San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-16
LINCOLN ON LABOR.

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lest In so doing the convention should
commit itself to policy not strictly In
line with the historic statements and
the fundamental principles upon which
the party was based at the beginning
In order that the members Of the repub-
lican party in Texas, and the working
men OF the state, may know just what is
the foundation and framework upon
which those resolutions rest, and that
they may see the full agreement OF those
resolutions with that foundation we pre-
sent the following. The resolutions are:
Resolved, That the republican party
of this county reaflirm its acceptance OF
those principles laid down by Abraham
| Lincoln in his first message TO congress,
in which he defined the relations Of labor
and capital and asserted the manhood OF
labor and its superiority over the mere
capital which itself had erected.
Resolved, That we pledge ourselves
through our representatives. In the state
and national Legislatures, as far as In us
lies, to place such laws upon the statute
books OF the state and nation as will give
expression to those sentiments Of the
immortal and martyred president.
Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to
favor such legislation as will best pro-
mote the harmonious relations OF labor
and capital in Texas, and will do all in
| our power to make the government OF
the country as fully protective OF the
interests of the one rs the other.
When the republican congress met In
December, 1861, Abraham Lincoln, in
his message to that body referring to
the InsurreCtiOn against the national
government then in progress, said
This insurrectiOn is largely, If not ex-
olusively, war upon the first princi-
plies Of popular government and he as
serted that "evidenGe of this fact Is
found in the public documents of the
insurgents as well as in their general
tone" He "found monarchy limited at
as possible refuge from the power OF
the people" and expressed his inability
to Justify himself did he fail to raise his
warning voice against the approach OF
returning despOtism. at was" he said,
their effort to place capital on an
in the structure of the government"
lie charged the oOnfederacy with as
Stunning that Labor was available only
in connection with capital, and
that nobody labors unless some
body else owning capital somehow
by the use of it induces him to labor
Mr.. Lincoln said that these assertions
raised the question whether 1t was
best that capital shall hire labOrers, and
thus induce them to work by their own
consent, or buy them and drive them to
it without their own consent" thus lead
ing to the conclusion that all wOrkmen
were either hired labOrers or what we
call slaves. Thus-"WhOever is once a
hired laborer Is fixed in that condition
for life"
These were the views that Mr.. Lin
coin asserted ruled the southern COnfed-
eracy, and from these views he dissent
ed, maintaining that LABOR Is THE
SUPERIOR OF CAPITAL AND DESERVES MUCH
THE HIGHER CONSIDERATION" mo men liv
ing" said he, "are more worthy to be
trusted than those who toll up from
poverty; none less inclined to take or
touch ought which they have not hon
estly earned. Let them 1.-THE people, be-
ware Of SURF endering political power
which they alre ady possess and which,
If surrendered, will surely be used 10
close the door OF advancement and to fix
new difficulties and burdens upon
them till all of liberty shall be
lost" Mr.. Lincoln further said that the
"Spirit of southern instruction was
hostile to all free labor, and that in its
triumph not merely the independence Of
the laborer, but his right of self. defence
as conferred by suffrage would be imper-
riled if not destroyed"
From these meagre extracts, 1t is
plain that the labor resolutions sub
mitted TO the convention Of Bexar
county last Saturday fall below the
measure Of the dignity conferred upon
this subject by Abraham Lincoln, the
peoples friend, the peoples president,
and the most farseeing mind this coun-
try has yet produced. In the discus
sions which have arisen, and are to arise
on this labor question, the republican
party will do well to heed the words Of
their martyred leader, uttered twenty
five years since. The laboring men Of
these United States will find In the de-
clarations Of no other political leader SO
plain, direct, unequivocal and masteriul
a presentation and advocacy of their
case. The republican party, by the
recommendations and counsels of its
great leader, are committed to champion
the rights of labor as against the en-
croachments and expressions Of capital,
and the workingmen Of America are
more than blind to their own interests
if they fail to see that their only hope
lies in strengthening the hands OF the
republican party Of this state and the
nation, and insisting upon its accepting
the work laid out for it by its RAIL
SPLITTING PREsI BENT.
The drouth suffering In northwest
Texas continues; and San Antonio shows
as little interest In the matter Of the re-
lief OF her fellow-citizens in that dry and
barren land where no water is as q
blushing maiden does in the attentions
OF the man in the moon. San Antonio
should not turn deaf ear to the CRY Of