New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-07
LABOR DEMONSTRATION.

There was little in the parade OF Tuesday
in this city, or in any OF the many descriptions
which were yesterday published OF 1t, or III the
speeches which were reported * having been
made on the occasion, which gave 1t or them
the character of Il labor demonstration. There
was nothing in the appearance OF the men 10
indicate that they were suffering for good
clothes or were weak from long furnishing.
They were not only neatly and comfortably,
but in many cases rather extra, aganuy dressed.
And they not only marched briskly in the sun
for many miles buta great multitude Of them
danced briskly and listened to rather dull
speeches for the better part of the afternoon
There was no bread, but plenty OF beer, pro-
vided for them. and they had change to pay for
it, The gathering had none Of the aspects OF a
bread riot. but every semolance of picnic or
political barbecue.
The inscriptions on the banners can scarcely
be said to represent truthfuly the sentiments
prevailing among honest workingmen. Some
of them were rather old and familiar aplDrlsms ;
others WIRE propositions which nobody ever
thoughto of dispujing; while nearly all were po-
htical aud amaiOrlty were drcldcdly dcndg0g-
ical The workingmcn are not likely 70 antAgo-
nlzc any body Oh the proposition that "Ali men
are bonn alike and equal OI the sentiment
Liberty ard Union ANA they VIII have uni
vcrsal support in any scheme which VIII pro
bibit CHILD Labor and put all Children IN
Schools not in factories But when they IN
,ist that "l.l1or built this Republic and
Labor shall rule it," and that Labor pays all
take, " and should Pay no rent, and that rs
No man can make land hence 10 man
should own it," they simply raise M doubterS
of their creed chiefly among their own class.
These sent mcnts, and similar ones which
found display, arc not only sophistical and
absurd. but they do not lind acceptance with
more than one laborer out Of every hun
drcd. and that one is more of an enthusiast
or dcmagogue than anything else. Beyond
these cited the inscriptions were purely political,
and .of a very poor SOFT OF politics at that.
The cartoons, toO-and there were several dis
played-had nothing in them OtncI than
suggestions of a political nature.
The speeches were lacking in references to
the impoverished condition OF the woi kIngman,
but contained great deal about his political
poverty owing to the Enslayement Of Labor by
Capital, Monopoly, National Banks, Wealth and
Politics, all with big, biz capital letters. "Or-
ganization and the Ballot were mentioned
As the only True Rene dy.' Politics not poy-
erty was mathematical is the cause of all the
woes of the nottingham. In short, the dema-
goguc displayed himself anu what he mad to
sell at every step. 1t Is one thing to organize
a large force Of idle wOrkingmen, even Of those
above the general average OF Intelligence, for
q pnbIic demonstration of numbers when they
are led to believe that the demonstration Is
I,,,f tftn fl.4p hi t,fr
to ,cad them into II political Organization to he
manipulated and sold out 10y appointed
leaders. The 50 called labor demonstration OF
Tuesday was SO palIably political organiza-
ton that even the least intelligent and think
ing man in the parade must have discovered
II by this time.