davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
woRKInaMEs,s coNvEHTIOn.


Ruphus II. Phinney, president Of the
workingmen's association of Lynn, Mas
sachusetts, has issued an appeal for q
national convention, to be held in some
central city, for the purpose of organic
ing a national workingmen's party, and
to nominate candidates for president and
e-president. He cites instances of
political success by workingmen organ
izing and concentrating their strength at
the polls.
While / have little hope that the peo-
pie will ever receive any lasting benefits
through the ballot, yet am pleased to
see this movement. There are great
many workingmen who do not at present
look beyond the ballot for means to lib
crate themselves from the slavery into
which every thinking man admits the
toilers of the country have been forced.
The fact that they are advocating or
ganization at the polls, as class, is evil
dence that they realize their present
condition and to what they are tending.
This is half the battle. Let them try the
ballot, as means Of extricating them
selves. We have all tried it. A few
more failures, and all will think alike.
But sincerely wish itswere possible
to do what is claimed for it with the
ballot, anG if the new movement is sue
cessful, no man will be more pleased
than l. f. n
1t is charged that this movement of
the Lynn workingmen is in the interest
of Ben Butler. What if it is? The new
party will have to select some man as its
candidate for presidency. Where can
they find man better calculated to ap-
preciate them and their desires and rights
than Butler? He is strong man; is at
bitter war with the bosses of the politi-
Cal parties; has the nerve to stand up for
his idea in the face of man or the devil,
and, in fact, is just the kind af man to
lead the revolution. -
If Butler runs for president, on the
producers ticket, and is beaten by the
money and rascality of the party bosses
(which is more than likely to occur, he
will be ready to join with the men of
action"
Well, 1 for one shall not object to him;
for believe him to be man who will
not break his word; and, besides, he
wouldn't then be dealing with men who
tolerated treachery.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
STARTLING FIGURES.

I
ments in the telegraph that some cor
poration or manufacturing establishment
has reduced the pay of employees such
and such per cent. We read those
items and see only the surface. We do
not dig down deep into them, and find
what of misery and injustice are therein
contained.
The other day read an item that an
establishment employing 5000 men had
reduced the wages l3 per cent. | got to
thinking about it, and finally went to
figuring on it. The first thought that
struck me was, that the expression didn't
mean that each man working for this
company was reduced Is cents on his
days pay; and that it didn't mean that
the employer was reducing his expenses
IS cents day. But that it meant that
each employe would hereafter receive
81 cents instead of 100 cents for doing
the work which the day before was con-
sidered worth 81. "E
After l had used my pencil a little
l discovered that, estimating 25O as
the number of days the mill would run
in a year, the employees would average a
decrease of $SL.25 in their pay. tits an
iron mill, and / was advised to average
the wages at $3.50 per day. 1 found that
the total loss to the 5000 employees in the
25O working days amounted to $243, $50
enough to buy the establishment. l
further discovered that this reduction
would pay 10 per cent interest on an in
vestment of 81, ,437 800; and, taking that
for basis, found that if the concern
was run two weeks beyond the time for
a restoration of the old rates and the
cut rate paid the employees, the employer
would pocket over 100000 that should
have gone to the workmeu. And-but
the deeper l. get into the figures the more
plainly is the robbery broughtto view.
Without taking the extreme" ground
that man is entitled to all he produces,
it is plain to be seen that the Capitalists
of the country take every chance to de-
spoil the workers and the latter are fools
not to see it.
Ifyou can figure at all, sit down and
sum up how much the entire mass of
workers in the United States are robbed
of for the benefit of a few hundred mo-
nopolists and industrial kings" You
needn't 60 any deeper into the problem
than to start with the proposition that
your labor is worth as much to-day as it
was one year ago. 1t costs you as much
to live now as then. II the thought
comes into your head that the employers
do not get as much for your products as
they did formerly, remember that you
haven't noticed any reduction in your
expenses Or go little deeper, and see
if you can understand where the fault
lies that the products of labor have de-
creased in valne-ailowing that they
have.
Wear out a few pencils figuring, and
then step into this Office and get a copy
of Evolution or Revolution"
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

titled. he would not tD-day be ahundred
millionsire tvice Over not By long
shot Mr. Swinton Is in dead earnest
about the challenge and otfen to bear III
the eexpenses, and allow Vanderbilt to
open and close the debate. There Is
little prospect that the discussion will
take place. The thief who has robbed
the people win not care to have his
crimes laid bare to the public under the
clean.cutting exposition Of which Mr.
Swinton Is 50 capable. fear Mr.. Swim
ton is wasting his force on the million
aire. but he is enlightening the people,
and surely working himself up to su-
preme disgust of wordy wars on the
counntry's prostrators Probably Chaun-
|cey Depew will take up the challenge
for his master.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

BELFoRD acquitted himself nobly at
the O'Donnell indignation meeting, in
Washington, Wednesday. He praised
O'Donnell's action in killing Carey, and
fully indorsed the words ofiradical Irish
men who spoke before him. Belford is
the true stuff, when he is in the right
crowd, and if he would thoroughly cut
loose from the thievish and dude politi-
clans would be an able champion of the
people He seems inclined TO act the
man. MAY he do it. ~ ss-lt -s-
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
ADJUSTMENTS.
AT rHH GRAND.

AT THE GkARD.
TIE Tabor Grand viii reopen Monday eve-
ming, after vacant week, with the Boston
Ideal Open Company. Its Z great pleasure
to announce the coming Of this superb COM
psny, amer the mediocre Affairs which have
had the run Of the city during the past month
OF 50. The Boston Ideal OPEN Company Is
composed of some Of the very best singers
and actors Of the operetic stage, several Of
the soloists having graduated In grand opera.
Thecompany is large, there being ten soloists,
chorus OF thirty trained voices and q So
lected orchestra Of thirteen pieces. Tie fact
that this company carries its own orchestra
entire is strong point in Its favor.
The repertory Of the company includes all
the popular light operas of the day, including
several favorites, and one or two that have
never been sung In this city.
The musical gem 'Fatinitza," " has been
selected for the opeding night and the tull
strength Of the company will be drawn out
In its production.
The management finds it necessary to in
crease the prices to Sl.5o, 81, and so cents
during this engagement and the people will
cheerfully pay the advance. This company
plays to those prices in all the cities in the
United States and they are more than worth
them.
THE ENQUIRER believes in good prices for
efficient service, and is glad to seea company
in our beautiful theater which can conscient-
iOusly charge more than the cheap affairs
with which we are frequently afflicted.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

vAndsrbflt and bis clique spent On tho
bali NJ not fhsir own; bat The accnmur
lstioas Of 1 system Of robbinR practiced
ON the producers Of the land.
The editor Of the News certainly
places himself on record Is the persons
fication Of heartlessness when he denies
that greater good would have been done
humanity had the 100000 wasted by
Vanderbilt and his friends been given
directly to the needy and suffering poor
Of New York. So great : sum would go
far, in direct application, to relieving
the wants Of alarge number Of poor
and it is conummate idiocy to say that
any particular benefit will accrue to any
poor person through the method en-
ployed by 4The- Public-be-D Damned" Van
derbilt.
hate charity, because hate the sys'
tenn ofrobbery which makes it necessary
and possible. The idea that the rich
are great help to the poor, because they
are able TO alleviate their suferings il
built on false foundation. The true
charity would consist in destruction o.
the systems which permit the nch te
rob the poor and then there would bs
little need for charity. The little which
Is given by the,rich in charity is but {
miserly return of what they have stoler
from the poor, and, as one writer ha'
said, sis not even worthy to be calico
conscience money
If the editor of the News will stud,
the social problem with care" he viii
|, find that the cause of the disconten
among the masses is not in the waste
fulness of the Vanderbilt class; but il
the systems Of robber which create tina
class.
Let the Rocky Mountain News and it
llk go on lauding to the skies the mer
and systems which deprive the produ
Gers Of the means of decent subsistence
and they will hasten the downfall o
their patron god Of gold in the bloodies
revolution the worlds history has eve
/ chronicled.
am no prophet-neither am / blind
4 III
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

FROM the daily reports it would seem
that it is beginning to be dangerous to be
safe in an English government building
The proletariat of Europe are certainly
doing some thinking at present-in fact
they have begun to think so loud that
the tyranrs find it difficult to sleep with
much satisfaction. Coming events cast
their shadows before" =. .a.s Es.g
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

AS AN evidence that the wages of work
ingmen are always crowded down to the
bare requirements Of their existence, I
point to the record of Leadville: In
1875 the miners of Leadville received
from "a to $6 per day, ane on grumblln9.
Then the cost of living was exceedingly
high. After awhile the means of trans
porting provisions to the camp were inn
proved and consequently the price Of
living was reduced. Therefore, the wages
Of the miners were reduced. Now, un-
derstand, the ore these men were digging
was of just as much value after the re-
duction in the price Of living as before,
and their labor was worth as much to
the employer. But the employer saw
that men could maintain themselves and
do the work on less wages, and they re-
duced. The experience Of California
workingmen has been the same, and SO
has that of every country in the world.
In cases where wages have been reduced
because of a lessening of the profits Of
the employer, look at the discriminating
application of the so-called 9rule." Pro-
duction is cut down, and the share Of
the workingman is lowered to his bare
necessities, Then comes an increased
demand, and the volume of production
is doubled. Is the laborer's share
doubled? No. He has been educated
to curtail his wants and live cheaply,
and he is kept just as low as the en-
ployer can keep him and have his work
done well and with the proper dispatch.
Talk to me of supply and demand! Let
me hear little more of justice and hui
manity. ~
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

IT is certainly relief to hear that con-
gress has adjourned to attend funeral,
Good men die as surely as bad ones, and
with all due respect to their memories, I
express the wish that congress might
have occasion to attend the funeral of
one of its members every day for about
six months.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

THERE was some talk of a new assembly
of Knights of Labor being organized in
Leadwlle last week, but as nothing fur.
ther has been heard from it, I suppose
the matter was dropped. Leadville GER
tainly needs organization among her
workers F. n. Z .aL.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

The tailors of Philadelphia have
passed. in a mass meeting, resolution to
maintain the apprenticeship system, to
the end that the skilled labor which is
soimperatively demanded in our partic-
ular trade shall be transmitted unim-
paired to our successors
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

If one man can spend 100000 in a
ball, or like luxury, and 100000 men who
made him able to waste that sum, cannot
lose weeks work without being objects
of ofcharity, doesn't itstrike you that there
is something wrong?
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Poole was executed on Tuesday. Who
will be the next? The Irish food to sat.
isfy the cravings of British gluttony is
being prepared in Mayo this week, and
the land league never swerves from the
old uy,oye
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

A LOT of cranks met in convention at
Philadelphia on the tenth instant and
resolved" against secret societies in
general, and the Masonic lodge and
Grand Army of the Republic in partic-
ular, ~ ,zts
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
Oar Assnis,

Oar Agents.
The following named gentlemen are agents
fm THE ENQumzB in their respective To-
ealites, and are authorized to receive sub
sniptions and give receipts.
Edward Kyle, Williamsburg.
Daniel Bel, R0ckvale.
David John, Coal Creek.
". 8. Jones, Oro, Lake county;
Leadvflle.
T. B. Mcbride, Laporte, Larimer county.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

READ the column Of telegraph labor
news published in this issue. You can
get an idea of where we are drifting.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Buy tlfS new pamphlet, Evolution or
Revolution 2 price IS cents; for sale at this
Office. This is the clearest treatment Of the
Sochlistic platform which hAs sver ben
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

The 1000 miners along the Rochester
and Pittsburg road, who struck for SO
cents ton, from 80 cents, have gone to
work at 40 cents, an advance Of 10 cents.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Tm IABoR EsQuIgER Is published every
I'm of III subjects which tend to educate,
eIevoie anA sdvance the lAboring classes.
Politically It viii support only the friends
Of hbor.
Subsxip45oa rates, $500 in advanee.
AN comulunications must be addressed to
Tm LABoR EKQuIRER, 36s Iarimer Street,
Deuver Colombo.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

BUY the new pamphlet, Evolution or
Revolution For sale at this Office;
price, Is cents.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

1t is estimated that there are 100000
men in the country out of employment.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
XIV.

In every Just government the law
ought above all to defend public md in
dividua' liberty against the authority Of
those that govern. Every institution
that does not suppose the people nod
and the magistrate corruptibla u vicious,
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22
Of the Riehts d Nan Worthy d
zvary pruletarian's Careful
perusal.

IorFIclAL
.HKADQuARTRRs DrylsIoN EXECUTIVE
Rocky MOUNTAIN Division. INTER
NATIONAL WoRKHEE's ASSOCIATION.
Denver, Colorado.
! The following Declaration Of the
Rights Of Mannis ordered published to
the people
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Debt, profit, interest, rent and the COM
petitive system of industry are hereby
formally declared proved instruments of
degradation and tyaranny, and cancers
upon the social body. So also are the
present methods Of furnishing crime
rather than preventing it; the present
monetary system the present method of
suffrage the present method OF educa-
ton; and the present systems of juris-
prudence, church and military.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

ALI. HI ~ is
So long as members of society shall
fulflltheir portion of the social contract
they have right to demand of society
that it provide to them the means neces-
sarv TO provide for their subsistence. So
cietyis bound also to insure the means
of existence to those who are incapable
of labor.
Absolute justice is the right of every
being. The law is the free and SOL
emn expression of the public will, and
it must be equal for all. Society ought
to favor with all its power the progress
of public reason, and place instruction
and recreation within the reach Of every
citizen. The people is the sovereign.
Government is its work and its properly /;
the public functionaries are its agents
and officers, and the people justly should
have the power when it pleases torevoke
its manufactures or recall its servants.
The law can forbid only what's hurtful
to the people and can prescribe only
what's useful. Every law which violates
or infringes the imprescriptible right Of
man is void. 5
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

The right of private property can
justly be based upon no principle except
that having been produced by the per
son in possession of it, or upon the pos
SCISSOR having rendered for it the full
equivalent to the one who did produce
it. This rule can have no exceptions
save those created by the unanimous
consent Of all members of society.
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Every individual is entitled to an
equal proportionate share Of all the accu-
mulated wealth created by past genera
tions, and that wealth should be held by
society as the natural heritage in COM
mon of all mankind. K
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

Society can deny to those who do not
consent to this system of society any
share of the benefits produced by the
cooperation of those who do consent
It is but just that those who will not CO.
operate should receive none of the ben
efits of cooperation. II NJ q,
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

The right of peacably assembling; of
manifesting opinion, whether through
the press or by any other means; of the
free exercise of religion; Of bearing
arms; of security of person against un-
reasonable search or seizure, and of COM
plete liberty of thought and speech, to-
gether with the right of association, are
such necessary consequences of the prin-
ciples of mans liberty, that the necessity
Of declaring them presupposes either the
presence of, or the resent remembrance
of despotlsm
The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22

resources Of science should be enlisted
in the battle to insure success and the
welfare of the people of the world.
We declare further that action ought
to be both international and simulta-
neOus.
twill be remembered that in 1872, at
the Congress of the International held
at Hague, first arose the dissensions
which have since divided our ranks. 1t
was at this session that Bakounine was
expelled and carried with him thirty of
the delegates, with the aid of whom he
established what has since been called
the Black International, as opposed to
those who remained, the Red Tie be-
lief of the Red was in the gradual edu.
cation of the people and in taking no
farcible action until all the world was
prepared the belief of the Blacks was
in the total abolition Of all present
forms of government by force.
The news Of this division when
brought to Bismarck provoked from him
this historical remark Crowned heads,
wealth and privilege well may tremble
should ever again. the Black and Red
unite p
There exists now no great obstacle to
that unity. The work of peaceful edu-
cation and revolutionary conspiracy well
can and ought to run IN parallel lines.
The day has come for solidarity. Ho!
Reds and Blacks, thy flags are flying
side by side Z Let the drum beat out de-
family the roll Of battle "Workingmen
of all lands, unite! You have nothing
to lose but your chains you have
world to winp iii
Tremble! oppressors of the world
Not far beyond your purblind sight
there dawns the scarlet lights OF the
JUDGMENT DAY!
Published by order Division Execu-
tive. Oil, Div. Secretary.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-20
KO-KO TULU
Chewing Gum
Is the PUREsT and MOST
FRAGRANT Chewing Gum in the U.
sa For sale everywhere.
RELIGIOUS NOTICES.

Rowan Mission, lO2 jackson street, Fort
Pickering Services ut II am. BY Rev
J. w Lipsey. FIX
Third Baptist Church Chelsea-Ser.
vices at 13O p m, by Rev. A. w. La.
mar. Sunday-school at 9.30a.m.
Safarans Street NJ. Il. Church. South
Chelsea r Sunday school at $3.50 am.
Preaching at II am and 130 pm. BY the
pastor, Rev J. p Walker.
Second Presbyterian Church. corner
Main and Beal streets Sunday-schooI
a3O AIN. Service NJ II am and 1896
pm. by Rev. j. +. Latimer, pastor.
Union Street Mission. at the Memphis
Institute, near the Medical College
Sunday school at pm. Preaching tc
children at 4p.m. every first Sunday by
4, NJ Parks.
Alabama Street Presbyterian Church,
corner Jones avenue andAlabama street.
Sabbath-school ut $50 m. Sservice.
ii am. and u pm. by Rev. w. II Oar.
nall, D. d. Prayer meeting Wednesday
evening At ~ o'clock. Strangers cor
daily invited
fint Methodist Church, corner Second
ard Poplar Preaching at II a. m.
and 7;80 I'm, by Rev. S. A. Steel. Sun.
day-school ut $3.50 am. j. r. Pepper
Superintendent.
Strangers Church, Union street Rev
N. NJ. Long, pastor. Services beginning
at II am. and l.4j pm. Sabbath-school
AT s'SO am. Acquitted in the Son oil
God, subject in the ~ Jrning. At night,
WHY his neck Wne hroknnn earn,,u
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-20

jeans Pants az . PnIr
epoe,l d commer,l,l qa,a,,..

Special 10 Commercial Gazette.
INDiAEAPoLis. October ls.--Indiauap-
lis has long been noted Tor the enterprise
Of its merchants IN the way Of advertising
Competition Is very sharp between two
leading retail clothing houses One send.
UP balloons every few days The other
distributes Thousands Of boxes Of candy %
school children, who, on one occasion
crowded the store by tho hundreds and
required several police 70 control them
To-day, however, The two establishments
locked horns and both advertised that
they would sell jeans pantaloQns for I've
cents pair during 10 day. Before ten
o'clock this morning the market quota
tons on jeans pantaloons went down 10
one cont pair, although every pair cost
the prOpuetor iily-tw0 cents 70 manu-
facture. One firm alone claims TO have
sold upward offwn thonsand pairs before
ton o'clock thls morning, t'H