The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-05-19
"WORKINGMEN."

"WoRKINGMEN."
This term, as it generally applied, or
rather appropriated, by those laboring
outside If agricultural pursuits, seem to
the writer somewh of a misnomer We
are no less a Rockingham now as farmrr.
than when engaged III another department
If industry. Ii seems a sort of one sided
and exclusive characterization, tending to
keep alive ma st foolish and unfounded
prejudice, and arraying against each other
as antagonists, those who are mutually de-
pendent upon each others welfare, and
who have the strongest mutual interest in
the prosperity If all the industries Of the
. untry, and of the world in fact.
We were recently in the railroad shops at
Ga,esburg, where some hundreds of men
are employed by the c., B. & O. r. r.
Co We there learned that these men
looked upon the so-called farmers move
meut with suspicion, as having for it's OBJ
let the advancing Of the price Of bread
aud meat 70 them, and Of reducing their
Wages, ny its war upon the railroads,
which they thought would end in breaking
many reads, and forcing others TO reduce
heir help, IA Consequence Of a forced re-
reduction Of freight and passenger
rates. Now, let US ask our fellow
.1Ilcrs, outside Of agriculture, who are
lhe largest consumers Of the products Of
heir labors At the last census he
farmers numbered full half the population.
q, GOO 600 Of farmers, as that census showed
must show 4 corresponding consumption
of The products Of other industries. Our
P.1ughs, wagons and farm implements,
Slth tie production Of the coal, lumber,
and iron necessary for their manufacture,
all keep tens Of thousands Of men at work
u every State IL the union. We must also
have boots and shoes, clothing, tea, coffee,
vtc.. ~ brief vast amount Of the products
I others but that amount must depend
largely ui IN the demand for our own. II,
AFdi ely aust 'thSi ihuuSlIleS stop, anu
tie ability II the workers therein to pur-
q a-e our tread and meat is curtailed, and
our products become drug in the market,
cur consumption Of others products must
Asa bc diminished; and thus We must
suffer as vel as the workmen who are
thrown cut Of employment. Our interests
cannut L. separated, nor car one industry
be built az At the expense of another but
When there Is employment for all, and ev-
cry nan. woman and child who lCiU trork,
has the God given right to three square
meals day, with good shelter and suffi
cieLt clothing, VT are all alike prospecting.
For twenty years OF more, the so-called
workingmeI have had their organizations
and protective unions; and while the
farmer has, each for himself, fought the
battle with capital, and been worsted ev-
cry time, SO have the workinemen in their
strikes, and for the same reason capital
can fall back upon its accumulations, and
hide its time, but labor must starve or
work az whatever price is offered In the
case Of the unions this has gone on and on
until capital new absorbs two-thirds Of he
wealth that labor alone creates, while,
with the farmer, no matter what the cost
of his products, he must take what a self
constituted Board Of Trade pleases to giy.
him for them 50 we find the operations
Of unjust laws are bearing alike on all the
industrial interests Of the country. Ex.
cesslve taxation, that if not soon abolished,
will be a virtual confiscation Of all our
earnings; excessive rates Of interest, so
much above the net increase Of productive
industry that 1t prevents the investment
Of capital for the employment Of labor.
and the increase Of the purchasing power
Of gold, and the decrease of that Of silver,
and greenbacks, are among the CAUSES
that have produced the present stagnativn
Of business, and the deplorale condition
Of LABOR in every department Of industry,
all Of which might have been prevented |
Hdu oil CtdcSSo WIN SICdbc Wo6lln ODSy0O /
natures first law, sef-defence, and united |
together for common protection. You |
may continue your workingmen's unions,
and the farmers may keep up their organi-
tiyn Of oranges and clubs, but until there
can be a complete cooperation of all the
industries, not only that the products of
one may pass as directly as possible to the
hands Of the others, without the interven-
ton Of middlemen to enhance their cost.
but that better and more equitable laws
may be enacted for the benefit Of labor,
he present state Of things will continue,
md we shall alike fail in our efforts to
better our condition.
Let US then discuss through the columns
# the ADVOCATE, the best method of
bringing about such a cooperation among
III classes Of workers. Then we can
meet upon common ground, compare