Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-08-15
LABOR IN POLITICS.

IT OUGHT not to be a matter Of
surprise II national labor or work.
ingmen's party should be developed
out Of existing and growing con-
ditions. II would indeed he astonish-
ing should IL be otherwise. The
telling masses, In the contest which
is being wagvd between their class
ani capitalists, are not likely long to
neglect 10 seize upon any vantage
ground that will increase their
Z prospect Of success in the struggle.
The field Of politics presents that
opportunity. Capitalists who employ
labor extensively are not slow 10 Use
the power they possess in that direc-
ton for partisan purposes. Doubt
les the workingmen WILSON begin
10 see that their prestige in that
line could lie made much greater
than that Of any other class, because
/ they have the votes with which 10
emphasize their wishes. Recent PC
litical events in this section make
this subject one Of local a. well a
1 general interest.
To sustain the belief that labor
may soon assert itself politically in
a national field as well As in Iocali-
ties, it Is only necessary to point to
the increase Of sectional working
mems parties. These will probably
multiply until the leaders Of
the working classes pick up the de-
tachel threads and weave them into
national political fabric. The
grangers have opened the way and |
are pushing ahead. 4 fusion be- |
tween the farmers and farm labor
ers and the people in the great and /
p1pulOus cities and districts would |
constitute a factor in American
politics that would probably swamp |
every other organization.
One point the workers would
have in their favor is that they are
completely equipped for the field
with the strongest popular organiza-
lions that ever existed. All they
would require 10 do to make them
selves immeIiately felt would
Ice % turn them 10 account
in tina. line. II has been asserted
10y the leaders OF the labor organiza-
tons that they would not he used
for political PURPOSES, but il would
Doe easy FOR them to find an excuse
10 DEPART from the rule heretofore
operated with t0lerable cl0seness.
80 far as We can call to mind, the
chiefs Of the Organization-nOtably
Mr.. Puwderly-have confined the
use 0f the influence they possess by /
virtue Of the positions they hold, to
the recommendation Of candidates
- worthy of support, and annOunc.
that 90 sustain Others would be con-
trary t. the Interests Of the work
iuEmeu.
Il may be regarded as tolerably
certain that the frequent defeats
suffered 10y the tOilers in disputes
with capital will tend to cause the
latter 10 reach after politics as a
means 10 assist them in achieving
success in the worlds greatest con-
rJvcrsy.
There j. an especial danger con
'sruing which orEauiz-I labor will !
ave 10 he very guarded should it
0ucluic to extend its struggle TO ,
he ballot boX-the liability Of the !
masses 10 become a prey TO design ,
- demaEaEueS, who would. in 9
rider 10 gain points, make all kinds
{ eNtrlva-aut promises, next 10 a..
not quite so-of fulfill
leut.
The political cauidron i actively g,
oiliug, and changes in that line Of ,
revolutionary character may be .
sa-onaaly expected. Everything :
SENS 10 be- getting into a state Of ;,
n