Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-20

provement. He is better man and q
better citizen.
But, fellow citizens, without eingle
exception, all history demonstrates that
when labor organization goes into poll
tics, from that time 1t is doomed. In all
the history Of the world there has been no
/ exception to this rule. Not one. Labor
unions that attend TO the business OF their
own membership, letting the business Of
| the other nunions and other member
! ships alone, like the Typographical Union
aud the Brotherhood OF Locomotive En-
gineers, who keep clear of the business
Of other people and other Organizations
such organizations prosper and flourish
but as soon as they permit politics to en-
| ter into their organizations, that very
minute they
nAyE sEALED THEIR DOOM,
and OF all countries in the world, my fell
low citizen, this country is not the Que for
any class to attempt to rule or control In
the government. This is government OF
| the people, for the people and by the peo-
piles and not government Of class, by
class and for q class. Whenever any
class organizes to control this govern
ment, 1t is a declaration Of the war
against all other classes, and all other
classes will organize against 1t. This is
a representative government. Ia this
country, my fellow citizens, the govern
ment Is for all the people. A part
can not be excepted from its
benefits. That has been tried before.
Look at the Know Nothing party, party
which appealed to the strongest senti-
ment that ever found a Judgement in an
American bosom. That patty commenced
up North and spread like prairie fire;
but the sober second thought of the peo-
pie appreciated what It meant--a secret
political psrty-and they stamped it out:
and now, powerful as it WAS, it is scarcely
a "Reminiscences. The labor organization
which permits itself to be drawn into
politics, simply for the sake of few
miserable offices, excludes the grand ben
etits which might otherwise be derived
say to any man who belongs to such an
organization, that if there has been any
subject OF my political life, and, indeed of
all my life, that has been foremost in my
thoughts and efforts, it has been care for
the interests of the farmers and laborers
OF this country, care for the constituency
which L represent; and | speak now
the words OF truth and soberness when
say that an organization for
social, moral and intellectual purposes,
for the purpose of elevating the laborer,
tlr the purpose of increasing his wages
when they are too low, for all the legiti-
mate purposes of such an Organization
that organization is, in my Judgment, in
valuable; but whenever they 90 into
politics, from that day, they may date
their disintegration. i desire to see the
working people, the wage-earners of this
country, happy and prosperous, and be-
cause do, warn you, my fellow-citlzens
against this thing. II will sap the tou da-
ton OF all the prosperity that would now
from such organizations If they would
only pursue legitimate course. Labor or
CARNATIONS are right, because there is or
ganization in every other branch of indus
try to-day. There is bar association. OIL
which l have had the honor to be a mem.
Der, and it is a good thing. There is
medical association; there is a merchants
exchange; there are boards of trade, and
boards OF transportation; there is an as
ISOLATION of national banks; the railroad
pool is an association. Every form
OF financial and industrial activity is COM
bined, and believe that labor, which is
at the foundation of all this, has a legal,
moral, and eqitable right to combine for
Its protection. They have right to 20
into politics also, if they choose; Just as
man has right 20 take gun and blow
his brains out il he chooses. But one
thing want to impress upon their minds;
1t is this: No association can accomplish
any good unless it is in accord with the
best public sentiment of the community
IN which 1t exists; and i say, therefore,
to my friends Of the labor organizations !
conciliate the public sentiment of the |
community in which you live. Be tenn |
perate and just. Infringe no mans |
rights; only take care Of yourselves. Put |
yourself in accord with the public senti- |
ment of the community in which |
you live, and public sentiment then |
VIII always sustain you; and with pub |
Tic sentiment on your side your position |
Will be impregnable. II you do wrong, |
and violate the law, and violate the senti- |
ments OF the good people around you,
your organization cannot stand, because
puolc opinion is the great maker and |
executor OF all laws in this country; and
when you find yourself opposed to healthy, |
sound and wise public sentiment-orI
when you find yourself opposed to public
sentiment, whether wise or unwist- YOU
may as well make up your minds that
you cannot antagonist it. Command the
public sentiment of the communities in
winch you live, and by just actions you
can ana Will be strong, because every
body is naturally in sympathy with the
laooring classes OF this country, The
great body of the people are Inclined to
be with you, and If you retain their good
opinion you will get
EVERYTHING YOU WANT,
AS far as am concerned, have but |
one way to deal with these questions. All
our people are freemen They have a
rightto organize as they please. They have
E right to go into politics II they choose,
out al have to say about it is that | |
want public sentiment brought to bear
upon them, That will sustain the good
and put down the evil. Whenever man
violates the law, care not what orgsni-
zation 1t is that he belongs to, last elect
men for your officials who will take him
10y the thrnat aud land him in Jail, regard.
less consequences, Let our laws be
executed though the heavens fall. Let
the public sentiment Of this great country
SIT in Judgment on the acts and doings Of
the people OF this country, whether labor
or other organizations, and after they gel
little more experience than they now
have they will hnd that they will have TO
look and see where public sentiment is
before they act
The record OF the Democratic party
on tols LABOR question is In advance Of
tne lator conventions We give more
than they ask, and that ought to be suf-
nclent' Seven bills were passed through