, 1892-02-29
No WORK IN ENGLAND.
LABOR LORE.
What Laboring Man Has to Say Of
the Value Of Organization.

the Value Of Organization.
Editor Tribune:
Our next subject for consideration is,
'fWhat benefit are our labor organiza-
tions?"
Frst-''It is necessary to know, to what
extent labor is organized" ]" The first
strike we know Of was when the children
of Israel got tired of making brick for the
King of Egypt. They threw down their
tools and struck for the promised land.
The next labor organizations we know of
were in 1741--the Bakers union of New
York-and again in 1886, we hear of the
Shoemakers' union of Philadelphia, next,
the Sailors union of New York, in 1908
The only record we have of those unions
are in connection with strikes, where some
of the leaders were prosecuted by the poll
tieians. So it will be seen that labor organ
cations have always been prosecuted by
the politicians, for the reason that the ma
chine politicians would loose their #oeeupa-
ton. When labor gets thoroughly organ-
iced those poor politicians would starve
to death, gTIrIfed trS5ssl Ele public crib
AS time rolled on our trade unions and
labor organizations continued to grow
from the seeds that had been soWn, and
watered by the tears and prosecutions Of
the oppressed. until in 1861, another big
strike occurred in the United States, and
the chattel slavery chains fell off of four
millions of our black brethren, only to be
re-riYeted on blacks and whites alike.
Look at the nine million mortgages now
covering nearly every home in the United
States, and look at the bonded indebted
ness; the lowest estimate (by Senator
Stewart, of NeVada) exceeds twenty three
billion dollars. The interest of that sum
forms the link Of the chain that binds the
blacks and whites info slavery
But the world still moves, and labor CON
tinues to organize.
Next we find the coal miners of Pennsyl-
vania organizing in 1868. Good bless the
miners! In 1869 the Knights of labor put
in an appearance in PHILADELPHIA. six
the Grange was organized, four men
strong. Those two organizations declared
to the world certain principles and de-.
manded certain things Of the politicians
But when has the government been
known to listen to justice. Although the
knights of Labor and Granger had no
hearing by priest or politicians they still
pressed forward educating the people. In
1870, the international workingmen' 'sassoc-
iation Of Germany formed branches in the
United States
In 1876, we find the Greenback labor
party with venerable Peter Cooper at its
head, and the Knights of Labor and
u6ClaIll2
the world, that those principles must be
recognized by this government.
In 1880, the federation of labor was
formed in the United States and Canada,
Later on we find that Farmers alliance.
The industrial union and the different
farm wheeP' putting in an appearance.
On the sixth day of December, 1889, we
find labor meeting at st. Louis, and the
Knights of Labor Farmers alliance and
industrial union uniting on the principles
already set forth.
Again on the 10Th day of May 1891, we
find a convention in Cincinnati, with rep
resentatiYes from every labor organization
and from nearly every state in the union,
and what is today known as the peoples
party, was formed, setting forth to the
world, that the people are getting tired Of
being slaves to money and landlords, and
political taxeaters.
But still the world moves. On the 22nd
of this month a convention is called
to meet at st. Louis, Representative from
every labor organization are invited to take
part, and the object of that convention is
to unite all labor organizations into one
common brotherhood and induce all to
vote for liberty. 1t is now estimated that
all labor organizations can cast five million
votes, so it will be seen that labor is get
ting organized. But the question is, what
has labor organization done for the masses I?
1t has reduced the hours of labor from IA
to 8, 8 and 10 hours. 1t has revolutionized
the thoughts of the people,
There are men, not vet gray, who re-
member when all believed that the earth
belonged to few, and if the rest of US
wished to live on the globe we should get
a written permit from those few. We also
used to think that the politician called
the tax collector was a necessity, now we
look upon him as a publican and sinner.
He takes up what he has not laid down,
and turns the fat Of the land over to the
brother politicians, that they may clothe
themselves in purple and fine linen and
fare sumptuously every day, while the
producer of wealth is turned out of house
and home as a tramp. Labor organfza-
tlons have done more to enlighten the
world than all other agencies.
Il II ANsunr