, 1877-09-16

TIE 2R0LEThRIAT AND THE TAXPAYER
About the only conspicuous feature Of 10
cal politics, with distinct reference to th,
county election, is the attempted organiza
ton Of the workingmen, one branch O
which las progressed so far as to adopt tht
| name Of the Workingmen's Industrial La
Dor Party of Cook County," and all brancbe.
! Of which seem to be in concord with thu
! Communistie sentiments first put forth il
Baltimore, md since then generally adopted
ut all the worSingmen's conventions anG
muss-meetings throughout the country.
These sentiments apply rather to national
recognition Of the Commnnistic demand fo1
! general leveling and dividing up Of things,
l..t- III t..;- tt*a4-
izing for local campaign and running To-
cal ticket, an application Of the same doctrine
is intended to be made to local affairs so fur
as possible. The success OF a Working
mems ticket, so-called, in Cook County would
not bring the Communists of the country
any nearer to the realization Of their Utopi-
au fancies of compulsory eignt-hour law,
of making employers responsible for all in
juries to employees, of Imprisonment for
failure to pay wages, of m absorption By
Government Of all tho railroads, STEAMBOATS,.
telegraphs, factories, ETC., and Of the adop
tion Of a universal system of dividing profits
among the lnboring classes. The Commu-
nlsts will have to seize the whole country be-
fore they eau put these theories into prac-
tice; but, like oil other ambitious parties.
they look to success in local elections as pre-
llminary aud essential to the national
scheme. Meanwhile, they manifcstIy con-
template the local application Of their doc
!rlnes as far as they cnn bring it about.
For instance, the possession of the County
Government would enable them to vote
moneys more literally than ever for public
improvements and for distribution among
the eleemosynary Institutions supported
at the county's expense. That all this
is in view may be confirmed to some
extent by citing the significant fact that in
all the meetings and conventions held by the
so-called workingmcn Of Chicago there hare
been no utterauces on behalf of the taxnav.
ers, and no expression OF a disposition to !
lnculcate more honesty aud rctrenchment in
the management Of county affairs, which is
the chief aim Of all taxpayers and good
citizens IN the coming election
Ii we were to judge merely by the rela-
live demonstration Of interest and numbers.
tho so-called workingmens S meetings in Chi
cago would indicate that the movement will
DC foE1nld able: But it must be considered
That this movement is in the hands of id}c
1emagogues who have nothing to do but
'gltate and organize meetings that the re-
'ent labor troubles and present unemployed
condition OF large numbers Of laborine-mcn
'ford an unusual opportunity for numerous
nd well-attendcd meetings; and that
IL new political movements exhibit
q their inception much greater energy than !
he old and established organizations. These
circumstances, along with the fact TINT pre-
'ous movements of q similar nature dis
laying much preliminary force and energy, ,
ave hattened out into nothingness when the
lection came around, have tendency to j
'oderate public apprehension At the same
me, 1T is proper to keep in mind that the ! I
upose of the proletariat aud the interest of | +
le taxpayer are opposed one to the other, c
the Communists have confessed over and n
FER again BY their platforms aud in their d
'nduct during labor troubles. The organ c
alton Of the so~callcd workingmen under S
e auspices Of tie Communists will include n
rtually the same material which made I'm n
e strength of the Peoples Party that ob- il
lned possession of the City Government | G.
ur years ago, though the basis of organiza-
N is different; and the results of sue IT
ssfnl movement upon the County Govern tt
ant will he as disastrous to propert y-owners fe
d taxpayers as the Peoples Party proved "
be. r.
One thing is very certain in connection u
til the local organizations Of vorkingmen. .,
ey are all in the hands of demagogues. s,
e result may be that the workingmen who til