The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-08-16
THE NEW PARTY IN OHIO.


Thus the workingmen lin Ohio may de-
feat the party [Republicanl which has
always labored in their behalf. = Union.
That the Republican party has always
labored in behalf of tie workingmen, and
against the oppressed and wn.trodden
bond-hOlder will be a new idea to the read
ers of the Union. 1t is true the party has
legislated for the negro,as long as he voted
the Republican ticket. but just wherein it
has ever labored for the workingmen will
be difficult for the workingmen to discover.
The party in Ohio have introduced few
fiattering resolutions and honeyed words for
the laborers that have heretofore been be-
slowed upon soldiers, grangers aud freed
men. The political bummers go about
with dust in their hair instead of hay-seed
and, remembering how the soldiers were
fooled and left, how the grangers were
tricked aud forgotten after election, and
how the freedmen were robbed with banks
aud bureaus, the workingmen of Ohio are
not to be fooled by their honeyed words
and have therefore organized party oil
their own. The present agitation in re-
gard to wages offers an opportunity. This
is no new notion, but although it never be-
fore had such fair prospect of success il
can hope for nothing better than tempo
rary success, and it can only triumph t.
the general detriment of the community
The proposed organization will be based
upon class distinctions, profess no higher
object than class interests, and appea
mainly to class prejudices; it cannot there
fore be wise and effective political body
The very idea of government involves
the idea of policy which shall work fol
the good of the whole country and, parties
in order to claim the support of all classes
of citizens, must deal with things as affect
ing all. A mans daily avocation canno
have anything to do with his ludgmen
concerning what will be of advantage t.
the nation. He should not look at poll
tics as carpenter. or blacksmith, or ;
stone cutter, or a lawyer, or doctor, but
as an American. 1.-THE class to which he
belongs suffers any wrong, it can find the
readiest means of redress through the ex
listing political parties whose principles
ought to cover every conceivable case o
governmental injustice or miSmanagemen Mt
For any one class-eVen the farmers O.
laborers-to take the field against the res
of the community. is piece of folly. TIL,
great danger to our republican system j
the slow segregation of the various ele
ments of society into separate and some
times antagonistic cliques; and the goo
sense of our mechanics should teach then
to attempt to counteract rather than accel
crate this tendency.
The history of the Democratic party, a
compared with that Of the Republica
party. ought to show the workingmen tina
1.-THE repeal of oppressive laws against Ia
Dor" and 1.-THE enactment of just laws 70
the protection of labor" might be intruste
to it rather than to the Republican party
aud will prove more successful than part
based upon class, with only chance of lin
tied local successes. The Republica
party of OHIO has made bid for the vote
of workin gmen and the offer has not bee
accepted, and hence, presuming that tn
laboring men are ignorant or forgetful {
the record of the Republican party, paper
like the Una0n come out with piteou
.appeal to workingmen not to do anythin
that will hurt party which has alway
labored In their behalf" Win the UniO
be so obliging as to name some of the la
. bors that party has performed in the
behalf?"