Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-09-20
COMMUNICATIONS.
Touch Elbows.

This is ime when every man who
has an interest in labor should bury all
petty and personal differences aud stand
firm by his fellow workmen.
The recent elections show a weakening
in the old party lines. When the enemy
is 'rattled" or wavering it is the time for
our people to stand firm. Close up the
ranks. Touch elbows and charge along
the line.
There is no enthusiasm in the old De-
mocratic party. 1t is composed of Drums
and Flies and ignorant men who com,
pose the ranks and file, and set of
demagogues and spoilsmen who sound
the battle cry and seize the plumber after
victory. Subtract from it the fools who
vote to perpetuate their own servitude
and there would be no Democratic party.
To-day it represents not one patriotic i'm
pulse or principle that would better the
condition of the worker.
The Republican party is weighted
down with spails obtained by robbing
labor The Homestead act by which it
pretended to benefit poor men was moth,
ing but a swindie. The settler of ten
years ago is as poor to-day as when he
filed his claim; while the man who built
the galway through the claim is to day
rich from his eXtortions wrung from the
farmer in excessive rates. Under the
cry of "Protection' it is only creating a
boodlers fund. Every dollar saved to
America by Protection goes first to the
capitalist; and he will not employ a
man from whom he does not expect a
profit, and he will not pay 81 penny
more than he is compelled to even if the
tariff law adds 20 per cent. to his manu-
featuring profit.
Of course they say it will give work to
the 100000 now standing idle in this
country; but that is talk for the people,
whose votes they must catch or die. The
Republican party could not live an hour
without the votes of farmers and labor
ing men; and yet it is deceiving them
both.
The only benefit directly conferred by
present legislation are the sugar bounty
and the ship subsidy; but to receive
either of these you must be able to own
a sugar plantation or ship yard. In
short you must be "boodler" to profit
by it.
The farmers are organizing. The
time is not distant when they and the
workingmen must unite to build up a
cooperative commonwealth Now let
the toilers by their votes show that they
have sense enough to vote upon the
grand principles of economic liberty
which shall destroy idlers both rich and
poor This is so Just and manly. There
is not man in the Socialist Labor party
who does not offer to every other man
all he asks for himself
The plutocrats say, "Be wise and pa
triotc and vote for our men and our
bills, that we may rob you and every |
other workingman who is fool enough |
to believe us and vote for us" The La
Dor party says vote for your own men,
your own principles and your own in
Ue.eSts.
Forget Old names, which are mere |
traditions of what men are or ought to |
be: drop differences; study the platform
of che Labor party and see if any one |
interest of yours is neglected. If not, |
then fill up the ranks, touch elbows and |
go to the polls and vote as you work
for yourself. Shame on workingman
who shall vote the Democratic or Re
publican ticket in November
AGATHON. !
New York, Sept. 8, 1890