Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-01-21

ergy of the race. That the rise and
progress of civilization Is involved in the
question of the length of the labor day.
1t was shown that under competition
only small per cent, of the people can
be supported in proper comfort, because
those well supported do not stop there,
but go on and absorb the abundance Of
others; and that those left destitute are
subject to more diseases, and that they
and their children die in great numbers
before their time, thus giving the world
rapidly assorted class of the tittest TO
wage sharp competition. That this
survival of the tittest" means only the
survival of the most selfish cunning,
grasping, woltish and heartless ones.
That these survive under sharp COM
petition while the generous who are al
ways thinking of others and not of them
selves are left in want and misery, and
their children die because of want, ex-
posure, overwork, and living in cheap
and filthy localities. That in those eoun-
tries where this internal survival of the
iittest" has been going on longest the
people, instead of being more benevolent,
broad minded, enterprising, patriotic and
self.sacriticing, than the people are in
the United States, (where this starvation
process, or so called survival of the fit
test has just begun we find that here
where we have had least of this survival
of the tittest' we have the best people.
1t was shown from this that a nation
can only go on in in prosperity and
grandeur only in proportion that the
people keep clear of sharp competition.
And that only by shortening the labor
day from time to time in proportion to
the amount of labor r-saving machinery
introduced, was it possible to keep clear
of this destructive competition that had
ruined all other nations and was now ut
work destroying us,
That, in short, we must save the poor
or lose our civilization.
That it is not, under sharp competition
and surrounded by misery, those who
are mean enough to get rich, but thost :wlo
| are too generous to get rich, that must
be saved if we would save the valuable
portion of the race.
The speaker showed that i'm those old
countries where a sharp competition has
been at work longest it has produced u
VI ItolnC WHO dIc ~ StlllSIl anu
heartless that the most abject want and
misery does not move them in the least.
They are but a little better than wolves
in human shape. We have become a
great people because here has been the
refuge of the poor where all their chill
dren survived But in those countries
where only the heartless sharks survive,
they are doomed nation. This is why
we should shorten the hours Of labor UNI
til all can find ready employment at good
wages, and thus destroy this sharp and
deadly competition. We have now
reached that point where persons
chance to get bare existence is already
in jeopardy. This is the brink of nation
al destruction and we must turn from
it OF go under. We are not discussing
mere quibble about a few hours work
more or less; we are dealing with the
problem that will decide whether this
great people will continue to prosper or
go to destruction. Shall we save that
class of people that can alone make us
great, or shall we lose them?
One speaker said there are three ways
to get shorter labor days; one is to get
on our knees and beg and bribc our legis-
lators for law in the matter. Another
way was to beg and implore our bosses
for the favor. The last and best way was
to take al ourselves.
Another speaker said we were har-
messed by prejudice and old custom and
nothing would break this chain but Sc
we're friction, and herein he saw the val
ne of all strikes or all disturbing and
even violent measures.
One speaker showed that it was impOs.
sible to reach the ear of the boss for he
would neither attend our meeting or
read our papers or read the few articles
we get published in the capitalstic pa
pers. That the capitalistic papers refuse
most of our articles and publish but
meager and distorted reports of our meet
| ings, often worse for the labor cause
than though they had not reported
them at all. That no paper will publish
any thing that might offend the business
| firms that advertise in them. That be-
side not having free press we get moth
ing from the pulpit except what pleases
| the front pews That we can get nothing
through the legislature or congress with
out big bribe to buy it through. That
with rotten legislature, a lying pulpit
and a bribed press we can know nothing
outside of our own united strength. We
have nothing to hope from the outside
but opposition.
The meeting was OH the whole, spirited
and pointed, and no doubt the members
went home with something to think upon.
1t is impossible to give more than an out
| line of what was said.
These meetings are held every other
Sunday evening at New Era Hall, and
We have much to hope from them in the
way of agitation. b.
He is the safest magistrate who is more
watchful over the rights of the individ.