The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-18
SOCIALISM IN AMERICA.
Causes aud Effects of the Prevailing Discon-
tent Among W~orkingmen.

New York Herald.
'Ten years ago." said Mi. Henry Cherouny,
the author of Labor and Liberty" to a reporter
yesterday, 1.-THE more clearsighted class of
American wcrkingmen began to see that it was
absurd for them to expect the government to re-
dress their grievances. and that it would be
necessary for them to depend entirely upon their
own resources. Being. as a rule, of foreign
birth, and we'll acquainted with the history of
the labor movement. they saw that it would be
easy for them to master the police and military,
which were then, as now, In a most deplorable
condition. They, therefore, started an agitation
in labor circles. and set about forming companies
of militia. They became so strong after a while
that they attempted to parade in Chicago, but
the authorities would not allow them. They
also held several meetings in this city, and grad
ually spread themselves all over the country.
The recent row in Concordia Hall had some con-
nection with this subject.
late years even the conservative leaders
have advised their men to drill and to prepare
themselves for any emergency that may arise.
Many of them will not admit this, but it is true.
nevertheless.
IF you ask me why American citizens, having
the ballot as a means to redress their grievances,
should take to arms in order to better their con-
dition. my reply is this: There was a time when
the American government was in existence for
the benefit of the people. That was when the
federal party. the trainers of the Constitution,
was in power, and acted as it spoke. After it
came a new generation. which was imbued with
ZIG lucd ludt " az WdutS Vi IA pcOplo WcEc U
| be looked after by legislators. governors and
| judges, but that these officers of the Common
| wealth had nothing else to do but to see that such
laws were passed as granted liberty to citizens to
| manage their business as they pleased, and to
| pay the lowest wages for which men could be in
| duced to work. This seems theoretical, but look
| how it works in practice. If the iourneymen
cigar-makers want to forbid manufacturing in
| tenement-houses and pass a law to that effect. a
Governor or judge says: This won't do. 1t is
against the personal liberty of the employer,
| who has a perfect right to get his cigars made as
cheaply as possible. at any place he pleases. It
| is also against the principle of equality; for if a
c~igar-maker is forbidden to work in his bedroom,
the cobbler must also be forbidden to mend
shoes in his bedroom The result is that the
law is vetoed.
'sThis principle Of absolute liberty in trade has
| proved to be a good thing for all who have CAPT
tai. They can treat the working man as they like.
they can keep the truck system alive, employ
children and women. and increase the hours OF
labor. And ii a number of hard headed Ameri
cans venture on q strike the capitalist can inn
port Chinese or Hungar!ans! The liberty Of
trade protects them in oil that they do.
And the poor man has tho same liberty in
theory. His employer says to him: IF yon
J don't like II Jon can CO. Jast lmagine . set