Workmen's advocate., December 19, 1886, Image 1

About Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
, .. " 1 ,,v
'. .
I
'I. A
ft ADVOCATE,
WOfWEpfS
! i
i I
1 5
'1?.
I1
H ',;
rV.
Second Scat, Xo. 12
TROUBLOUS TIMES.
GREAT DISTRESS AMONG THE
ENGLISH MASSES.
Socialist Demonstration in Favor of
the Unemployed Striking the
Prime Minister Social
Democratic Progress.
Ruck-Rent intf.
Spuulul to tilt' VVollli Nl KS's A IIVIH'ATK.
Los don, Dee. The Socialist
movement is making rapid strides
in this country. The wonderful
success which attended our demon
stration in Trafalgar Square, on No
vember 1st, has given us a great
impetus. Such a demonstration has
never before been held in Trafalgar
Square. More than 100,000 persons
were present. The square was lit
erally packed' with human beings,
while crowds thronged the neighbor
ing thoroughfares. The enthusiasm
was very great, and the orderly man
ner in which out-contingent marched
into and away from the square,
greatly impressed the spectators as
it showed the power and discipline
of the organization. At the com
mencement cf the meeting a depu
tation was told off to go to Lord
Salisbury s house in Arlington street.
Of course the Tory Prime Minister
was not at home, and the deputation,
after leaving a memorial containing
the proposals of the Social-Democratic
Federation for the alleviation
of the present distress, withdrew,
protesting against Lord Salisbury's
absence in a matter of such grave
importance.
On returning to the Square, where
the meeting was being carried on,
the members of the deputation went
to their respective platforms to re
port what bad taken place at Ar
lington street. The announcement
that Lord Salisbury had chosen to
dine at Hatfield instead of receiving
in person the deputation of unem
ployed workers, was received with
shouts of indignation from the thou
sands assembled, and a resolution in
that sense was passed. The police,
both foot and mounted, were pres
ent in full force, but as they did not
interfere no disturbance occured to
mar the proceedings. The military
and cannon, which had in the first
instance been ordered to be held in
readiness, were not brought out.
As a matter of fact, the laugh which
was raised at this action when our
letter to Sir Charles Warren, ridi
culing these preparations and offer
ing to provide a Social-Democratic
guard for the cannons in case they
might burst, appeared in the public
press, compelled the authorities to
disavow their first intentions.
Lord Salisbury's reply to the me
morial, which came a few days after,
was worthy of the class of which he
is the representative. lie stated
that it was his opinion that the pro
viding of useful labor by which the
starving unemployed might tempo
rarily gain a livelihood, the reduc
tion of the hours of labor to eight
a day in all government establish
ments, the cultivation of waste
lands, the erection of artisans' dwel
lings on vacant spaces, &c, would
only increase the prevailing distress!
AYe are now drawing up a manifesto
refuting this absurd statement on
the part of the Prime Minister.
The members of the London
branches of the S D. F. (there
are now twenty in working order)
are also making a house to house
visitation in the poorer districts for
the purpose of collecting statistics
of those in and out of work. Armed
with the reliable information which
we shall obtain by these means we
shall resume our agitation on behalf
of the unemployed.
In the provinces we are likewise
making progress. On ef our best lec
turers, T. Mann, the author of the
pamphlet on the "Light Hour
Working Day," has been sent by us
to Birmingham and district, lie
has succeeded in establishing a
strong branch at this important cen
ter, and has held most enthusiastic
meetings. He has also held meet
ings at Wolverhampton. Millcnhall,
and other towns in the neighbor
hood, and has received a warm wel
come. From Glasgow, the great
industrial center of Scotland, our
comrades have formed branches, at
Edinburgh, Coalbridge, (ireenock
and Paisley. At Northampton our
members have displayed great ener
gy in the unemployed agitation.
They have waited on the magistrate,
the mayor, the guardians, the ves
tries. iVc, to enforce the right of the
victims of our present capitalist so
ciety to live by useful labor. Fend
ing the decision of the local authori
ties they started collecting funds by
means of subscription lists for the
benefit of the unemployed. Some
of those who took part in this were
illegally and arbitrarily arrested as
vagabonds by order of the Chief
Constable of the town. Orders have
been issued that all those found col
lecting money for the unemployed
are to be at once arrested, and treat
ed as vagabonds. Vet nothing is
done against those who are con
stantly visiting houses, appealing for
funds for charitable purposes got up
by the middle class. The reason of
this is, of course, clear. The domi
nant classes do not fear the effect of
charity; they do the effect of Social
Democracy. Troublous times are in store for
Ireland. The Tory Government
true to its aristocratic traditions, in
tend to uphold the extortionate de
mands of the landlords by force.
Meetings have been held. Meetings
have been proclaimed and arrests
made. Coercion reigns supreme.
The General Council of the Social
Democratic Federation passed last
night at their meeting a resolution
of sympathy with the -Irish,' and
pledged the body to aid them in
their resistance to the oppression of
the Tory Government and the grasp
ing exactions of rack-renters.
II. W. Lek.
NEW
ENGLAND DISTRICT,
S. L. P.
The united Sections of the New
England States will hold a. district
meeting by delegates at Meriden,
December r.'.jth, at 10 a.m. The
following will be the order of busi
ness: 1. Semi-anual report on meniliership
anil Finances.
2. Jiesult of the Liebknecht-Avelirig
Propaganda Tour.
!i. Affairs of Ikr SozhtlM and the
Workmen's Advocatk.
4. Participation in Elections,
f). Lund and Labor Clubs.
0. Agitation.
7. Proposition of the Adams (Mass.)
Section to amalgamate both New Eng
land Districts.
8. Miscellaneous business.
Communications in reference to Dis
trict matters should be addressed to Paid
Zunmermann, P. O. li?ox 154N, New Ha
ven, Conn.
CREATING SYMPATHY.
A ragged boy threw a stone at one
of the windows of the German Im
perial Palace and broke a pane of
glass. The poor devil was arrested
and the people had a grand opportu
nity to display their loyalty, which
they improved by shouting "Es lebe
der Kaiser!" There is a striking
similarity between this little episode
and the alleged poisoning of Chica
go's Hog Kaiser, Armour. The
wages of the "miscreants" are prob
ably regulated according to the iron
law of supply and demand.
NEW YORK LABOR LYCEUM.
Friends visiting the metropolis
may find pleasure and instruction at
the Labor Lyceum, conducted by
the American Section, S. L. I'., ev
ery Sunday evening, at 8 o'clock, at
'93 lowery, where interesting lec
tures and debate are the order.
"Maria," said her father, "William
asked me for your hand hist night, and
I consented." "Well, pa, tliat's the first
hill of mine you haven't objected to."
A'etr York Sun.
T,cw JIaucu, (Connecticut, JS
THE PROPOGAND1ST TOUR.
Sringllelil and ( inciniuui. Ohio, and
Pittsburg. Pa., Visited by Dr.
and Mrs. Aveling.
The meeting held last Sunday
(5th Dec), at Black's Opera House,
Springfield, ()., was a remarkably
interesting one. To begin with,
there is perhaps no town in America
where the capitalist bosses so openly
and unblushingly tyrannize over the
workmen whom t hey are robbing.
Every man and woman who took
part in organizing this meeting for
the Avelings knew they risked in
stant dismissal if "found out," and
to lose employment with the winter
setting in, and the certainly of being
blacklisted is no slight thing for
men with families to face. But that
the brave little band of Springfield
Socialists did face it; that they did
everything in their power to as
sure! their visitors a hearty welcome,
goes without saying.
The meeting, though not a very
large one, was fairly well attended
by workingmen and women, promi
nent among them being the chief
K. of L men in the place. These
and the Socialists have so far never
worked together, and there had in
deed been some hostility between the
two parties, duo partly to the mis
conception of the Knights with re
gard to our movement, and partly
to the fact that some of the Spring
field Socialists had not thought it
worth whilo explaining matters to
their K. of L. fellow workmen.
That the differences between the two
were entirely due to these two
causes, the result of the meeting tes
tified. The Avelings entered into a
very careful and clear exposition of
the fundamental meaning of Social
ism, explaining both its ultimate
aims and its methods, and showing
how the K. of L. if they but studied
their own platform would see that
they are to all intents and purposes
Socialists, and must sooner or later
join the ranks of the Socialists, and
the sooner they did this the better
for them.
To the astonishment and satisfac
tion of both lecturers and local So
cialists, after the meeting some
twenty K. of L., among them their
Master Workman, Mr. Macdonald,
came up to the Avelings and assured
them they had never before under
stood what Socialism meant. They
had believed it was the same thing
as the bomb-throwing, anti-political,
anti-organizing Anarchists, with
whom they were not in sympathy.
The fact that Socialists want an or
ganized Labor Party, with a pure
Labor Platform, was something new
to them, but henceforth they will
work heartily together with the So
cialists, and many will join the
American section to be started then!.
The "platform" of the S. L. 1'. was
eagerly sought for, and K. of L. will
undertake to distribute it among
their fellow Knights, and will also
try to push the sale of the Wouk
mkn's Advocatk. Though they
have run no small risks in getting
up this meeting the Springfield sec
tion of the S. L. P. feels the risk
was worth running, ami are delight
ed with the good results of the lec
tures. Their only regret is that the
Avelings were unable to remain
lom; euough for getting up a second
meeting.
On Wednesday evening, the Co
lambs meeting having fallen
through, the Avelings used their
"holiday to get up an evening of
music and recitations at Cincinnati,
which afforded much pleasure to the
many people who attended at the
Turner Hall, Walnut street. The
music was very good, and the recita
tions of our guests from English and
American authors raised the great
est enthusiasm. But the evening
was not given up wholly to amuse
ment. Before separating all Ameri
can and all English-speaking men
and women present were invited to
give in their names for forming an
American section of the S. L. 1.
This was responded to by fourteen
. k V X. M. . . M "" ' 1 ill ummmmmmm urn WHMBMHm-BBMHMM-BMM-MMMa
'''WP' 'fy others inqtiirei
Nlioja iIIhj 'regular 'meeting plan
woulefbo, as they intend to join next
week, not having time to wait that
night ;Jtl enroll themselves at the
somewhat late hour.
On d'l'iday, December 10th, a
meeting was held at Pittsburg at
Lafayette II all. If was not a very
large one, which is the more surpris
ing when wo take into consideration
the fart that the workingmen are
here a larger percentage of the whole
,opulation than perhaps in any oth
er town. And yet it. is not so sur
prising as it looks. These poor men
are so worn out, so exhausted after
the long day's heavy work that to
reep home and sleep is all they can
care for. But there is no reason to
despair. A small start among the
Americans has again been made,
and we hope soon to report a good
Section of the S. L. P. here. An
other reason for our being of good
cheer is. that at the very same hall
where the Avelings spoke to some
l.'iO people the old Abolitionists held
thfir lirst meeting, and as an old
American stated, to far smaller au
diences. The old Abolitionists nev
ertheless were victorious, and chat
tel slavery is a thing of the past.
Our old abolitionists will achieve
victory also, and wage-slavery also
will be a thing of the past.
Three or four big Pittsburg bosses
called at the Avelings' hotel late in
the evening after the meeting, and
admitted the present system is un
just, thought Socialism "Utopian,"
and that a graduated income tax
would settle everything! What great
movement has not at some time been
called Utopian? We eaiuinly hope
these good bosses may live to see the
practicability of Socialism!
During the past week the Ave
lings lectured at Williamsport, Bal
timore, Washington and Wilming
ton (reports of which appear in next
number), and then returned to New
York, where a meeting will be held
on this (Sunday) evening. On the
'l"A the Avelings expect to sail for
England.
LABOR NOTES.
The printers of Yiiicenncs, Ind., have
organized a union.
A Ladies' Assembly was organized in
Terre I laule last Thursday. A consider
able proportion of those joining the K.
of L. in Indiana..
PiAI,Timoi:i:, Dec. 11. It is reported
here that a secret circular lias been issued
hy Powderly ordering the withdrawal of
iialtiinoie delegates from the Federation
of Trades.
During the past week the workingnien
of New York have heen absorbed in the
fair which their lady friends arranged for
the purpose of raising funds to purchase
a press for the lt'(tlt'r. As we go to
press the fair is in progress and looks
like a grand success. H may be contin
ued during part of the coming week.
(5KKKNKVII.I.K, Pa., Dec. I J. A union
has been formed here by domestic serv
ants for the purpose of advancing their
wages lifty cents a week. Any girl re
fusing to join the union is to be boycot
ted, us are the merchants who refuse, to
pay the higher wages. The girls are
united in tin; movement, and ho far have
gained their point. The movement is
looked upon with considerable amuse
ment, but no one seems inclined to op
pose the action of the girls.
Yoi'xi.stow x, O., Dec. H. All the
leading coal mines in this locality are
idle, with little prospect of a settlement,
the men coming out U-cause of the refu
sal of the operators to concede an ad
vance of ten cents s-r ton in accordance
with the decision reached at the miners"
convention held here hist Wednesday.
Several small country banks, employing
only a few men, are still running. The
miners at Mineral Hidge, west of here,
are working on condition that if oilier
miners are t;iven the advance they are
also to receive it. The outlook indicates
a long strike.
PROBABLE TIE-UP.
Owing to the blacklisting of street
railroad employes in New York,
there is great dissatifaction among
them, and if an attempt at amicable
settlement proves unsuccessful there
is a prospect of a general "tie-up."
The idea of trying to organize an
Ameri'-an Section of the socialistic
Labor Party, grew out, of the im
pulse given to the Socialistic move
ment here by the recent, visit to St,
Paul and Minneapolis of Dr. Ed
ward Aveling and his wife. Conse
quently the (ionnuu and Scandina
vian followers of that movement
called a meeting Sunday afternoon,
November '.'1st, in .Minneapolis, for
the pur lose of organizing an Ameri
can Section, and the speakers were
Messrs. Evert Nynianover and A.
Becker. Seven gentlemen signified
their desire to join the Party. They
did not, however, organize until
Sunday afternoon, November '.'Mh,
after addresses by Messrs. Otto
llaese, (iellerup and Evert Nynian
over. Tint following gentlemen were
elected as officers on the Executive
Board in the new American branch:
Mr. A. E. Cardner, organizer; Evert
Nynianover, secretary; . (iiiiider
son, treasurer; and I'. (iellerup
financial secretary. After this the
meeting adjourned until December
"th, when the new Section had a
meeting together with the (ierinans
and Scandinavians.
December P.'tb, the American
Section had another mass meeting
in Martin's Hall for the purpose of
discussing the Constitution of the
Socialistic Labor Party, when Prof.
Morcy, (iellerup and Nynianover
were the principal speakers. The
audience was large, and much inter
est was taken in the discussion of
Socialism. The movement has evi
dently a great future in this State.
Satisfaction was expressed in re
gard to the Wokkmbs's Ahyocatk,
and solid support promised. It is
intended to organize Sections all
over the State the coming year,
DEATH OF BECKER
(ilcSKVA, Dec. 11. John Philip
Becker, the revolutionary hero with
sword and pen, died to day at tin
age of sevent-seven years and nine
months.
This aged revolutionist was born in
Frankenthal, (Jermany, and was one
of the most active revolutionists of
1S18, who failed of their object,
namely, the overthrow of monarchy,
lie assisted Garibaldi in 18(iO, and
has lived in Geneva ever since lNli'J,
where he founded and edited the
i'orxie, besides printing a large
number of social-political tracts.
His portrait hangs on the West wall
of Trades Council Hall in this city.
POLITICAL.
The City and To;vn Committee of
the Labor Party her i is busy settling
up old accounts. nd making ready
for the reorganization of the politi
cal forces. I luring the past week
several of the wards organized per
manently, though we. only have the
particulars from two of them.
The Ninth Ward has been the
lirst in this city to report a perma
nent organization. . The members of
the Labor Parly of the Ninth Ward
will meet regularly on the fourth
Sunday of each month at 145 Dix
well avenue. Then there is a com
mittee of ten on organization and a
committee of three on platform and
tactics.''
The Third Ward liidependen club
met Thursday night and elected
dcli'iratcs to conference. It was
the sense of the meeting to dispense
with permanent chairman and to
elect chairman for each meeting.
Old officers hold over until this is
settled. Members contributed t.'l)
to help pay election expenses.
Those person w ho voted the Inde
pendent Libor ticket and who are
willing to subscribe to the plat
form adopted by the Labor Party in
tlm recent election and residing in
the Eighth Ward are requested to
meet at Trades Council Hall next
Wednesday evening, December :.''.',
to effect permanent organization in
the ward.
DUFIXITE ACTlfl
BROAD GENERALITIES OFl
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
('. S. (iriftln Criticizes T. V. Von
ly's Tactics A (iootl Lender
Public Sentiment, But a
Peer Leader of Men.
(irent Setback.
Early in the spring, or the latter
part of last winter, when the Knights
were booming in atieipation of May
1. Mr. Powderly issued an order to
organize no more local assemblies
for the present, for they were boing
organized faster than they could be
equipped, and there must be a halt
until the General Assembly could
get up with its work, and could fix
some safeguards against abuses aris
ing from this rapid growth. About
the same time !.o issued this order
within the organization he published
a proclamation to the world in which
he declared that the Knights of La
bor would take no part in the eight
hour move fixed for May 1.
This was a great surprise and set
hack to about every Knight who had
joined the Order since tlio trades
unions fixed May I as the day for
the strike. They saw then that
through their own or somebody's ig
norance or stupidity, or somebody's
corruption, they had been led to join
the wrong organization. Mr. Pow
derly, seeing that this misunder
standing had created confusion and
feeling, took special care that it
should not occur again, and there
fore in his address at, Richmond dis
tinctly declared that the Knights of
Labor would, with his consent, make
no eight-hour moves until ten hours
had been established throughout
the country.
The strike at Chicago was evident
ly based on a misunderstanding of
Mr. Powderly 's present opposition
to any eight-hour moves. lie did
not even recommend that where
eight hours had been established it
should be sustained.
I would be the last person to ac
cuse Mr. Powderly of dishonesty, for
I believe him to be a strictly honest
and upright man, and that ho is
broad-minded and an able leader of
public sentiment there can bono
question; but as broad-minded men
are apt to do, ho generalizes every
thing and makes nothing special
and definite. For this reason
Mr. Powderly is worthless as
an executive officer. He neglects
every definite, direct action and
turns everything into worthless gen
eralities, with the misguided notion
that that is the way to reach the
good of the great whole. An honest
man, a good leader of public senti
ment, but a worthless leader of men,
must be the verdict of history upon
Mr. Powderly.
Men cannot be induced, for any
extended period, to stick to an or
ganization, much less join it, and
steadily pay dues and assessments,
without seeing some definite point
they are working at. And more,
each man wants to know that there
is at least one point ahead that is
going to benefit him in person, and
he wants to know what that point is
and when and how it is expected to
be reached. Any leader of any or
ganization who overlooks these facts
will not long have organization to
lead.
Men like to listen to a broad gen
erality, for it is the premise to many
definite actions. But men think
they have done enough when they
have listened to generalities. A
generality is something a man will
not invest much money in.
Laborers cannot be expected to
organize or sustain their organiza
tion if their conventions fail to mark
out definite labor policies, or poli
cies tint fail to reach home to the
heart and the interest of each man.
Denver Labor Enquirer.
1W 11
-A
:1
V
!
'Ji
a
I
1
'1