Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-06


from that great mass OF intelligence
typi6ed by the daily reporter. Though
we may not concur with the newspapers,
we will find them, on the whole, the best
sources of information at the hands of
the people, and recommend the plow
handle in one hand and the newspaper
in the other. Let the blacksmith strike
his hammer while his eye rests upon the
printed columns. So much for the first
proposition.
Second, unity. Lay aside your indi-
vidualism; remember that you are q
workingman; that individually you can
do nothing. United, you have the
power to attain any desire your minds
may entertain. Remember, it is by the
consolidated power of dollars that you
are overcome. If you, on your part,
will gather yourselves into consoli.
dated, unbroken macs, present steady
and fearless front, tolerate no individu.
alism, force men for the present, if
necessary, into your ranks, whether it
is with their wishes or against their
wishes. Preserve the integrity of the
great union of workingmen your power
will be boundless and your rights will
be secure.
Now you, the people, are entitled, in
this country at least, to self-government.
You would have had that seli-govern-
ment long ago, had the moneys with
which you fill the treasury of the gov
ernment been expended by officers
whom you would have elected from your
ranks to administer your government; |;
but you allowed yourselves to become
divided, to be split up by isms and par
ties. You do not want to ask favors !;
you want to grant them. Lose sight of
all party prejudices, and think only of the
advancement OF your great cause, that is,
government that is literally of thepeo-
pie for the people. Create for yourselves
no representatives that may be bought
by money or corrupted by the vices Of
the rich, the profligate and the idle who
strive after your power; but let your
selves be the representatives of your
selves. For instance, would suggest
direct legislation by the people. 1t is
said by some of our intelligent minds
that the people as people have not the
intelligence to pass laws. But these in
telligent minds forget that the constitu-
tions of our own states and of the United
States is the most powerful law known
to our system, and ia the result of the
direct, express wish of the masses of the
people. If the people can make a con-
stitution, the father of all law, they GER
tainly ought to be able to vote upon
those laws which pertain only to their
daily business affairs and to their per-
sonal liberties.
Again and last, let me say it
is my profound belief that the
laborer should partake justly and prop
erly of the profit which is the result of
his individual labor. I would have
every commercial and manufacturing
institution take every person within the
range of it's business into it's bosom as a
partner, as a joint stock owner. Let
him realize that he is working for some
thing beyond his daily living; that he
is working for the success of business
that he himself is part of; business
which the profits are not all given to
one man, but are shared by all who
help to make them. This is feasible; it
is done today by great many houses.
When you get to this point where every
employelis, as it were, his own employer
where every hour of his day labor is
paid for, as it were, by his own
profit, there will cease to be un.
juet distinctions between classes
there will cease to be necessities for
secret organizations of the poor and con-
spiracies of the rich. The strike of the
laborer and the shut-out of the proprie.
tor will be things of the past. No man
is going to strike against his own indus
try. You will settle among yourselves,
as an advisory committee, of the bust
ness in which you are engaged, with, we
will say, the proprietor, or man whose
capital is interested in it with your la
Dor, as the president of your board, and
80 settle all your disputes.
The laborer is not ignorant. The
laborer knows, if you will give him but
half a chance; he will tell what is just
and right between himself and his en-
ployer. And on that day will cease all
strikes; and Mr.. Pinkerton's force OF
assassins will no longer murder men
and harmless women at the nod and
beck of the autocrat of money.
F. B. Colver, on behalf of Typograph-
ical union No. ia, made few briet
remarks. He reviewed the work that
the Typographical union has accom-
plished on behalf of labor.
o. A. Beach of the Plumbers union
spoke on behalf of that organization.
Mr.. Beach's remarks were brief and to
the point. His words were more partic.
ularly directed against incompetent ap-
prentices.
Homer G. Katz. on behalf of the
Clerks association, made five-minute
speech which was generously applauded.
Then came the speaker whom the
crowd had waited to hear, Mrs. Anna
l.. Diggs. When Mrs. Diggs came for
ward she received warm reception at
the hands of the audience. She spoke
for about half an hour in general
way upon the benefits to be derived
from organized labor. She said that
there were 2O,OO0,O0O laborers in the
United States, and only 100000 were
members of trades unions. This should
not be. Mrs. Diggs advised al
workingmen to affiliate and unite moi
only in trades unions but also at the
ballot box. Mrs. Diggs was half in
clined to turn her remarks into politica
channel, but as she was in honor bounC
not to, she desisted befors she had gon,
too far. She did finally by innuendo
though. get into politics, but only b,
inference.
There were no other speakers on th,
programme, but the Mayor, Henry Haz
ard, was on the stage, and in respons
to a universal demand from the au
dience, he came forward and made few
remarks. This closed the meeting,