Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-11-26
"LABORo IN POLITICS.
Tho Effect of Labor Organizations Acting
as Ponhcai Parties.
pht1adntnhfa p,,,.a

as foithcai Parties.
Philadelphia Record
SO far from affording cause for anxiety
and alarm, the awakening OF American
workingmen to realization of their pc.
lltical power ought to be hailed with
qualification There is nothing la the pc
ltlcal condition OF the country or in the
aims OF us workingmen that iustities the
wild campaign talk about the 'tFrench
Revolution "Anarchists,n and the Cred
Republic;" and hence all that sort of
stuff may as well be dismissed from sober
discussion. That the large vote In New
York for Henry George and the results in
Chicago and MilWau ee should give great
encouragement to the organized move
ment OF labor in politics was TO be ex-
pected. But Ia order to achieve or de.
serve political success this movement
VIII have to undergo some essential
change In Its spirit. 1t Is not by setting
up separate political organization of an
exclusive class that the woTkingmen will
be able to effect just and practicable re-
suits in legislation. They have not the
numbers to justify such an undertaking
on national scale; and, IL they had, the
wisdom OF separate political organiza-
tion may we'll be challenged in govern
ment of equals like this.
The census shows that In 1880 the
whole number of persons engaged in
manufacturing, mining aud mechanical
crafts was 3,878,ll2. Under the head OF
professional and personal services" the
number employed was 1914, 23S The
farmers numbered 1870, 493. Many la
boring men belonging TO trades unions
are IN The second classification; but these
divisions show that II the Knights Of La
Dor and esunionists were 10 De COM
pactly organized In separate political
Party they would be left In a considerable
minority should their eilps be opposed
by the rest Of the people.
TIE first consideration OF political
labor movement Is. What can legislation
or government do to better the condition Of
workingmen? Through their Irades-uniOLs
worklngmdn are accomplishing more
Tor their self protection than they could
secure by acts OF congress and state legis-
laturos. The most they can attain
through legislation would be the repeal
OF laws which interfere with their indus.
tries and create vast monopoles
OF trade and transportation. The work
ingmen OF the country have good reason TO
exert their political power in this d.
recuoni but they have not done it, ex-
cept In desultory way, They gave
nearly seventy Thousand votes to Henry
Georges but where their influence upon
legislation might have been exercised In
| New YORK, In the election OF members of
congress- they hardly eXerted 1t AT all. In
the dis tricts Of Col. Morrison and Speak.
er Carlisle the organization OF the Knights
OF LABOR mas been used against two of
the a0lest and most courageous friends
the workingmen have In congress, but
who have too much self-respect to resort
TO the tricks Of demagogues in or der TO
secure votes.
But one good effect of this labor move
ment In politics will be TO dlssipate To n
great degree the prejudices of working.
men ia favor Of protection. No one has
laoored more earnestly than has Henry
George himself 10 expose what he calls
the humougs OF the tariff, He has demon
slrateu with great ability that this sys-
tenn, whlle building up monopoly on the
one siue, raises on the other distractions
and barriers TO Industry which mt N o,,t
OF the power OF capital 10 meet the ipst
demands OF labor. BY his conylnelng
arguments he has removed from the
minds OF many thousands Of workingmen
their Illusions concerning the mapical
power OF the government to raise their
wages by taxing the raw materials of
their labor and their necessaries of living.
In this he has done Invaluable service by
directing workingmen To the mischieis Of
tsrin legislation that need political rem
coy ana reform. But this desirable end
cannot DC reached by separate oreaniza-
ton OF labor in politics.
II the fallacies OF the protectlonists
have caused much confusion In the minds
OF woTkingmen, there ia no such dIflcnltv
IN regard TO the monopolists who havs
absorbed vast wealth by seizing upon the
means OF railroad transportation, and
thus controlling the supplies OF ali
articles OF necessity These mouopolists
have created the greatest disparities In
conditions Of living, and have provoked
tho deepest discomfort among the labor