The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-08-07
THE LABORISG MANS HOPE AND
HfIt(.E

The workingmcn, the mechanics and
laborers, comprise Il majority OF the
voters OF the country, and might, under
proper leadership. organize themselves
into party more powerful than either
Of the present political organizations.
But with zeal and tenacity worthy
of a better cause and more just recog-
milton, majority OF them have adhered
10 the Republican party, and this as.
sisted In bringing upon themselves all
the curses of Republican misrule, cor
raption and extravaganza. Surely, alter
more than sixteen years experience AID
observation they ought TO ieel assured
that that party is not friendly TO the
poor man. Class legislation, the enact
ment OF laws to make the rich man
rlchec and the poor man poorer, to ag-
grandize capital and strip labor OF It's
rights, mark every page:oi the Repubi.
can party's history. and yet even
majority Of the laboring men OF the
country support and defend 1t as the
"grandest political organization the
country has ever known" II has robbed
them of the means OF subsistence. and
brought them face to face with the stern
reality Of want and hunger; it has filled
the land with tramps and with men and
women who are in enforced idlcness; lis
politics have encouraged the growth OF
monopolies which so influence and con.
troll the labor market as 10 enrich them
selves at the expense of the workingman;
it has given away to these oyershadowing
and heartiess monOpOlies, hundreds of
millions OF acres OF the public domain
that should have been reserved TOR actual
settlers, and in no single instance has It
shaped its legislation so as to operate to
the advantage OF the labVring.mau, With Il
iull knowledge of all these damning facts,
thousands of !aboring men vet sing
poems Of praise to the Republican party
and continue to kiss the hand that has
for nearly score OF years. most heart
lesslv s,iIillel thein
an tilIs. while the doors OF the Demo
cratic party-conies5edly the poor man,
PaIly-wcre wide open To them. IL was.
and is within the memory OF all working
men, when tramps were unknown .
when every branch OF trade and every
industrial pursuit was in n flourishing
condition, and when the labor of the
poor man was In active request and
Commanded q just compensation. These
better times were TO the full extent that
wise and wholesome laws could stimu.
late and foster them the Outgrowth CT
honest Democratic rule. There was
work for every willing hand, and no ear
was ever startled then, by the cry of
labor, bread or Blood" which within
a month or two past, has become SO
'alarmingly frequent. To re-inaugurate
these better times, OF which we now
nave nothing but the memory. the
Democratic party stands pledged. IL has.
during It's brief ascendancy in tie Lower
House Of Congress. given an earnest Of
It's purposes in this behalf and, although
checked at every step and sometimes TAIL.
ed by the Republican Senate. is work in
The line OF retrcnchmeut; IN the exposure
oil ohnclal corruption and extravaganza.
and In its efforts TO unlooscn the bonds
III which capital holds the labor of the
country, 1t has certainly signalized itself
Us the party of the people--the poor
man friend, and not the rich mans In.
uument. Hence, the way to Il satismc.
Aory solution OF our labor troubles
means through which our industries may
be revived and endowed with healthy
vitality, and through which the laboring
classes may escape from the want and
distress that now aillict them-are at tbc
hand Of the laboring man. aud if true ia
himself he will no longer hesitate TO EN-.
ploy them. The key to relief is this.
place the Democratic party, in power
"and all else shall be added unto yo,lo