Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-09-09
LABOR AND POLITICS
WHAT WENDELL PHILLIPS TOLD THE
WAGEWORKERS

More Than Thirty Years AGO nc
Advocated Organization For the
ToiIcr and His Entrance Into the
| Political Field.
Wendell Phillips life was spent In
battle against wrong and oppression Of
every kind, says Charles Il. Russell In
the New York American.
The moysnent against African siav-
cry he regarded as only part Of the
greater movement for the emancipation
| of all men that toll. Most of the other
abolitiOnists were content to rest when
African slavery was abolished, as II
that were the end, whereas Wendell
Phillips looked upon it as an incident in
the worldwide struggle. Success and
the war had thrown about the others
of the anti-slavery band pleasing
halo of responsibility. From being de-
nounced, villfied, lied about. Ostracized,
pillOried as peslilent agitatOrs, disturb
ers of social order, men that were try
ing to arouse class against class, low,
vile creatures, they had found tolera-
ton and even some degree of applause
The agreeable change was too much
for the moral stamina Of ordinary men.
But Phillips never cared what people
said about him. He was the one man
of his time that could not be reached
bought, silenced, controlled, intimi-
dated, cajoled, Influenced or provided
for" He was not deceived about con-
ditions because the respectable ele-
ments" were all against him. He cared
nothing for public Office. hence he could
not be approached with offers of prefer
ment. He had no ambition for wealth.
hence it was not possible to arrange for
him any nice jobs as counsel for this
railroad or that merger company or
the other thieving trust. He was ut
terly Indifferent to the verdict of So
ciety, hence it was impossible to COW
him by threat Of social ostracism. He
would have his say, and nothing could
stop him. All the reactionary elements
could do was to hate him and lie about
him. and they fulfilled both duties with
careful, patient industry.
No sooner was the question of Afri-
can slavery out of the way than Phil
lips took up the labor question, of
which he conceived the African ques-
ton to be but a, part. With his usual
unerring intelligence he put his finger
straight upon the two possible remedies
for the existing evils of the growing
absorption of all wealth and power into
the hands of a few.
These remedies were tile perfect or
ganization of labor and the entrance of
organized labor into politics.
He declared again and again that
otherwise there was no possible hope
for the republic. He said that unless
the workingmen of America became a
factor in politics. organized, equipped,
determined, the Country would inevita-
bly, drift into an oligarchy Of wealth.,
governed absolutely by the corpora
tons. This was more than thirty years
ago, when even many men prepared to
20 along with him thought his prophe-
cies too pesslmistic. We have seen
every one of them so verified that he
seems row like an inspired seer.
1t was through the influence of Phil
lips that the first labor reform conven-
ton ever held in this country was
called. 1t met at Worcester, Mass.
Sept. 4, 1871. Phillips presided and
presented the resolutions, of which, 1t
seems needless to say, he was the au-
thor. They were the strongest express
sion of radical labor faith that had ever
appeared in this country. They de-
ciared in the plainest terms unending
war against the system of wage slav-
cry, war for an eight hour day, war
against the corporations, war against
government aid to private fortunes,
war against conditions that doom one
third of the human race to want and
misery.
In presenting his resolutions Mr.
Phillips said:
81 regard the movement with which
this convention is connected as the
grandest and most comprehensive or
the age. And l choose my epithets de-
liberately, for l can hardly name the
idea in which humanity Is Interested
which l do not consider locked up In
the success of this movement OF the
people to take possession of their own