Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-29

predictions But the number IL ever on
the increase who disenthral themselves
from partisan voting and exercise thetI
franchise to reward or chastise those parties
and candidates, that deserve either tneii
friendship or resentment. With us IL 10 no.
question of parties or men; 1t Is question
OF measures.
Dissatisfied with Both Parties.
That there exists feeling Of dissasisfac.
tion with, and bitter antagonism to, both
is not to be gainsaid. Broken
promises to labor, insincere, half
hearted support and even antagonism oi
legislation In the interest OF the totlers on
the one hand, and the alacrtty and devotion
with which the interests Of the corporations
nurtured, protected and advanced on the
other, have had their effect, and the resul
is that many toilers have forever severed
their connection with the old parties. That
the number will continue to grow larger
year by year 1 have not the slightest doubt.
To me this party detection of the wage
workers Is one Of the signs Of the dawn OF q
heo'ned heod and S indeUeD1enoe S ana % promise to
maintain the liberties that the people now
enjoy, as well as to ever struggle on to At
tain that happy goal toward which. through.
have been perpetually pushing forward.
But in leaving the old parties,
to whom, to what shall former
Democratic or Republican workmen turn?
To the Peoples partyf Are such changes
and Improvements promised there that the
workers can with any degree OF assurance
throw in their political fortunes with that
party9 OF course, acting upon the princt-
ple ''of all evils choose the least" they will
more generally cooperate with the People's q
party than with any similar party hereto
fore gracing the Presidential political arena.
the PEOPLES party under the belief that It is
a labor party is to act under mtsapprehen-
sion. 1t is not and cannot, in the nature OF
its makeup, be labor party. or even one in
haven. Composed, as the Peoples party Is,
mainly of employing farmers without any
regard to the interests OF the employed
farmers of the country districts or the
center5. there must Of necessity be diver
gence of purposes, methods, and interests.
1 am persuaded that all who are
more than superficial observers, or who are
proletariat OF all countries, will with one
accord unite in declaring the union fmpossf-
BILE. because it Is unnatural. Let me add
unifcation Of labor's forces Of the field,
farm, factory and workshop, the people who
work on and in them for wages must be Or
ganized to protect their interests against
those who pay them wages for that work.
VIII Be Inactive as q Body.
Then, if as an organization, the American
Federation of Labor will take no Official
part in the coming Presidential campaign Of
a partisan character, it may, with q fair de-
gree of reason, be asked what we will do?
candidate of our own in the field. can
from the acts already referred to
above. we shall maintain as 9
trade unionists, we have had some expert
ence with q Presidential candidate, and in
campaigns Of our own, the lessons Of which
have not been forgotten by us.
tion Of Labor is not in harmony either with
the existing or projected political parties.
So deep-seated is the conviction In this
matter that, long ago. 1t was decided to hold
elections. Thus freed from party bias and
elimination, these gatherings
have been in position to declare for gem
eral principles, and to Judge imparsially
holding each to an accountability for it's
perhdy to the promises made to the working
people, and at the same time keeping clear
and distinct the economic character Of the
By our non-polftfcal partisan
character as an organization we tacttly de.
clare that political liberty with economic
independence is illusory and deceptive,
sG gain economic independence can our @
political liberty become tangible and
important. This may sound like political
heresy, but it is economic truth.
As time goes on we discern that the or.
upon the help offered by others, and It Is a
spark upon the altar of progress that they
have learned to more firmly depend upon
their own efforts to secure those changes
right.
or course, it must not be imagined that
we have no interest in the political affairs
Of our country; on the contrary, we believe
that it is our mission to gather the vast
numbers of the wealth-produoers, Agri-
cultural, industrial and commercial, into q
grand army of organized labor, and, by our
struggles for improved conditions and
instil into the minds Of the
workers a keener appreciation of their true
position in society and of their economic,
political and social duties and rights as
citizens and workers. Every advantage
gained in the economic condition Of
the wage workers must necessarily have It's
political and social effect, not only upon
themselves but upon the whole people;
Hence for the present, at least, nearly all
our efforts are concentrated upon the field
Is indicated above.
New Departures Dangerous.
Many may find fault in our refraining from
lirectly entering the political arena by the
nomination of candidates for national and
state offices and will point to results in Eng
and and other countries for our emulation.
N considering this question 1t must be
,orne in mind that the bona fde labor
movement, as expressed In the trades unions
than Il is abroad. and that
he element of time Is an important factor
or the rank and file to mature that
confidence in the wisdom and honesty of
heir leaders, which is as necessary pre-
'equisite to the party entering the field Of
,ofitios, as It has been in that OF economies.
Whatever has been gained for the toflers
n our country has been the achievement Of
IA frod nj vnrrld "a mn nm
rise, not to say anything harsher. to aban-
lon the organization, position and methods
II past success to fly 'to others we know not
,f" More than half OF the battle of labor
las already been won. No really intelligent
nan to-day disputes the claims of labor. The
'tRge Of ridfcule Is happily past; the era OF
'eason has taken Its place; and what is now
,ur claim. To that end we are marshalling
,ur forces, and we will demonstrate to
The world that the demands and struggles
II the toiling masses, while ostensibly and
and emancipation. will develop
he possibilities, grandeur and true nobility
If the human family.
,ers Of the American Federation Of Labor
,an look on the coming Presidential CAM
,aign with degree Of equaniinity not often
attained by the average ottizen. The ex-
,itement and turmoil, ordinations and re-
will not rend our organization
lsunder, as 1t has done 80 many others; and
Turing 1t all, and when the blare of trumpets
las died away, and the spell binders" have
'eceived their rewards, the American Fed
,ration of Labor will still be found plodding
Ilong, doing noble battle in the struggle for
he uplifting of the toiling masses.
HORsFORD's ACID PHOSPHATE
For Sunstroke.
1t relieves the prostration and nervous
It Saves the Children.