The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-02-18
Robert Hunter Writes Manv
Facts that Were Advocat-
ed by the Great Leader.

not continue. 10 secure to each
laborer the whole product of his
labor, or as near as possible, is a
worthy object of any good govern
ment.'
And again he says, "Our whole
species falls into three great class.
eS; Useful labor, useless labor and
1dleness. OF these the first only
IS meritorious, and to it all, the
products of labor ightfully belong.
But the two latter. while they ex-
lst, are heavy pensioners upon the
first, robing it of large proper
tion of it's just rights" +"
Has any Socialist ever stated
more clearly or forcibly the entire
contention of modern Socialism?
Lincoln's analysis Of economic in.
justice is matchless in its simplici-
ty, and his statement as to the
purpose of good government is an
economic and political program in
itself.
ITO secure to each laborer the
whole product of his labor,'' is all
nny Socialist, or Trade Unionist,
of workingmen anywhere de-
mands.
In the message 20 Congress, from
which / have already quoted, he
not only warned the people of re.
turning despotism, he also declared
with evident warmth that the eff
fort to place capital, even on an
equal footing with labor in the
structure of government should be
resisted to the last.
Knowing doubtless that labor
alone could be depended upon to
put forward that resistance, he
welcomed any sign of approaching
unity and organization among the
workers of the world.
To a committee of the first in
ternational in London, of which
Karl Max was secretary, he wrote
Il letter expressing his ardent
sympathy with those who aimed at
bringing together in one vast
fraternal and political union the
workers of the world.
And i'll a letter to the Work ing
mems Association of New York, in
1864, he urged wolkingmeu Ito
beware OF prejudices, division and
hostility among themselves.
"The most notable feature of a
disturbance in your city last sum-
mer was the hanging of some
working people by other working
people. 1t should never be so.
The strongest body of human
sympathy, outside of the family
relation, should be one uniting all
nations and tongues and kind
reds
Think one moment of these
words.
They are the words of Lincoln.
the greatest of our Presidents the
truest of our manhood, the noblest
of our kind
He says. 1.-THE strongest bond, y
That means stronger than the
bonds of patriotism. That means
stronger than the, bonds of party.
That means stronger than the
bonds OF human sympathy, out
side of the family relation shonlG
be one uniting all working people
of all nations and tongues anC
( kindredS.
/ o. We who labor, listen not tt
grating ward heelerS, nor to hypo
critical civic federations, nor tt
/ treachercuS politicians, nor to petty
and jealous fomenters of division
but to Lincoln who kindly. earnes
brave far-seeing man."
Listen. he said all that is to b.
said. Not one word need to b'
added and not one word can b
taken away" His program is this
to obtain for labor the full produc
Of its toll.
His polite is this: to obtain TO
labor masterly position in tn
structure of government
And his tactic is this: to unit,
with the love of comrades the work
ingmen of all nations and tongue
and kindreds-
And in this program. the pollti