animals. Bringing up their children
in ignorance and rags, while these mer-
chants with whom this writer condoles
with, have been living in little palaces,
surrounded with every comfort their
children attending the high schools and
universities. Surely our merchants and
middle men have had hard time Of it.
they look so needy as they come out Of
the barber shop in the morning g. all
shayen and shorn," Look at their poor
wives and daughters as they loll IN their
carriages OF promenade our streets III silks
and satins, compelled to hold up their
skirts at the crossings Just to show-well
no matter. Suppose We compare with
these the Changers wife, coming to town
In lumber wagon, arrayed IN bit calico.
Look at the toil-staIned hands Of her and
her husband, their hides tanned by ex-
posure to the scorching rays of the sum
mer sun, and deny if you can that these
Grangers are not robbed Of the profits of
their toll, and if not by these middle men,
by whom then
THE BRAZEN MENDACITY
Of this ritter is Of little moment, com
pared with the question, do the men who
support and maintain this sheet give Gre
dence to their misrepresentation They
do, most undoubtedly, and will they not,
at all hazards, maintain their claim to
their privileged position to live upon the
labor Of others, and rather than sacrifice
it will they not welcome despotism. This
is where the danger lies. This it is that
points to conflict in the near future, that
can only end ia the enfranchisement Of
labor, or still more degraded condition.
EX-GOVERNOR STANFORD,
The railway king Of California, has written
a letter to the State Legislature, giving
them his views on the subject Of Railroad
legislation. We have nothing against the
ex Governor; he is generally conceded to
be pretty good fellow, and if it is neces-
sary that Legislatures should be bought
and the people robbed to get railroads
built, why not Stanford as well as any
other. TIE great trouble with him is, that
having made good haul over the Sierras,
he amt willing to give Scott bite along
the 32d parallel.
Many OF your readers will doubtless re-
member that | foretold about election
times that Stanford had arranged to let
the Democrats get into power in this State
by dividing the Republicans. Amt il
enough to make the Devil laugh
CONGRESSMAN LUTTRELL
whom you remember was the virtuous par
tixan who vindicated the rights of the
workingman at the last session of Con
gress, walked over the course, Will,
Houghton, his colleage, was defeated a.
the last election. The change in the hon
orabIe Representatives during the present
session, explains it all. At the time Of tht
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, it was tbs
saying in Mexico that England had thre,
commissioners to the treaty, the United
States one, and Mexico none. Californis
is III nearly the same predicament out o.
five. She has only one to represent hel
interest; Stanford has four and the lobby
The question is, where will this thing end
and when and how The Evening Post o
to-day, tells good joke OF a
BRIBED LEGISLATOR,
who found that the stock he had taken IL
pay for his vote was worthless.
This joke now going the rounds Of thu
pap RS, the Post thinks would rather hav,
"a nazed the people in the early days o
the Republic Instead Of being consid
cred as now very funny" The Pos