The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-08-25
LABOR pARrys DECLARATION

f'fifNf
~ sounded the death knell - human
slavery on the American continent
When organized labor presented it, bill
ot grievances with these memorable
words, But u perclaanee you de not
heed us, we shall appeal 10 tie con
science and support u our fellow cite
zens, the shaekles 81 political servifnde
were broken and the dawn " political
freedom shed IL first faint light on the
industrial armament 81 our country, and
the toiling masses Of humanity therein
Between the fight 81 Lexington and the
surrender at Yorktown there were years
of suffering and often defeat From the
thunder All FORT HHrnpteT Ia the silence
~ Apppmatsox weary years corrugated
with misery lntersened, and from labor's
declaration 81 independence I'll the full
orb fulfllimeut 81 ne principles euunei-
ated therein, years 81 encouragement
may elapse. bat the final results viii
b. the complete triumph 81 labor meas,
ures, which Il but another name for
the political rights which are ours and
justice which has been denied Us.
Ihs first article VI labor'e declaration
reads rs follows
Resolved. flat the American ieders.
tion of labor most firmly and unequiTo-
cally fayors the independent use u the
ballot by the trade anion5sts and work
men, united regardless Of party, that We
may elect men from ON own ranks
10 make new laws and administer them
along the lines laid down ii The legis
lathe demands III the American fedora
ti0n 81 labor, and ST the same time
secure an impartial judiciary that will
nat govern ns by arbitrary ininnetiOns
of the courts, non oct Az TIE plant tools
of corporate wealth.
Resolved. that as eur efforts are cen
tered against all forms of industrial
slavery and economic wrong, we must
also direct our utmost energies to re-
move ail forms OF political serYitude aud
party slavery, 70 the end that the work
ing people may act al 4 unit at the
polls IL every election,
And III line therewith VIE hope and
have The right ID expset, II arouse the
citizenship Of our common country, I'M
terested ID good government. 10 The ap.
athy or hostility 81 the party in power
70 the real interests 81 the people 80
that men more honest, faithful and pro-
Rressiye may be elected az the peoples
Representatives.
We recommend that central bodies and
local unions proceed without delay BY
The election u Delegates To meet IN con.
ference, Of convention, ~ formulate
plans 10 further the interests of this
movement, and ID accordance with lie
plan herein outlined vi the proper time
and ID the proper manner nominate can.
didates who will anqnestioDablv stand
for the enactment into Jaw 81 labor and
progressive measures
No movement Of such stupendous mag.
nitnde could be expected 10 pass with.
out criticism aud 70 our critics that
grand old leader of labor's hosts, Sam
uei Gompefe, replies, and IN part sayss
we would suggest thar they tell liz
what theg think 81 The labor group IN
the British house Of commons and 81
the British labor In politics movement.
What are fhe lessons Of that move
mentg Does the British labor situa
ton encourage OF discourage political
action on the part 81 intelligent labor,
conscious III Is power and its needs
Come, gentle friends, give an honest
answer ID these questions Have you
heard 81 tile trades union bin which
hRs passed the hpuse 81 commonsf Have
YOU heard Of any opposition 70 itG II
not, why mott
Would The workmen Of Great Britain
be as influential as they nov are il
! they had voted and elected Tories and
sham Liberals to the house Of com.
moHsi
Government il not platonic. 1t rep.
fesents dominant interests II legis.
lates for those who afe strong enough
70 command respect for their wishes.
What did organized labor get from
congress- II was Interested 10 several
bills. II afRlind, presented data, attend.
ed hearings When the session came
10 an end, what was the net result oi
I this work There was no result ft<
/ eiglt,hour bill, the multiplication bill
and other bills tending 10 the protection
Of the rights and lives n men, women
and children had again been iiggled
| with, but none ~ them passed, aud there
was no prospect u any satisfactory ac'
tion on any Of them III the nest ses.
sion.
The game Is IN old one. The pres
I
its predecessors Organized labor i
weary Of these delays and false pre-
lenses Il Is determined 10 make III
wishes respected, Is voice heard,
For the ioilers 20 occasionally show
their teeth Il more effective than Il
continually below their throats sore
over the Old political party hacks who
are owned body, boots and brooches BIZ
corporate power and predatory wealth.
and since IN adopting this course al
least for this campaign organized labor
does what EVERY other element in thu
country il doing and has been doing
since the first days Of the government
Is It not folly as well A. hypocrisy Il
affect pain and surprise az hbor's tao
ticag
fIhere arr some politicians and edit
tors who assure each other that what
1 ever labor ought 70 do II viii not carry
~ fight into politics, and no congress
man need be uneasy over the threat
To hold him to account for his action,
or failure 90 act.
In the meantime, men Of labor, b,
up and doing.
Elect union men wherever You ear
70 congress, and state legislatures.
IN consonancr with The request of thu
\ American federation ~ labor every loca
Of organized labor IN our city helt
meetings and unanimously voted to en-
dorse the programme outlined By The
labor movement Of the country and IN
stTueted THEN delegates TO the centra
labor body 70 carry their wishes int,
effect, 4 convention Of labor was held
q standard bearer was nominated Il
carry our banner. That banner i nov
horne aloft, it II ours; Il represents lis
Follow il Loyalty, faithfully Ga iii
folds il the declaration d our right