The daily gazette., 1878-05-08
The Socialists.
MEETING OF woRKINGMENL LAST EVEN
ING-ErGHT HOURS DEMANDED AS ]
DAYS LABOR.

N"hi"hr hoohs DEMANDED AS A
DAYS LABOR.
In response to a number of circulars
that were served around the city yester-
day calling for mass meeting of the
workingmen, to assemble at the Capelle
building, last evening, the large room
was entirely filed mostly by that class of
people.
After waiting patiently until near 8 o.
clock, and specializing as to who were
the managers of the affair, and who was
going to address the meeting, and while
thus specializing, a young man whose
zane was not learned stepped upon the
platform and announced that owing to
some accident the speakers had been de-
tained, but would arrive on the 8:15
train. The meeting again subsidized until
that time. The speaker arrived, and
again the man mounted the platform
and declared that the meeting was open
for business. The first thing in order
was the selection of chairman. Here
arose little difficulty, some one no.
N-'ss''s'~Ns 80 anu It WAS ut-
clared elected, but refused to serve. A
German by the name of Rodolph, seeing
the dilemma stepped forward, and an
nounced that if those present had no OBJ
jections he would serve as chairman.
and there being none, he assumed the
chair. He then introduced, a Mr.. Blogg,
of Philadelphia, who spoke for nearly an
hour in very rapid manner. He spoke
substantially as follows:
Feltoio Workingmen:-I beg your par
don for having kept you waiting SO long,
as 1 could not help it. You need not ex-
pect any ffowery speech from me, as
am only poor workingman, but came
here TO tell you in plain terms, and to
tell you the truth in regard to your con-
dition as workingmen. At the present
time there is large movement going on
throughout this country, which is ra-
pidly increasing every day, for the pur-
pose OF amehorating the condition of the
toiling millions.
As to your present condition 1t is al
most unnecessary for me to speak, as
you all are well aware of it. One of the
great troubles is that capitalists compel
you to work, and do not give you sufi-
cient remuneration for your labors,
while there are millions who are out OF
work. In your present condition you are
quite as bad off as the black slave of the
south before the war. What remedied
that great evil? Why the war was
brought about, which was the cause of
removing their shackles.
We had black slavery before that
event, and now we are having white
slavery, and your condition is ten worse
than that of the black slave. l tell you,
and l tell you truly that the organized
capitalists are forging the chains around
your necks. Now what are you TO do =?
You must organized After a time there
will be only very rich and very poor
living in this country, which will be
brought about by the complete and well
organized capitalists who will suck all
the life blood from the middle, and poor
classes, and leave them all worse than
the black slave. What kept the blacks
in slavery? 1t was keeping books and
papers away from, and as long as they
could be kept in ignorance SO long were
they slaves. And so 1t is with the whites
If they are kept from school, and not al
lowed to think, and read, so long will
they be the slaves of the capitalists.
Are the workingmen men OF Whining
ton organized? Have you a single or
ganization in this city? Why do YOU
not organize? Look at the capitalists,
they are all well organized from Wall
street in New York, to England, France,
Germany, and in fact, all over the
world
Are they not internationalists? But
still they frown down an organizatio of
workingmen, and appeal TO their pa
triotism. Have they any patriotism?
Look at them. Take for instance such
men as Tom Scott, and that ilk. What
10 THAR r1nfiStnD WI IL 10 bi nj =,
man for 60 cents IL day, and after awhile
they will have chinese laborers here who
will work for % cents per day lust
enough to buy pot of rice aud a-rat
tail.
Now what is communism You have
heard of the time in Paris, and it is un-
necessary to speak of that. But do we
Americans do anything like that? If
forming into body, and with banners,
asking for bread, we march along the
street, if you call that communism, then
say communism, first last and all the
time, until our demands are complied
with.
In your State man is lashed for steal
ing blanket, to cover the naked back
of his child, while the rich thief escapes
all punishments. Is that fair? Is il Just
There is party called the Greenbackers
who ask the Government to issue more
x
the whole thing was introduced by the
capitalists through the middle class in
order to suck the life blood out of the
laboring man. If the government should
issue them the bankers and capitalists
would get them all, because they have
got their fingers into everything, includ-
ing Congress and the Legislatures.
Now look at the condition of the
country, see how many thousands of
workmen are out of employment. Now
how are we to get rid of these supertiu-
Gus men. Why the only way is that we
demand that eight hours shall be days
labor,and let the pay take care of itself In
order to do this we must control the ballot
boxes that is we must as one body all over
the country, vote for men out of our own
ranks. Now look at it, Congress is COM
posed of lawyers, doctors, ministers,
and bankers or agents fer such men as
Tom Scott; but do you find seat occu-
pied by representative of the toillng
millions? Such men as l have mention
ed will not have an ear for your griev-
ances when they get into power. l tell
you we must send our own men there.
You cannot expect the newspapers to
be ON your side, because they are all
owned or controlled by the capitalists,
although they are kept by the working
men. The owners are afraid of losing