Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-18
LABOR AND POLITICS
How the Former Can Be q Factor in
the Latter
INDEPENDENCE AT The POLLS
Strikes and Boycotts Fail, but the
Ballot Box Remains.
A LABOR LEADER VIEWS
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
The constant and (apparently) never to-
end agitation Of the tariff question, the So
| called campaigns Of education being carried
/ on by all Of the existing political parties
In which the masses are being taught that
| this policy or that, according to the stand
point from which the teacher is speaking.
Will bring about the long-looked-for but
acknowledgements Industrial millennium
the present business depression, and the
| ccmirg congressional elections, all combine
| to create an interest In what We might
| term the relation OF labor to politics." or
perhaps. better way to state il would be
| the duty Of politics to labor" The organi-
zation of nearly two millions of mechanics
| and laborers into trade unions and other
societies for the better protection Of their
| associated interests has made organized
labor an important factor in the politics of
the country. Politicians have long since
made this discovery, and the thoughtful
| ones among them, senator Palmer of
| Michigan put IL few years ago, have their
ears TO the ground, listening for the tread
| of the toilers. When legislation is PROPOSED
either In Congress or in the state legisla-
lures, the first query is, what enect will
this have on the labor vote at the next
election? When political CONVENTIONS meet
to select candidates for nomination the
question Is not what are this mans quail
fcatlons, mentally or morally, for this i'm
portant trust as a peoples Representatives
but II is, what would be his strength as a
candidate among the masses? Can he gel
the labor vote? OF course, there are other
considerations, but this is the first and
greatest among them all. The time was
and that not very long ago, when partisan
ship was stronger than patriotism, and the
omiLee of a party was elected because his
party was in the majority in the district
| PM sl,.,r 1,x~ A., &c.
sections of the country 1t has already be
come thing of the past.
Independence at the Ballot Box
The Independent voter is abroad in the
land, and independence of thought is rem
derins Independence at the ballot box an
easy matter among most men. No longer
than twenty years ago the discussion OF a
political question among workingmen was
scarcely known. TO introduce such a sub
Ject at a regular meeting OF a labor organi-
zation would have meant disruption. Let
The politicians take care OF the tariff aud
money questions" What do common Ia
borers know about such things?' were
common expi essions everywhere. This, OF
course, suited the professional politician,
ana that disposition Was encouraged. The
tarlK is mighty problem, and none but
great minds can grasp ii, = was the theory
taught, and this idea Is a prevailing one to-
day. That the arrangement Of a tariff
schedule which would be entirely just TO
all interests is a complex question no one
would for d moment contend; but that the
principles at issue between a policy of pro-
lection and free trade are difficult of ccm-
preheasion, Is mooted question.
Must Make His Choice.
The time has come however, when the
workngman must make his choice of GOV
ernmental policy in dealing with ali these
vital issues from his own judgment, after
haa ring hOf sides and
own deductions. There was a time in the
history of this country when a statemen;
made on tie stump by the average cam
pa!gn orator could be believed; but of re-
cent years the habit of telling a deliberate
falsehood by only telling half the truth has
been growing until will be seen by an
examination Of most of the speeches made
by stump orators the listeners are COM
PEELED to accept that which they know to
be true, and reserve Judgment on the rest
until they have an opportunity to look the
matter up All parties call il "a campaign
OF educaiina; a better name for il would
be IA campaign to instill into the minds
Of the people the idea that we are righ.
and that all the others are entirely wrong
In an address recently issued TO the
American people by Mr.. pehs and his as
sociate officers Of the American Railway
Union, all friends of the organized forces
of labor are appealed 10 to lay aside their
former party differences and affiliations, and
unite with the populists or peoples party
the affairs of the government. The reason
assigned is because the officers of the gov
eminent assisted the railroads to defeat
the workers In the recent great strike. 1t is
not my purpose TO discuss that question
here. But the enthusiasm which seems To
have greeted this address of the A. r. L
would indicate that there is a strong ana
growing sentiment among the members of
labor organizations to break away from
their former party associations and Join ir
some new movement for the purpose OF
Bringing about some of the reforms which
lie at the foundation of the labor reform
movement of today; for most of the thought
full leaders among the toilers have reached
the conclusion that these reforms can only
be secured and made beneficial through
wholesome legislation.
Reform by Legislation.
To secure this legislation requires that orr
laws shall be made by men whose aim
shall be the elevation of the masses. and
whose energies will be devoted TO devising
ways and means TO achieve this result I'm
the unequal contest between capital and la
Dor the latter deserves by far the highar
consideration" These are the words of
an American statesman whom al love and
delight to honor-Abraham Lincoln. And
yet Lincoln died before there was any op-
preston of free labor in the United States
and before trusts and combinations inturi-
Gus to the welfare of the masses were
known in America. Could he live today
there is little doubt that his voice wouId he
raised In advocacy of wise laws for the
better protection of the rights of the mass
as. and for the repeal of some of the vi
cious legislation already enacted under
which the classes thrive while the masses
suffer. The passage OF the Senate tarinf
bill the other day by the House of Rep
resertatives without discussion is an evt
dence of the dangerous point which we
have reached in our nations history a
few men get together and determine not
what is for the country's good, but what is
for the party's good, ami their will is blind
ly enacted into law, under the lash of a
party whip. What is true of the marty, in
power is true Of the minority party Wben
in power. This conduct is not stafesmsn
like and no government can continue 70
prosper under such vicious methods Of en-
acting legislation. Through an iatssIiyen,
discussion OF political questions the mil
lions of men in the ranks of orrs Mica 10
Dor are reaching this conclusion ana fhera
is quite likely TO be a change soon H..
best to bring about this change Is the nrob
lem which confronts labor at the nrssent
time. F"i'
Politics in Labor Organization.
The result of the great labor Strikes .,
1886 and the more recent organization 90
over 10000 lodges of the Farmers Auianoo
throughout the country has been the &C.