The Labor enquirer., 1883-03-03
Poor Mans Plaster.

Poor Mans Plaster.
Some two weeks. ago at a mass meeting
held in Cooper Mon, New York, and
composed largely Of workingmen, no less
a man than Hon. Wm., M, Evarts deliv-
cred himself to the following sublime
''tafy":
"In this country, there are no classes F.;
in this country there is no legislation
that fixes the position Of any man, there
is no impediment to prevent a working
man from becoming a master in his craft
a governor of his state, or a president of
the United States Nine-tenths Of the
rich men among us are men who, when
they started in life, were Obliged to sup
port themselves by labor. Even in cases
where wealth comes by inheritance, we
! have not far to 60 back to find the work
ingmen who laid the foundation. We
have no distinctions We know no dis
tinctions, except such as men find by the
dispenSation8 of providence, or are
caused by mems industry or idIeness,
stheir temperance or prohigacy."
No classes in this country? Indeed
there are no dukes counts, marqui8es,
and other most gracious titled suckers;
bat who will say mo classes" when three
per cent Of the population control ninety
seven per cent Of the entire wealth Of
the land? If all that has been demon
strated as to the inevitable workings of
uSury is worth anything, then those who
are outside Of the usuyy crib and depend
simply upon labor for their incomes are,
in the very nature of the case, a doomed
slave class, while the capitalists are their
masters. Icare not whether the mas
tiers are endowed with titles or not. The
essential thing is that they compel the
producing classes to support them by
law, as do the great titled ariStocrats of
! Europe. This being true, then they
constitute a distinct governing class,
while their slaves constitute another
distinct subject class Whether you say
the Marquis of Vanderbilt, the Right
Hon Mr. Vanderbilt, Lord Vanderbilt,
or the Most Hon. "PubliC-B -Be-Damned"
Vanderbilt is a matter of little conse-
Quence. All that is essential to know is
that the capitaIistic king Vanderbilt and
other subsidized robbers of his iIk are
defended in a forcible monopoly of
natural wealth under the laws, and thus
enabled to eXtort usury from producers.
The Hon. Mr.. Eyarts and his tribe will
not much longer be able to pull the wool
over worBingmen's eyes by. so. thin
trick.
And the wise and honorable expounder
Of the law further says that "in this
country there is no legislation that fixes
the position of any man" Of course,
the highest and noblest sense Of being
"weII fixed" in the eyes Of this politician
is to become a governor of his state or
president Of the United States; and he
says there is no impeachment to prevent
a workingman from mounting to this
highest round on the ladder Of fame.
Whew. It is possible that all this is true
in the grand and virtuous state Of Nc"
York, but i'll my locality politics has be-
come SO corrupt that a man cannot even
aspire successfully after the Office Of
public swill gatherer unless he "puts ont.
liberalIy." Workingmen, having nothing
to put out but their votes, of course
never get any offices, but then all this
happens away up in the country among
wicked people. Isuppose politics is far
purer in the glorious precincts Of New
York, which Mr.. Evarts so eonspicuously~
'honors, Perhaps am in danger Of com
Hitting political blasDhemy when |