The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-08-24

A LaboriEg Man Sharply Criticizes
the Apostle of Higher Law" for
apostacy.
Rock ISLAND, Aug. sd, 1877.
To the Editors Of The Argus:
DEAR SIRs: The earnest appeal put forth |
BY the Union of this morning, for the con- |
tinuation of class legislation, and repub- |
lican regime generally, we consider an in
suit to the intelligence of the workiDgmen !
of this community. 1t is well enough for a
man to defend his employer, when he is
attacked, and the kind of treatment he has
received at his hands will generally govern
him as to his manner of defence. If the
course pursued by the republican party
has been beneficial to the URion-as it
must haze been, else why its earnest de-
fence before it was assaiied ?-we do not
blame it for standing by the republican
party, but it should not, in the very face
of our protest, 80 complacently recommend
that we should swallow the nauseating
dose, which he finds so thickly sugar
coated for himself,
The course pursued by the Union, in
regard to the late labor troubles, was COM
mendable. not only commendable, but hon.
orable. and its expressions of sympathy
awoks an echoiDg strain in the hearts of all
humane and generous men. Would 1t now
cry down the very course it then advised
US to pursue2 Would it now disown the
very first fruits of its teaching? If so,
why not come out in manly manner, like
the New York World, who tells US to our
teeth that we need not aspire, il the fu-
ture, to anything better than our European
brethren?
Would the Union wish to see that ex-
preston consumated? Seemingly so, or
else why did it seize the first opportunity
that presented itself, to SOW discord in the
ranks Of long tried, patient and suffering
people.
But fears of its(the Uaion's) success in
that respect never entered the writer S
head. This communication is written for
two reasons. First, to show up the in
consistency of the Union; End, that the
workingmen know how to think for them
selves-how to act when their interest de-
mands it. And they have came to the
conclusion as there is something radically
wrong about the ship of state, and theorist
failing to find out the wrong, we, the men
that built her, are going to give her Q
thorough overhauling to find, if possible
where the leaks. And who so competent
for the task as the men who put her to
gether, fashioned her timbers, launched
and kept her afoat through all kinds OF
weather for one hundred years?
From one who earns his bread according
to the commanded his Creator,
BY THE SWEAT OF HIS Brow
The ostensible reason assigned for the
formation of a workingmen's party is The
allegation that the laboring men have
nothing to hope for from either of the ole
parties because neither of them sympa
thise with the necessities of labor or afforC
any hope of assisting to better the condi
ton of the laboring man. The allegation
is far from being true so far as the demo
cratic party is concerned, and any one wht
is familiar with the history of parties il
this country, and with the oft-repeatet
charges made against the democratic
party that it was made up principally o.
the poor, ignorant laboring masses, mus
be sensible upon a little reflection OF the
unruthfulness of any alleged want of sym
patty or of any luke-warmness in pro
noting the interests and welfare of the
laboring and industrial classes. The dem
ocratio party has never denied or sough
to deny the fact that it was mainly com
posed of the working classes as contradis
tinguished from capitalists a1d pretended
aristocrats; it has always been the part,
of the people, representing in the main tn
less wealthy and humber classes Of tn
community as against corporations and tn
: aristocratic tendencies of monopolles an,
shoddy parvenues; how inconsistent. then
to suppose that it is not in sympathy witt
the wishes and the views of those VIII
numerically constitute the far greater pro
portion of the party.
Would it not be we'll for the working
men Of this city to look at this fact honest
!. ~ and consider what they are to gain b.
1 arraying themselves against the democrati
;. party that has for sixteen years contende
= for the very principles they now advocate
{ The assertion that they have been dupe
:: by designing politicians is true as apple
: to the republican party in all its act G
!. legislation, and all its office patronage
t The democratic party has repeated
!: warned them Of this very thing, and now
if the wOrkingmen are convinced Of thei
duplicity, The ARGUS is glad of it, an
hopes their votes will be cast against thes
designing politicians" in the future. I
this end it advises them to think well bC
fore they permit themselves to be agai
, duped into such action as will re-elect th
sane class of politicians. Cannot legisla
= ton for the people-the working masses
: this country-be accomplished more speed
lily and effectively through the democrat
: party than through any new party? Tt
workingnen compose by far tn
:, majority OF the democratic part,
and they should attend all the primar
meetings, select their own delegates
: nominate their own candidates and elet
men who sympathize with them and wi
> legislate for them" What more can the
ask? What more can be accomplished
any new party2 By which course are tn
probabilities of success the greater? Hav
the workingmen who honestly desire lei
legislating for the rich and fairer treat
> ment for the poor man, seriously con