davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31

should employ few hundred work
men at useless work, and eventually
furnish sinecure berths for another few
hundred naval officers at large salaries
and sailors at small wages? This money
in the treasury represents the labor of
thousands, and as long as it is potential
it should be used for the benefit of the
people; and if there is any plan which
can be put into practice now it is the
one which we have indicated and
which Lucien Sanial proposes in
his paper, entitled Land and Machin-
cry" published by the New York Labor
News Company.
Not only would the opening of the
Public Domain give work and wages to
agriculturists, but all the trades re-
quired to supply the new population
with the necessities and conveniences of
civilized life would be called into activ-
ity. The true function of the State
that of protecting its members would
thus be exercised.
Instead of such a beneficent use of
the public treasury, however, our
statesmen q must, forsooth, buy toys
for the amusement of coterie of naval
gentlemen, who, in these ''piping times
of peace" have nothing to kill but
time On the pretense of protecting
probable invasion, our wasteful officers
insist upon building a navy, while a
large proportion of our citizens are open
to the attack of greater enemy than
ever threatened us with shot and shell
Poverty Poverty with plenty within
reach
Was there ever more wasteful and
short-sighted policy pursued under the
guise of craftsmanship? Every organ
ization of citizens, be they manual or
mental laborers, or even men of the
mercantile class, should debate this
question, and we have no doubt that a
powerful influence would be brought to
bear upon the thoughtless squanderers
of the peoples wealth in time to pre-
vent further raids upon the treasury
which have no further object than the
enrichment of few contractors, and
the support of horde of lobbyists, and
the amusement of a class of official
| idlers
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
TRADE UNlONlSM.
illers.

The Washington Craftsman, as good
an authority, we believe, in trade union
the following summary of the objects of
trade unionism:
81. To elevate tho position and main
tain and protect the interest of the craft
in general.
90 To establish and uphold a fair
and equitable rate of wages, and fair
working hours, and to regulate all trade
matters appertaining to the welfare of
members.
"3. To influence the apprenticeship
system in the direction of intelligence,
competency and skill, in the interest
alike of employers and employees.
~. To endeavor to replace strikes
and their attendant bitterness and Pc
cunary loss by arbitration and concilia-
ton in the settlement of all disputes
concerning the wages and conditions of
employment.
-. To relieve the deserving needy
and sick, aud provide for the decent
burial of deceased members
The definition of an equitable" rate
of wages and fair" working hours
is unfortunately left to be decided, per-
haps, by such arbitration as may be had
under the present system between une-
quail parties TO an arbitration. The peo-
pie must improve conditions first, using
such legal means as they have at hand,
and the citizens means of acting in
matters polite is the ballot. Let the
people act in their own interests, and
such trades unionism as the Craftsman
defines will become obsolete. Mean
while trades unions will continue their
good work of agitation and keeping to.
gether such of the workmen as may
see in that method a way of i'm,
proving their condition. Socialists, on
the other hand, will continue to agi-
tate for gaining political power; for
until that is gained by and for the PEG.
pie, they cannot materially and perma.
nently enjoy the fruits of their labor
untaxed by a capitalistic minority
clothed with the accidental power Of
| wealth.
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
WASTEFUL OFFICERS.

The United States Government has
decided to spend a few millions of dol
lars for the purchase of several armored
war ships, some of them to cost Us much
as a million and a quarter of dollars,
The expenditure of such amounts of
money on warships is disgusting in
view of the great need for practical &C
ton for the benefit of the thousands of
citizens who are walking the streets and
roads looking for work. And the plea
that this gives men work is fully NULL.
fled in the contemplation of the profits
which the long list of employers who
speculate in the labor engaged in trans
forming the raw material into engines
of destruction And when they are
completed, what has the laborer got out
Vi MS lou MtlelN "dStS' Ahu W nat
has the nation? Why, lot of useless
war ships which may never be used, and
if used will only destroy human life and
wealth which it required perhaps years
of human effort to produce. Is it not
about time that something of a different
character be attempted? There are the
government lands of the Far West only
awaiting the magic touch of labor tC
yield rich returns. Here are thousand;
and hundreds of thousands of willing
hands which only need the opportunit!
to set them working. Why not oper
up these lands and furnish transporta
ton and wages to give the unemployed
a start? Is it more important that WI
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
PUBLICATION NOTICES.

NATIONALIsM.-A literary straw that
"shows which way the wind blows"
By G. S. Griffin pamphlet, 70 pp., price,
25 cents. Published by the author at s
Nassau street, Boston, Mass. A neat
little book printed on heavy antique
paper, containing an Americans con-
illusions and answers to the very
practical questions continually put
to reformers-"What are you go.
ing to do about it," The author pro-
poses certain lines of policy in the Or
ganization Of labor and the distribution
of its products, long familiar to socialist
thinkers and readers of socialist litera-
ture. True, the author contemplates
President and his cabinet, the members
of which are denominated the 'head-
centers" of the various occupations
which go to make up the routine duties
of the industrial army; and he also per-
petrates some surprising evolutions in
alleging facts, besides tracing the
great theory" of universal brother
hood to 'the clear teachings, peculiar
life and brutal death of Christ" and
appealing in similar ways to the senti-
ment of the religious" Yet, while
these deviations from philosophic lines
of argument may detract from the
excellence of the little book IN the opin-
ion of many readers, there is that about
it which appeals to the sound business
sense OF Americanipeople, namely, some
practical SUGGESTIONS of apta,Is which
the author presents to his readers.
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
HORACE GREELEYS
Condemnation of Our Existing Social
Order and Social Injustice.

The base of our social edifice is not
justice but power-the right of the
strongest to use his strength, not to up
raise, but to depress, his brother, if he
can seemingly profit thereby. Let a
conhagration or an earthquake add
some thousands to the number of those
who must hire houses, and what Chris
tan landlord hesitates to increase his
rents, although he well knows that
neither the outlay nor the ability of the
tenants is increased an atom:
Let bread become scarce. and what
Christian merchant, what atfluent far
mer, hesitates to advance the price of
grain, though the wall of the famished
is ringing IN his ears? Do we not know
that the morality, and even the human
ity, of so doing has, after fashion,
been demonstrated, and forms one of
the orner-stones of the temple of mod
ern political economy? And the prem
Uses being granted, the conclusion is IT.
resistible. The objection applies not to
the stone but to the temple. Grant
that the earth has been wisely and
Justly allotted to, or permitted to be-
come the property of, the few to the ex-
clusion of the many, and that every
person has right to use his strength,
his skill, or his wit expressly and prima-
rily for individual gain or advantage,
all we can see and feel follows, of
course. The wrong lies at the very
foundation of our social order, or there
is no wrong at all.
When a young man, having devoted
the better portion of his minority to the
requirement of some useful trade or
handicraft, finds himself of an age and
an adept in his vocation, yet unable to
obtain employment in his calling and
untitled to earn a livelihood out of it
denied even an acre of bare earth on
which to earn it--there is an instance of
social defect or injustice,
When a poor laborer, delving in
WEAKNESS from day to day, finds a
promising family growing up around
him whom he cannot lodge decently,
clothe comfortably, nor educate thor
oughly, but is compelled to dismiss his
sons to the temptations and corruptions
of the street while he is off through the
day earning their scanty subsistence
there is another whom society treats
unjustly.
When poor youth, who has devoted
every hour of his time, every farthing
of his means, to the requirement OF
what is called liberal education, finds
himself afoat on the great sea without
a haven before him-no call for him il
any professional capacity, no Influential
friend to make a position-no fitness
but rather decided untitness, for useful
ness in any mechanical vocation, and
has the simple choice afforded him t.
beg, starve, or turn his requirements tC
some gainful but infamous use--there il
another victim of social injustice,
When poor man. after drudging
steadily at day labor through tbs
warmer season, finds himself at winter
thrown out of employment, with fam
| lily that must be fed, a rent that must b
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
THEY WIDEN THE NET.

The folds of the net spread by English
capitalism grows wider and wider till in
1t is enyeloped territory wider even
than the empire of which we boast the
sun never sets thereon. In every corner
of the globe, in every country of the
world, the workers are being exploited
for the benefit of the idle shareholders
in some one or other of the Joint stock
companies. whose directors, like the
spider in his web, are closeted in some
dark city office, where the cunning web
to catch flies from whom juicy divi.
dends may be sucked is spun. But
the lesson of internationalism taught by
the capitalist class is not being lost upon
the workers. That cooperation in pro-
duction, which all the world over is
being organized more and more COM
pletely for the benefit of the thieving
classes, will be bettered by those who,
though they are plundered to- day, will
tomorrow extend cooperation in dis
tribution, while at the same time rid
themselves of the idlerS who not in vain
have spread their net, since they will he
strangled in 1t themselves. - London
Justice
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
WHAT OTHERS SAY.
INNOCENT INFANCY.

1t is mere bosh talk about trade unions
ceasing to exist to give way to the
brotherhood of man, or that they ever
will outlive their usefulness. Trades
unions will continue to remain an import
ant factor in the regulation of production
and consumption under any conditions.
To talk about ceasing to exist, while
they are still in their infancy, shows a
lack of knowledge of the history of
trades unions. Cigarmakers' Official
Journal
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
A LABOR EDITORS CONFERENCE.

What great benefit would accrue from
a conference of labor editors? 1t seems
to us that it would be impossible to for
mulate any general plan of agitation
upon which the labor press could agree.
Doesanyone suppose that Henry Georges
Standard would advocate socialism
Would the WORKMEN's ADVOCATE agi-
tate for the success Of trades unionism
and the single tax on land? Would the
Journal of United Labor work for the
success of trades unionism? Would the
Hartford I Jd,ainer advocate individual
ism, as opposed to socialism? We think
not. The time is not ripe for general
movement upon any single basis. AS
labor agitation is now conducted-a
number of able champions pushing each
particular theory or principle -- the
worker becomes more and more &C
Quainted with the purpose and effect of
the doctrines advanced, and the time
when the toilers of the nation shall de-
eide upon any one means of emancipa-
ton, if it ever come, will be fastened
more by this method than by any other.
But if it be believed that such a confer
ence would be beneficial, by all means
let it be held. Craftsman.
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31

composed of Germans and other Euro
pean nationalities who, though not
amenable to any appreciate extent to
the dictates of any religious institution,
still have prejudices and opinions of
their own. The Union Printer no doubt
sees in them also some qualities which
would discourage the political roper-in.
But in view of the Union Printers
words already quoted, how, in the
name of common sense can it hold the
opinion expressed in the following:
"The only way for labor to gain any
thing substantial is by preserving a
strict neutrality in political matters, A
balance Of power is by far more efiec-
tual weapon than weak and puny
organization that will only be the
laughing stock Of the politicians. Labor
properly organized and educated as to
its needs can hold that balance OF
power, and its demands will be re-
spected by either of the existing par
ties, one or the other Of which will rule
the destinies of this country for some
time to come"
A practical balance Of power includes
a use of that power and how can
'labor" be supposed to gain anything
substantial from the political parties if
the workingmen do not make them
selves felt in the elections? And how
can they be power if they are divided
against themselves, voting against each
others candidates in the two old politi
cal parties? But our union contempt
rary even goes further and recommends
'strict neutrality in political matters"
To be strictly neutral, voter must
take sides with neither party-neither
vote for nor against any of their candi-
dates. Then where does the "balance
| of power" come inP Such is the be-
wildering logic of the Union Printer.
Now, in opposition to such contra
dictory position, which amounts to no
position at all, the Socialist Party has
adopted the honorable tactics of indie
pendent political action nominating
candidates for office upon its own plat
form. If the Socialist Platform does
not contain in its execution the mater
| ial necessary for the emancipation of
labor, then it is time that the workers
found some other platform that, carried
out, would free them from the bondage
of the bosses.
As for the Socialists, they believe that
the naturalization of the industries, cap
ital and land, under truly democratic,
cooperative form of industrial and polit-
ical organization, would be the most eff
fective way, the only means of establish
ing justice in society. And the means
to this end What else can they be
than independent political organization,
the exercise of the legal right of every
citizen to vote for the principles he
holds dear
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31

The Washington Craftsman publishes
the following startling piece of infor-
nation:
"The New York Socialist organization is
considering proposition to disband the
political organization and form groups of
agitation and propaganda to teach the
principles of socialism to American
workingmen. They have almost de-
cided, it is said, to discontinue the pub
LEGATION of their official organs, the
Socialist and the WoRKMENs ADVOCATE.
In the event of the adoption of the first
proposition, the latter action would be
most unwise. There cannot be found
more potent element in disseminating
their doctrine than the press, and upon
the new line of action it should accom-
plish what has heretofore been looked
for in vain"
Whew! What a retreat that would
be! The Socialist Party of che United
States, who own both the WORKMENs
ADNOCAIE anu DtF oOItuttSt, ueClueu
only last winter for independent politi-
cal action by about a six-sevenths ma
jority. Wonder where the Craftsman
got its information! Perhaps it has a
special wire connection with some anar-
chistic "group" in New York, for
group of propaganda" is a pet expires,
sion of certain anarchists. But that
sort of propaganda don't take among
Americans. They want something
more substantial and their way of
propagating their views is political
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31

III tDlib5IIS lll' AVG" YIN Ntliii al
Labor Unions vote to engage in politi
cal campaign, the Union Printer says:
ave are of the opinion that this &C
ton is unwise in the extreme. 1t is as
impossible to control the political pref
erences of workingmen as it is their re
ligious or social preferences. AS well
tell man what church he shall attend
as what ticket he shall vote As an il
lustration of the utter futility of any
thing like the unity of labor on political
lines, let us refer to an incident of the
last campaign, In the Twenty fifth
Ward of Brooklyn, where there was an
association of over three hundred men
pledged to the support of the principles
of the United Labor Party, but thirteen
straight ballots were cast for its candi-
dates"
If it is the idea of the Central Labor
Union to control the political preferences
of workmen, then indeed they will fail.
But, Judging from the past history of
the Central Labor Union in this respect
it would seem that while the rank and
file of the union men honestly desired
to make their power felt as citizens in
an independent political movement OPP
posed to both the old parties, they al
lowed themselves 10 be led by the "lead-
ers' in political matters, gust as they are
apt TO do in their own union affairs.
The politicians of both old parties al
ways succeeded in finding willing tools
among the leaders, and these, appealing
To the former party leaning of their
unwilling dupes, have thus far sue
ceeded in keeping the workmen within
the ranks Of the old parties
Various were the modes of accom-
plishing their traitorous work. A
democratic whip would assiduously
circulate the report that the 'republi
can" managers were paying for the pro.
posed diversion, and republican
whip would assure his victims that
democratic Doodle was being used
on the other side. Possibly there was
some truth in what was charged in Ger
tain instances; whether there was OF
not, the results proved to be very salts
factory to the whips and their politica
bosses. A common means of frlghten
ing the guileless unionist was to point tC
some active and Jealous worker anC
whisper the word Socialist" This
would be sufficient for those who ar,
under the dominion of "Mothe
Church." which very respectable oil,
lady had most emphatically tabooe,
that species of politics, And when it i
considered that a large percentage o
the men in the unions are faithful sub
jects of the hierarchy, and honestly be
lieve in its power over their welfar
here and hereafter, one need not b
surprised that to designate an agitato
as Socialist proved an effective mean
of spelling his testimony.
Another large contingent perhaps tn
largest in the ranks of the unions
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
NOTES.

The Chicago Socialists have again
come to the fore. They will nominate
an honest Socialist ticket and enter the
local political campaign this fall. Elk
cellent! Let their good example be fol-
lowed by every Section.
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
BOGUS DELEGATES.

1t is impossible to do justice to the
large amount of evidence which reaches
us as to the fraudulent character of the
credentials" of many people who at
tended the Possibilist Congress at Paris.
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31

NOTICE TO sUBsCRIBERs.-The date
after your name upon the address label at
tached to your paper is the date of expiration
Of subscription. Thus mch00 means that
your subscription expires with the end of March,
1890 Send your subscription money early, and
notify us of any fault In delivery or error on
our part
Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-31
AUGUST 81, 1889.
WORKMEN AND POLITICS.

In opposing the New York Central
Labor Unions vote to engage in politi
cal campaign, the Union Printer says:
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-26

Iy literary performance alone, has been
condemned by many competent critic,
but it possesses within its loose construc-
tion and other deficiencies a power over
the human heart that has lasted long
after the institution it attacked passed
away.
Eliza Cooks labor in the literary field
was not long. She was born in 1918, the
daughter of rich tradesman in the
the borough Of Southwork, suburb of
London, where Eliza was born. Perhaps
some who are familiar with her best
known poem, "The Old Arm Chair" do
not know that the mother SO touchingly
referred to in the verses died when Eliza
was Is years old. From that time her
home was desolate for her and other
wise unpleasant
She, however, found solace in ltera.
ture, for which she soon developed a
marked taste and talent. Before sine
was IS she had written a number OF
popular songs. "im AnHiI,- --OnarIIc
ORoss" and the "Star OF Glengarry"
were written at the time. Then she be-
gan 10 write for The London Dispatch,
The London Weekly and other periodi.
calls; while at 20 she contributed to
magazines such as The New Monthly
and The Metropolitan. At this time
also she published her first poetic volume,
under the title Of "Melaid and Other
Poems"
PERHAPS the widest known Of her po-
ems is the "Old Arm Chair" For many
years it was in most of the school books
containing such poems, and became a
favorite with thousands at that tender
age when 1t might easily be engrafted
into their very natures. 1t doubtless
gives an actual experience, and no in
vention can ever take the place Of real
portrayed feelings.
In ls49 Miss Cook founded periodical
called Eliza Cooks Journal She con-
tinued to edit it till 1854, when her health
began to fail her, and ten years later,
though only 46, was obliged to give up
work entirely. But before retiring from
the literary world she published two vol
umes of poetry called "New Echoes and
Diamond Dust"
In 1864 the British government gave
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-26

On Farmer Zadoc Wilson's place near
the base Of Elk Hill, in Clifford town
ship, Pa, there is a broad spreading
beech tree, whose lower branches are not
more than foot above the top If tho
crooked rail fence that is built right up
to II on either side. The limbs branch
out nearly horizontally from the crotch.
One morning in September Farmer
Wilson's l5-year-old son, Albert, was
driving the cattle through the lane, when
he saw woodchuck sitting on one Of the
lower limbs Of the beech. He climbed
up in a hurry, walked out on the limb,
clung 10 the branches, and kicked at the
woodchuck. The woodchuck showed
fight, and tried to get past young Albert's
feet. The boy had on his cowhide boots
and he made the woodchuck squeal. In
the scuills both boy and woodchuck
tumbled TO the ground, where Albert
soon kicked the woodchuck to death