The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-08-30
The Internati0nale.

The full name of this organization is
"The International Working Mems As
sociation," and its principles and regula-
tons are neither secret nor unknown. 1t
originated at the time Of the Polish. in
surrection of 1868, and the first general
meeting was held in September, 1864
1t took place in London, at St. Martins
Hall, was attended by working men of
nearly every European country, and
was presided over by Prof. Edward
Spencer Beesley. 1t was soon after this
meeting that DIR. Karl Marx became the
leading spirit of the association. The
first congress was held at Geneva in
1866, when rules prepared by DR.. Marx
were adopted, and the association was
put in working order. Its object was
declared to be, in general terms, /" to
afford central medium of communica-
ton and cooperation between working
mems societies existing in different
countries and aiming at the same end,
viz: the protection and advancement
and complete emancipation of the work
ing classes
This congress discussed the questions
of the length Of the working day, of jul
venile labor, of cooperative unions, and
of a statistical inquiry into the condi-
ton OF the working classes, in such q
manner as to attract the attention of
the European Governments, which gem
orally assumed attitudes of hostility to-
ward the association; but it grew and
flourished, and its progress was accom-
panied by notable strikes. IN 1867 oc-
CURED the strike of the bronze workers
of Paris and the great strike of the Lon
don tailors. The second congress was
held at Lausanne in 1867, and the third
at Brussels in 1868, the last named be-
ing the greatest success of the associa-
ton. Thereafter and until the begin
ming of the Franco German war formi-
dable strikes occurred all over Europe.
Among these are named the cotton
spinners' strike at Rouen; the st.
Etienne affair, in which more than fifty
workingmen We're killed by the troops;
the strike at LIE Creuzot; the monster
disturbance at Vienna, in which more
than $4,000 men took part and were dis
persed by military force.
The fourth congress was held at Basic
in 1869, and an American delegate was
present. The fifth would have been held
in Paris in 1870, but was prevented by
the war, which put an end to the Inter-
rationale for time, and it was only
heard from in its defense of the Paris
commune. Its downfall was completed
by the withdrawal of DR.. Marx from the
association. Its theories were not aban-
doned, however, and local organizations
have been maintained, five years of asso-
citation having made the various
branches of trades-unions acquainted
with each other and capable of sustain
ing themselves. The gist of the theories
of the Internationalists is thus stated:
Wages paid labor must pass away, as
serf labor and slave labor have passed
away, and must give place to associated
labor, which is to be developed to ma
tional dimensions and fostered by ma
tional means. No man has right to
call any thing his own which he has not
produced by his own labor" The hos
tility of these theories to society as at
present organized does not need to be
enlarged upon.-St. Louis Times. 4,;,i.,