The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-01-20
THE LABOR LOOK OUT FOR 1877

tue disadvantages to contend against "a
stagnsted condition Of trade. an ovcrplus
Of production (that is, according to the
teachings Of certain school Of ccono-
mlsts, who contend that when the con
sumner mas not the means 10 satisfy his
wants and necessities, there is a surplus
production, instead Of an under cousump-
uonl political contest IN which the two
great contendnA parties boldly proclaim
that If victory does not perch upon their
banners, another civil war will be the re-
suit a monetary system which is inefh-
cleut for and inadequate to the business
wants OF great, commercial republic; a
political conduIon In which men Of means
have no confidence, little security, and less
encouragement to enter on new enter
prlses. Caution and retrrnchment became
the rule in old established trims, and when
this rule was abandoned, the rash and adj
veuturous had but a short and ttful exist
ence, yielding at last to the demands Of the
sheriff, or seeking escape through modern
honesty, otherwise called bankruptcy.
This was the condition Of things the la
bor-world had to meet and contend with
As usual, when the hour of trial came it
was found unprepared to meet il. The is
sue was forced upon the workers, and in
such an unequal contest, is 1t any wonder
they were forced to yield Ii was a battle
between two great powers, the one Of
which was silently, secretly and positively
preparing for it the other hoping against
hope, squandering its scanty means, weak
oning its powers and influence. by petty
jealousy and senseless squabbles, until it
IeIi an easy prey to its more sagacious and
wary enemy.
such has been the experience of the
year we have Just left behind Us forever,
and could We feel assured that the folles,
blunders, Jealousies, and chickering's Of the
past could be buried with it, also. forever,
We would feel rei1iced, and say amen.
But as good man SAID let the dead
bury the dead, 90 say We. 1t is not with
the past, but the present and future, We
have 10 deal If We are wise, We vii learn
something from past experience. 1t IS the
best teacher man has got. and he who can
not CLEAN something from the past he
whose experience OF the past does not fur
nlsh him with enc idea for the future
does net point out one wrong that can be
righted some new field in which lie can
be more useful and beneficial, not alone to
himself, but to his fellow man. whereby
he can W instrumental III eleya tin- him IL
the social scale Of society, ought nat o.
have a resting place ia this beautiful world
Uf ours
Opening. as We are, the ls1-th PAGE Of
tie NJ st.Hs world, j it u.t wyi tor rs Z,
pause ANA study wyl lts horoscope ID
comes tu us clothed IN a SHOWN hite man
tle, a sure indication u the husbandman
that, with industry and faithful diligence.
rich and prosperous year daNns upon
MIN, and. through him, To the laborers IN
other industrial pursuits. But, unlike the
husbtr oman. whose handmade j nature,
the other toilers in the labor world have to
contend against the cupldIty Of poor hu-
man nature. Mans seltshness, when de-
yeloped in the employing community,
takes the form ~ a htdeoIs, unfrehng
monster. Whether in an individual or
cooperative capacity, It is the element in
our social structure that seeks u possess
and control all. IL assumes the preroga-
tI,es If Judge and jury when the wages of
labor is on trial yea, more it arrogates
g. itself desros.y powers, and says 1T
Is |, Who wants 10 buy labor, that must
say what shall be paid for labor, and not
you, who have the article for sale. am
the sole Judge Ut the value, and shall tx
It's price This has been the custom. is
the custom, and despite all philanthropic
schemes to the contrary, will always be the
custom. Hence tins continual warfare be.
tween employing capital ami wages labor.
Shall it cease, or be less active in the COM
ing year To answer this question, We
must take bird 's-eye view Of the pros
poets ahead.
The past twelve years have been devoted
to clearing away the debris of the late civil
war. In doing 50, tremendous effort
vas made To maintain an artificial pros
perIty arising out Of the unnatural condi- !
ton OF things then existing But the ia
brio had % fall the end had to come, and |
all things .s brought to an equilibrium. |
we have now touched bottom, or there |
aDouts the final crash Is still impending !
Il may strike US at any moment. but its
effect on the labor world will be scarcely
felt. It may come and 20 without its ef- |
feet being perceptlble, except to those i'm
medlately interested. A reimbursement
must folloS, and then capital will flow into
the channels Of trade and commerce. and |
seek the aid of labor to give It vitality. !
We are now entering on the dawn Of a new
era, and, unless we misunderstood the logic |
Of events, the opening Of that era is in the |
very near future Then shall our mines |
give forth their hidden wealth cur fur
naces be In blast our foundries resume |
their ole life our anvils send forth their
cheerful chorus our mills be musical with |
the sounds Of millions Of spindles; our fac
tories resume their wonted activity our
rivers and lakes, and inland seas, dotted |
with thousands Of sails our ship ards b. |
gleeful with the joyous sounds Of ship
wright and caulker, and our wharves and |
docks be once more the scenes Of life and |
animation.
But what thenl Will our workingmen