The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-02

labor party in this city are honest and
patriotic citizens. who believe that their
movement, if it were successful, would
really improve the condition of mankind,
and especially Of the mass of the people OF
the United States. Their leaders assert that
the organization is not secret society, but
a political party, which means an organlza-
ton whose purpose is by speech and writing
to convince the people Of the justice and
wisdom OF their policy, so as to induce them
to cast their votes for that policy at regular
elections, and thus make it effectively the
policy Of the State, or Of the whole country.
About this there is nothing wrong. In
tree country any number Of men have the
right to form themselves into society for
the advocacy Of any end or purpose not
contrary TO its constitution, and to en-
deavor by peaceful argument to bring Others
to their views. 1t does not matter whether
these views are wrong or right IN the
general opinion the only duty OF those
who urge them is to do 80 in strictly
peaceable and orderly manner, and so long
as they do this they will find their right to
people. In fact, they will never find this
right attacked in this country. When,
therefore, the socialistic labor leaders pro-
coed to arm their adherents under pre-
tence that their rights are in danger OF in
vasion, they not only waste money in these
hard times in useless way, but they
do what is worse for themselves and the
cause or policy they have at heart ; they de-
prive this cause OF public sympathy, and
by that means set it back, when, ii they
are sincere, as we suppose, they wish to adj
vance it. Everybody knows that an Ameri-
can community will never tolerate interfer-
ence with free, orderly and peaceable dis
cussion and when a body of men calling
themselves political party begin their
preparations for canvass by buying arms
and drilling their forces the general public,
which they want, MS political party, to at
tract and conciliate, is repealed. The pub
lie opinion, whose favor is necessary to the
success of political party. seeing the arm
ing and drilling, concludes that this new
political organization is either led by men
with very little sense or that 1t has secret
and unlawful designs
Believing the socialistic labor party to
be in the main honest and sincere, we adj
wise them, therefore, to publicly disarm,
to cease their drilling and the preparations
for conflict which they must know can be
produced only by themselves and to do as
all other political parties do--appeal to the
people by voice and print, in carefully
peaceable manner. in favor Of their princi-
pies. If the democrats or the republicans
should arm and drill their supporters by
way of preparing for political canvass
they would justly incur the suspicion and
contempt Of the public; and. in fact, no
political party which hopes to increase its
numbers can afford to commit such folly.
Nor Go we think new political party
wisely managed when it allows its leaders
to exclude newspaper reporters from its
public meetings When Mr.. Schwab the
other day proposed to exclude reporters
he surely did not see that, as a political
party, to succeed it must be known to the
public; to exclude reporters was to defeat
the party. Mr.. Bennett, who wished the
We come next to the social labor platform.
1t lays down some new policies, but we re-
gret to observe that eight out of the sixteen
points are absurd provisions against impos-
sible dangers. 10 demand, for instance, in
a political platform, that IA. The right Of
suffrage shall in nowise be abridged" is like
gravely announcing that "twice two makes
four" because there is not the least danger,
as everybody knows, that the suffrage will
be abridged This provision is, of course,
aimed at the proposed amendment to the
constitution of the State of New York re-
stricting the suffrage on financial questions.
1t is safe for the socialists to oppose what
can never become the law. So to demand
that wages shall be paid in lawful money is
nonsense, because they are so paid, and the
law requires it. To add that they shall be
paid weekly is foolish, because it is the Gus
tom everywhere to pay off hands once a week,
except where voluntary agreements specify
differently. Where laborers are paid by the
month they are always ut liberty to leave If
they dislike that system, and it is point of
private convenience which the law cannot
Justly regulate. Sanitary inspection and
statistical labor bureaus already obtain in all
cities and most of our States, and there are
no such conspiracy laws operating against
the rights of working men" as the tenth
point denounces. The laws already make
employers Liable for accidents resulting
from their negligence, and both political
parties in different States protest against
the use of prison labor by private employ
crs, which is, however, question still open
to argument by the social labor party
The platform demands eight hours for
the present as legal days work, and
prompt punishment of all violators." On
this we would like to ask Mr.. Justus
Schwab whether he keeps his shop open