Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-10-04

Eos - = special Their
than general
That is. : h
labor cause has not altered IS eharae-
ter. however events may have modified
its aspect The needs of the wage
earners are as urgent now as they have
been heretofore. The evils attendant
upon the injustice to labor embodied il
our social system have been in no way
mitigated. Rather, they have in many
cases been increased.
But it is the prospects before labor
on the approach of its great holiday
that are Of chief concern now. The
passage of the tariff bill, like the en-
actment of nearly all measures
osten bly, for the general good, will
have Injured to the advantage Of special
classes long before it becomes the turn
of the wage Garner to share in such
advantages Of advantages there bel as
NAV be left
This is indeed a time in which we hear
much Of the wrongs and of the rights of
labor The workingman, nevertheless,
seems TO remain pretty much where his
non-toiling friends first found him. ex-
cept where he has himself set 90 work
10 carve out his own destiny IL is toa
perception Of this fact on the part OF
the wage Garner that we owe that UNI
willingness on his part to entrust his
destiny to friends, who, however wen
disposed they may be, can hardly know
his needs as wen as he him 4lf knows
them. It is surprising that this cir
cumstance is not more understood than
i is, The workingman is not child
who must have its way pointed out to
him. Labor is independent, self-reliant
and able to take care Of itself when
there is far field and no favor. Unfor-
tunately fair field and no favor IS the
great lack just now
Labor day, then, witnesses a great
resolve of the wage Garner to act for
himself. He will take independent POI
itical action and this fall and winter
enc eav0r to send worbingmen to rep
re,snt him in the halls of legislation.
1t i. not by utilization with any polit-
zeal party that industrial emancipation
is to be won. The workingman must
have his own class movement. The
great evolution that is to transform
our social system and finally abolish
wage slavery must be accomplished by
the workingman. And he will never
accomplish these things by asking
others to begin. IF you want thing
done, do it yourself, is as true in the
cause OF industrial democracy as in
any other concern Of life
For the rest, Labor day viii this year
be celebrated with unwonted vim and
enthusiasm. All over the land organ
lied worl,nrmen are making ready to
celebrate their holiday Thers will be
open air demonstrations spec, h maxi
ing and a display 81 interest never
equalled, probably, since Labor day
was instituted
Aud the future2 / deem it encour-
aging Labor has. it is true. met re
verses at the hands Of capital but the
conflict has not been one sided. and
above all, we have the future Every
day secs a more general perception OF
the truth in our country that If we
would remain free at all we must once
for all put down that form of slavery
which is more insidious than that abnl-
ished by industrial servitude.
not Toe the shadow of doubt
The industrial situation, while Sc
rious enough to warrant the appreheu-
sions Of all who have any interest in
the welfare of their country, is by no
means complicated. as too many affect
10 think, by the attitude of labor. Not
the attitude Of labor. but that of cap
ital, is precipitating the conflicts
which eliminate practically in scenes
such as SO recently drew the
worlds attention 10 Chicago. Those
scenes were, indeed, foretold AS far
back as lsss took occasion to say in a
report 20 the American Federation Of
Lrbor, that no man who has given the
question of strikes and the labor move
ment any thought. can look upon
strikes with favor, but 70 be continual
" condemning them Is entirely an
other thing. To know when 10 strike
and particularly when not to strike is
a science not vet fully understood. To
strike upon falling market, or being
insufFiciently organized, or, II organ
lied, not properly equipped with am
munition so necessary to a successful
strike-funds - is unquestionable the
height Of ignorance The story of the
strikes that may have failed Of their
Immediate objects, vet have prevented
reductions in wages and worse condi-
tians, will probably never De told