The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-10-13
FROM ILLINOIS.
CARPENTEKvILLE, Kane County,


CARPENTERvIILE, Kane County,
Sept. 20, 1877.
To the Editor II the workingnan's Advocate.
For a long time past my own unsettled
condition has kept me from perusing your
columns, and have missed them greatly
During that time great changes have taken
place IN our country, and have only been
able to get an account Of them through
papers that advocate hard money and hard
times. They tell MS that our exports are
now greater than our imports, which is
false. It l. true that We export more Of
real value than we receive, but the balance
is returned in gold, which Is now an article
Of merchandise as much as wheat or cot
ton, but has only fictiti, us value So,
While our wol kingmen are suffering for the
comforts of life, We are sending them
abroad, and receiving III return only trash
The gold ring succeeded in crowding the
financial question cut Of the Presidential
contest, but they we're defeated in the
election Of Members Of Congress, and nov
they are strainlpg every nerve to resume
specie payment, contrary to the will Of the
people, as expressed by their representa-
tives III that body.
And While We ai!ow gold spectators and
moneygpolists to centred the nation and
crowd out the Manufacturing and mining
interests, BY which thousands are kept out
n employment, the Ieuple are cursing the
tramps, who abound everywhere Tramp,
tramp They me they come IN
ceasingly, everyWh,re and curses loud and
deep are hoaped upon them from every
side Many claim that they should be
arr, st,d by the authorizes yet none sup
pose that the authorities have any duties
toward them. Poor men can be ARE sted
and thrown into prison. or, in time of war,
can be drafted, ana compelled to die, even,
for their country btt the country IS under
40 obhgdtioH 70 h.m claim that all
obligations are mutual and that we owe
nothing where nothing is received. Let
employment. and then If he will not work,
let him be arrested and made to work.
But if he cannot ind employment, the law
of self preservation demands that he
eminent has no right to arrest him, since
1t does nothing to save him What bene-
fit can splendid government be to a
starving person : and what right has it to
stand between him aud something to save
his life The government that will pro
tect property. Int Will not protect its labor
ing people, is sham, since it is labor that
makes capital
] would like to see these sentiments
written IN such form that all can under
stand them, and embodied in a petition.
and then brought before every man in the
country, and afterward forwarded to Con
gress, requesting that body To give us a
generous system of internal improvements
BY this means We should endeavOr To get
the public institutions of the country out
Of the hands Of spectators into the hands
OF the people Everything in which the PEG
pie are interested should be governed by
them, and not By men vi hose only interest
is to get their money. Then they could
be made to benefit the public Now they
benefit the monopolists. The objection 70
this is the corruption Of the government
But If we want our government honest,
let MS make it of sufficient Importance to
secure the interest Of honest men, and Of
all the people. Let them see that they are
directly aud vitality Interested in it's man
alement, and they will not allow it to be
run by professional politicians.
y ours, for the public good,
j. q. TRUMAN.