Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-18

today there II scarcely a trace Of them 40
De round On the other hand. an effort Of
the same character. but made In a different
way. by the toilers OF q leading city IN
Michigan produced quite different results
In the latter instance the principle OF
equal rights for all. and special privileges
tons OF the membership OF the labor organ
izatons, and men were selected 70 govern
the city who were known 20 be governed by
THAT idea In other words. only such men
could be elected to ONCE as would pledge
themselves TO carry out those principles IL
elected In Ithaca rolitics was taken into
the labor movement and wrecked Il: IN
Bay City the principles OF the labor move
mept were taken into the political actions
OF Its members. and the movement iour-
ished under the stimulus OF active partici-
patton In the Affairs OF municipal govern
ment
Opportunity for the Labor Eiemest.
Webster defines politics as the science Of
govern ment." and n there Is anything the
masses should study Il is the science OF
government. II the members Of labor or
CARNATIONS would secure the reforms they
advocate. let them take an active part In
the politics Of the day. The stream cannot
rice above Its source: and no member OF
Congress will be any better than the people
who send him TO Washington. And IN any
man Is chosen TO represent a distract In the
coming Congress who does not represent
the very best interests OF labor In that dis
trict. IL is the fault OF the people who send
him, and they are not 20 be pitied ~ his
votes are not recorded on tire right side OF
legislation Affecting the interests Of the
masses. We are no longer ignorant OF what
We want. nor are We children who know
no. how to ask for It The eloqueace OF a
Webster. the wisdom Of Henry Clay are
TO be found In nearly every school district
in America today. IL Ihe farmers and wage
workers are alive TO their own interests no
man viii be elected to the state or ma
uonaI legislatures text November who is
not In cordial sympathy with every legiti-
mate EFFORT to Cpllft the masses This can
easily be done without extraordinary effort.
Let every man who loves his own country
better than any other: who considers the
interests Of the masses greater than those
OF the classes; who believes IN education
rather than ignorance for the children OF
an whether rich or poor: who would have
the functions 81 government exercised I'm
fostering and perpetuating the rights Of the
people as against those Of corporations and
trusts; who desires an extension OF liberty
ana freedom rather than the forging Of In
uGstrlal letters 10 chain the ambitions OF
labor; who would preserve the Institutions
and principles purchased by cur forsfathers
with blood and maintained only 10y the
greatest OF sacrifices; let every man who
believes in these things constitute himself
a committee of one 10 see 10 "a that no cam
didate FOR congressional or legislative
hcnors who does not subscribe to this doc
trfre IL chosen 10 represent the people
When the rcliticians come TO understand
That the people will not be hoodwinked
then viii politics cease 10 be a stencil In the
ncstrils OF decent people. The people can
secure such legislation they desire by
selecting the proper Representatives 10 enact
IL. But in no other way.
BY the Ballot BOX Alone.
Let me illustrate the plan suggested. For
many years the labor organizations OF
Pennsylvania clamored for the enactment
OF certain laws, but failed to get them. In
the fall Of 1859 a united effort was made to
pledge all candidates for legislative honors
to the principles involved in the acts de-
sired, with the result that the keystone
state has. perhaps. the best factory and
lline inspection laws I'm the country: the
pluck-me stores were abolished In that
state, mechanics lien laws were enacted
the ballot was still further protected and
r'aae safe for rhe voter. and IN many other
ways the interests of the toilers received
&C nsiieraton And all this was done with
cut resort to a strike or boycott ercept at
the ballot box, which is where labor must
In future carry all its. grievances for set
temeEt before the court Of last resort the
people. Enough entrFy' is wast..f Every
twelve months in strikes and boycotts OF
the ordinary character TO elect the friends
and defeat the enemies Of labor I'm every
congressional district in the United States
But there is one thing which must be care
fully avoided; in turning from the frying
pan they must not jump into the fire. A
l-.an Who pos se'Sst-S no other qualifi ca tons
for repr sentative than that OF the pro-
fessional agitatOr or demagugue can do labor
more harm in legislation than an open
enemy.
What effect will the Debs appeal and the
recent labor troubles have on the coming
elections? was asked me the other day by
a member OF Congress This is the answer:
In the last presidential election the re-
publican party nominated for Vice Presi-
dent man who had for years been con-
sidered an open enemy Of labor. The party
met overwhelming defeat at the polls The
defeat was attributed by many TO a general
desire for change I'm the policy Of govern
ment, but an analysis of the vote win show
that defeat came from an overwhelming
adverse vote in the great Industrial CEN
tiers. 1t was not desire for change; IL was
all opportunity to hit an enemy at the
ballot box, and they hit him hard Posi-
bly, this lesson has been hesded by all par
ties and perhaps such an experiment Will
not again be tried by any Of them. One
thing is certain, there never was 50 vast
an army of independent thinkers and indie
pendent voters in the United States as at
the present time and IL will not be sur
prising IL all calcula tons are smashed y ilen
the votes are counted next November"
a. NJ DEWEY.