The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-21

emancipation of labor from econo mic
dependence. and, whether they SO ught
it or not, events and the Developments
of this existing wage system would Of
necessity free or drive these men into
Socialism as the only saver and the only
means by which they could live; that
they could exist in the end in no other
way. ls
"If remember rightly I then said that
the strikes were an attempt to right
these wrongs. on the part of the unions
and the Knights of Labor; that | did
not believe ia strikes I did not believe
that redress could be had by that
method; that the power was in the
hands of the employer to refuse; that if
the men went on strike the employer
could meet the strike with lockout, and
he could keep them out until they were
so hungry that they would through their
destitution be compelled to return and
accept the terms of the employer; there
fore, strikes must of necessity fail as a
general thing.
81 then called attention to the scabs
and said that the unionist made war
upon the scabs. Now says 1, here is a
distinction between Socialism and the
trades-unionist. The unionist fights the
scab. What is scab? A man, as u.s.
ual thing, when he has been out of en-
ployment, who is destitute, and whose
necessities drive him to 60 to work in
some mans place, will have to take
work for less than the man who has
been employed was working for. He is at
once denounced as a scab by the union
lists, and war is made upon him. Now
says 1, gentlemen, Socialism don't do
this thing; they regard these men as the
victims of a false system, and to be
pitied. The scabs, might say, could be
compared to the feas on dog. The
unlonists want to kill the feas, but the
Socialist would kill the dog, and that
the dog is the wage system of wage
slavery.
Il then pointed to the ballot-how we
were sWindled at the ballotbox and de-
frauded and cheated how we were bull
dozed and intimldated and bribed and
corrupted-yes, corrupted by the very
money that had been stolen from US.
Men would come to US afterward when
we were poor and give us bread money
if we would vote their ticket, and that
we often did it through necessity, and in
this way, through these intimidations,
briberies, and corruption, that the work
ing men had but little to expect from
the ballot.
II then pointed out the fact that we
had petitioned and passed resolutions,
and had done everything in our power
to redress, but there had been no relief
and no redress. In fact, there was a re-
buff on every occasion. 7 then said to
them: Gentlemen, Socialism means the
free association of the people for the
purposes of production and consumption
in other words, universal cooperation.
This is the sum-total of Socialism, and
the solution of the present difficulties
between capital and labor. I then
said that monopoly and corporations
had formed gigantic conspiracy against
the working classes.
II then called upon them to unite, to
organize. to make every effort to obtain
eight hours; t!.at the eight-hour move
ment meant peaceful solution of the
labor trouble; that if the employers of
this country and all other countries
would concede this demand it meant
peace, but if they refused this demand 1t
meant war, not bv the working classes,
not by laborers, but by monopolists and
by corporations upon the lives and upon
the liberty and upon the happiness of
the working classes. The government,
l said, in the hands of monopoly and
corporations deprives the laborers OF
their right to self. preservation; that the
monopoly conspiracy originated in the
great railroad strike of 1877; that they
have since that time proposed to use
force, and they have used force.
Vanderbilt said The public be
damned The New York World and
other papers said-The New York
World | particularly. called their atten'
ton to-said that the American work
ingman must make up his mind to be
contented with the wages he received
and not expect to receive any more
wages than his European brother, anc
be contented with that station In life tt
which it has pleased God to call him.
then appealed to them to defend them
selves, their rights, their liberties; II
comb ne, to unite, for in union there wa
strength. That, gentlemen, was thu
substance of my hours speech at tn
haymarket,"
MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.