The Labor enquirer., 1884-03-29
4 STRONG. MAN.
Hk visws On Questions Which are to
Be Settled BY the American
People.

n
People.
From John Swintoh's Paper.
If there is anything to open the eyes
of the workers to their true condition
and its remedies, it should be the war
fare of words and figures that is now
being fought by the henchmen Of the
two capitalist armies of Free Trade
and "Protectlonp With what an array
of statistics and an unlimited supply of
logic does each side uphold its own
political doctrine and show that its OPP
ponent's theory is the real cause of the
present depression! But however much
they disagree as to the benefits or inju-
ries of each others school of economy,
they are both unanimously agreed that,
as for the worker, he must come down,
and, if he will not come down through
persuasion, the resources of civilization"
will be brought to bear; and if few
more thousands are thus added to the
already oyerburdened tax list, the "pros-
porous boom" which is sure to follow
the reduction of wages will soon make
up the items of expenditure during the
campaign. say that upon this point,
that "the wages for labor must come
down. all capitalists are agreed, whether
they are free traders or proteetionists,
native or foreign, democratic or republi-
can. 3i'z.
Now, if the workers could be brought
to agree upon this one point-that, in
stead of themselves coming down and
stepping out (of work., the capitalists
must astep down and out, 2 to make way
for the people as their own employers,
through industrial cooperation, by mu-
nicipality, state, nation, and the confed-
Grafton of natlons-the day of deliver
ance would be at hand. ...--,-
4 But there is still something to be:
learned from this controversy, and, to
repeat an old saying, when rogues fall
out, honest men prosper"
First. The "protectionists" have proved
by statistics, and, what is far stronger,
the actual conditions at the present time
sustain their assertion, that "free trade"
and the worlds markets" have not
placed the workers of merry England"
out of the reach of poverty, starvation
and capitalist oppression. 81 &
Second. The "free traders" have proved
by statistics, and the actual conditions at
this time sustains their argument, that
protection to home industry" in these
United States, does notprotect the work
ingman in his natural and inalienable
fright of life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness" thereby proving that the
declaration of independence of July 4,
.1T6, has never reached its fruition.
Third. These controversialists have
proven out of their own mouths that
their so-called captains of industry"
statesmen and political economists are
nonplused by the rapid depression of
trade and industry in two of the most
advanced countries (industriallY), Eng
land and the United States, whose COM
mercial and economic legislation has
favored the opposing schools of free
trade and protection.
They have proven that with all the
capitalized wealth (including land and
machinery, with cheap labor" and
with all the forces of the Legislatures
and judiciary at their command in both
countries, they are incompetent to Or
ganize the industries of great country,
or maintain them in state Of normal
activity. =, L..
say that not only are they incompe-
tent, but they are also criminal for,
after robbing the people of the resources
of life, through laws framed by so-called
servants of the people in the interest of
monopolists and shylocks, they fail to
give them employment even as slaves,
throwing tens of thousands of them
upon society as tramps, paupers or GRIM
inals, to be shot, dissected, or used in
competition with those who are fortu-
nate enough to be employed as wage
slaves" =
f Before and during the holidays their
cry was, 'the usual dullness of the
season." but latter the New Year there
would be great BOOM" Sure enough,
there was boom; but it was boomer
ang, and it hit them so hard that they
have not yet recovered from their scat
tered senses.
I How long will the workers of this
republic allow the loafers and scribblers
10 kick and mislead them? How long
will they see their homes broken up,
their children scattered and made the
very instruments of their further en-
.lavement through this cursed system of
competition? How long will the work
iagmen of the republic allow King
Capital to treat them a. hundred-fold
worse than it treats its horses, dogs,
lackeys and scribbfers? f---.as
Once, and for all, let US settle whether
this government ls to be what Washing
ton. Jefferson, Paine and the other patrl-
cts of the revolution mtended-a gov
ernment of the people, by the people,
and for the people"-or is to be the
Moneyed OIisarchy so fittingly portrayed