Workmen's advocate., January 01, 1887, Image 1

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

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ADVOCATE.
fjcw JJaucn, Connecticut, .Saturday, ii.muavy I, 1887
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ORGANIZED LABOR.
HOW CAPTAL REGARDS THE
VARIOUS BODIES.
The Conservative I'niniis Pruise
From Capitalists- The Changed
Position of the Knights of
Labor Uest Hated,
The SoeialisK
If intelligent workinginon were to
place confidence in the capitalist
press, they would probably come to
the conclusion, from reading the in
cendiary articles directed against la
bor organizations, that the labor
movement was about to collapse for
want of cohesion among the organ
ized bodies.
There are one or two things that
must strike the attentive observer as
significant: The persistent attacks
made by the organs of capital upon
the Socialists, and the evident en
deavor to foment discord between
the Trades Unions and the Knights
of Labor. "Divide and compter,"
has ever been the motto of the capi
talist class, which sees in the union
of workmen imminent danger to the
established order ' And the venom
of the reptile press is graded in re
spect to the various organizations ac
cording as their objects are favora
ble to the workers and relatively
dangerous to the exploiters.
Thus it is not strange that these
newspapers have unstinted praise for
the most conservative organizations,
such as Brotherhood of the Locomo
tive Engineers and the railway con
ductors' organization. These associa
; tions do not strike to better the con
dition of others, but confine them
selves to their own affairs strictly;
much less do they contemplate a
change of system. They seem to be
perfectly satisfied to perpetuate wage
slavery as long as they can command
tolerably decent wages for them
selves. And the bosses, regarding
them as the least dangerous, and
needing proletarians to Jill up the
gaps in their ranks, are sagacious
enough to keep them there by llat
tery and comparatively good wages.
Other conservative trades unions,
though not quite so docile as the
ones mentioned, are still not suffi
ciently advanced to demand and
work for radical changes. As long
as they Bimply contend for higher
wages, or against reduction of wages,
they can be borne with, for the cap
italists who employ them can easily
recover their relative position of su
periority by raising the price of com
modities, and the less fortunate class
of workers are compelled to "foot
the bill."
While the Knights of Labor occu
pied an aggressive position they came
in for considerable adverse criticism,
especially when' it was generally be
lieved by the capitalists that tha Or
der contemplated active participa
tion in politics. The assurance of
"prominent" Knights that the Or
der would not be used for that pur
pose, and the active opposition to
progress in that line by the General
Master Workman, seems to have al
layed their fears on that score.
Strikes, and even riots may be put
up with occasionally, political ac
tion, never. The result of this pol
icy of inactivity is a decided loss of
interest in the organization by its
members, and the capitalistic press
is now patting IWderly's back in a
manner that is quite friendly. His
opposition, or ,at least, neutrality,
in regard to Ute eight-hour move
ment last Spring, was also a friendly
turn which was highly appreciated
bv the bosses, and was thankfully
accepted.
The advanced trades unions, such
as form the major portion of the
Central Labor Unions in New York,
Chicago, Philadelphia and other
large cities, are looked upon by the
employing class with much distrust.
These unions have a large sprinkling
of active socialists among their mem
berships, and the result is that they
go deeper into the social questions,
and have displayed a decided pen
chant for independent political ac
tion. How the capitalist press en
treated them not to "throw their
votes away;" not to meddle with pol
ities. And aceordingas they follow
ed or rejected these entreaties they
were praised or denounced.
The Socialist Party, which as a
body never strikes, nor engineers
strikes, nor engages in active poli
tics, at least in this country, is nev
ertheless more hated by capitalists
than all the other workmen's organ
izations combined, if we may judge
from the expressions of the capital
ist press. The reason is that while
this organization is quietly prosecu
ting its work in a ligitimate way, the
results thereof must eventually pro
duce a public sentiment that will
arouse the people to a sense of their
enslaved condition, and, while the
capitalist system is thus being under
mined, the Socialistic Party is teach
ing the construction of a new order
of society that will wrest special
privileges from the hands of the few
and vest the people with the control
of all capital. There is good reason
why the narrow-minded little class
of capitalists hate the Socialists, but
this same reason should stand for the
respect, at least, of all who earn
their living.
LABOR PARTY-
Town Committee Meeting To-Morrow
Afternoon.
The members of the Town Com
mittee are requested to meet at their
new headquarters, Lamar Block,
Crown street, at 2 o'clock to-morrow
(Sunday) afternoon.
Ciias. Stodel, Chairman.
CINCINNATI IN LINE-
Tho Labor Party is augmented by
the action of Cincinnati working
men of various organizations. Last
week a massmeeting was held in
which l,r00 workers participated,
and resolved to call a convention for
the definite organization of a Labor
Party. Trades Unionists, Knights
of Labor and Socialists go hand in
hand here, according to the reports,
and this will guarantee a political
movement respectable both in prin
ciples and numbers.
OFF FOR ENGLAND.
Dr. and Aveling's Farewell -A Suc
cessful Tour.
By the time this reaches our read
ers the steamer bearing our late vis
itors. Dr. Avelingand his wife, will
be Hearing the English port. Our
comrades sailed from New York last
Saturday. On the Thursday even
ing previous to their departure, Dr.
Aveling made a report of the tour
before the New Yorkec Stion of the
S. L. P. He had visited forty-five
cities, and was well satisfied with the
result of his work. In every city he
had found enthusiastic and well ed
ucated socialists among the Ameri
cans, lie was quite confident that
the vail of ignorance would soon be
removed from the eyes of the Amer
ican workingmen, and Socialism
would be victorious inth.is country
and others simultaneously. Thank
ing the members of the Socialistic
Labor Party for their assistance in
his work, he closed his remarks by
expressing a hope that he might see
them asraiu.
PROVIDENCE SOCIALISTS.
An L'nglish-sjieaking branch, to
be known as No. 3 of Section Provi
dence, Socialistic Labor Party, was
organized last Sunday afternoon, at
Social Labor Hall, corner of Eiswald
and Bell streets. Temporary officers
were elected.
THE MERIDEN CONVENTION.
Owing to the failure of the chairman
of the district Convention of New Eng
land Sections, S. L. P., to hand in a reort
of the proceedings, the matter must be
deferred till next week.
LONDON'S UNEMPLOYED.
Socialists at Work A New Social
Democratic Club House,
Spivliil til t lit' Wiihkmicn'h AllVOCATK.
London-, Dec. VI. Yesterday
evening a meeting was held of the
officials and speakers of the London
branches of the Social Democratic
Federation to consider the next step
to bo taken in the unemployed agita
tion. It was (inally resolved that all
the branches should, on Jan. 1st, at
15 o'clock in the afternoon, lead a
procession of unemployed men and
women to the local authorities in
their respective districts to demand
that useful employment be found
for those out of work at reasonable
rates of wages. The unemployed
canvass made by some of the mem
bers of the Social-Democratic Fed
eration shows that about 40 per cent,
of the population in the poorer dis
tricts are unemployed.
On Friday evening a Social-Democratic
Club was opened under the
auspices of the Paddington and
Bayswater branch of the S. D. F.
An address was delivered by II. M.
I lyndman, which wa3 enthusiastical
ly received. A good concert and en
tertainment was given afterwards.
The cjub contains a large lecturo
hall, refreshment bar, reading room,
library, committee rooms, billiard
room, gymnasium, etc.
II. W. Lee.
SOCIAL POLITICAL NOTES.
At the last election in Washington
Territory, 15,000 of the 40,000 votes cast,
were those of women. This doesn't show
much lack of interest in public affairs on
the part of the female citizens.
George II. Tholtc, of Kentucky, the
Labof candidate for Congress, who was
"coi&ieu out" by the, "democratic" poli
ticiftnfl in the interest of their candidate,
Carlisle, will probably be the Labor nom
inee for mayor of Louisville.
The Frankfurter Zeitung announces
that several Socialists, including Deputy
Sabor, of the German Parliament, have
heeu ordered to leave Frankfort. The
monarchists are making extraordinary
efforts to "down" socialism, in vain.
Organized labor in Torre Haute, Ind.,
has scored a victory in the adoption by
the city council of a resolution making
eight hours a legal day's labor on muni
cipal work. A committee was appointed
to prepare an ordinance for its enforce
ment. On Christmas day the Socialists of
Brussels opened a co-operative market
and refreshment ball. Enthusiastic
speeches were listened to, and thesinging
of the Marseillaise was indulged in by a
large concourse of people. Socialism is
making a steady advance in Belgium.
The governmental persecution of So
cialists is carried on more vigorously
now than ever. At the election in Berlin
December 6, the socialist candidate made
a gain of about 700 votes. This was in
an aristocratic quarter of the city, and the
event has attracted much notice, as it
was thought that the precautions of the
government would preclude any con
siderable socialist vote certainly a so
cialist gain was farthest from the thoughts
of the aristocracy.
The mooted question of increasing the
effectiveness of .State Militia by the Na
tional Government has not failed to at
tract the attention of labor organizations
both in New York and Chicago, as well
as elsewhere. John McMackin, one of
the delegates to the New York Central
Labor Union, and chairman of the re
cent Henry George campaign, said :
"This is only part of the conspiracy
which manifests itself in the recent
stealthy consignments of Catling guns to
Chicago, and the secret midnight drilling
of the military in many of our cities.
The working people must le on the alert
now, for their power has beea establish
ed in many other places besides this
city." Last Sunday at the Central Labor
Union a visiting delegate from Oregcn
recommended the organization of trades
unions and K. of L. assemblies on a mil
itary basis for defense against capitalist
conspiracy of a warlike nature.
The capitalist papers are filled
with rumors about dissensions among
the Knights of Labor. New Haven
Knights do not seem to be specially
troubled about these rumors. There
aro Knighta and there are Knight3.
FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
I II lie Dcvcrcitx Hiake Calls For Ac
tivity ami Financial Aid.
The following circular has just
b'on issued by Lillie Dever"ii
Blake, president ! of the New York
State Woman SulTrago Association,
in view of the Constitutional Coii
vntioii soon to take place. Organ
Led Labor is interested in this move
ment, especially in New York, and
Jv'tcialists will do well to assist in a
fovement such as this, keeping in
view the importance of women's in
fluence in human affairs:
Fkuad:--This year is of more impor
tance to our cause than any other has
b 'en or can be in two decades.
A Constitutional Convention which
assembles only once in t wenty years, will
sit next summer in Albany. Its function
is to present to the people' of the Slate a
new Constitution. This new Constitution
of iss; ought to secure the right of
suffrage to all the citizens of the State,
without regard to sex.
The Legislature of this winter will
designate who shall vote for members of
this important body. It has the power
to extend this privilege to the woman of
the State on equal terms with men. It
is evident that success this winter means
trctory next summer.
Will you not in view of these facts
labor with renewed diligence for our
cause? Arrange for Suffrage meetings
and lectures in your vicinity, secure the
publication of articles in our favor in
your local papers, distribute leaflets, ob
tain signatures to our petition, and send
letters to your State Senators and Mem
bers of Assembly, urging them to vote
for a bill securing to us equal rights be
fore the Constitutional ( Nmvention.
Money will be needed to prosecute our
campaign. Aid us with your means as
far as possible; remember that freedom
once obtained there will be better oppor
tunities for all women to earn their own
support. In your holiday gifts forget
not to aid those who are laboring for
y ur enfranchisement.
Money may be sent and letters of in
jiry addressed tQ the headquarters in
this City (Now Vork), 110 Host 11th Street.
Let us stand together in one grand
effort that shall bring to us lilerty.
Lii.uk Dkvhheux Blake, Prvmdent.
"W. H." DEMOLISHED. "
I have just read No. 13 of tho
Wohkmkn's Advocate. The ar
ticle on Mrs. Landgraff is a hor
rible want of tact. Of course
we had to fight her as a capitalist,
but whether she was brutal as a man
or a woman was no business of ours.
We had to do with an employer; and
the closing paragraph is preposter
ous. Socialists are bound to fight
fur the enfranchisement of women,
not to slur those women who, more
revolutionary than Socialists of W.
H.'s narrow-minded sort, are striv
ing for liberty and equality for tho
majority of our citizens. As a mat
ter of fact women do form the ma
jority to-day; and there can bono
true equality until they obtain, not
the right of suffrage only, but social
and economic equality as well.
Then they will gladly "assume the
drawbacks attached thereto." As to
Mrs. Landgraff'8 "characteristic fe
male obstinacy," I might as well gen
eralize W. H.'s tone into "character
istic male presumption." But that
would be as false as his own general
ization. His article is colored mere
ly by W. H.'s own ignorance of the
first principles of Socialism, and
want of the spirit of liberty, equali
ty, fraternity. i'. k. v.
A VICTORY.
The horse car employes of the
city of Brooklyn scored a complete
victory last week through a well or
ganized and general strike, which
was brought to a close in one day by
the surrender of the . bosses,. The
men get a raise in their pay as well
as other advantages in the details of
their work. Besides, and most im
portant, the bosses recognize the ju
risdiction of the organization, the
Kmpire Protective Association. Fu
ture disagreements are to be submit
ted to arbitration if the bosses are
farced In circuiiixltuu to arbitrate.
The greatest reformer of the age was
the inventor of the bustle, whxh lias re
formed nearly every woman. I'hila,
Herald.
A SOCIALIST ABBE.
OLD TRUTHS FOR NEW ARCH
BISHOPS. "Fnl'ramhiscd Labor Will Become
Master of the World"-The An
gcr of Beasts ami Com
plaints of Vultures.
The Kabble.
While all the gossip i:i the capital
istic papers concerning the attitude
of the Woman Catholic church to
ward the labor movement in general
and the position of one of its divines
aneiit Henry George's theory on
Land, it is interesting to the student
to examine what has been the teach
ing of some of the wisest of the
church's oflicers in days gone by.
There have been men in the pul
pit who stood out above their fellow
priests to hold up the living truth
when at times it seemed to be in
danger.
Such a man was the Abbe de la
Mennais, who, in France in the last
century, braved the scorn of tho
rich and powerful. Let us quote a
few of his sayings translated about a
half-century ago by Nathaniel Greene
in Boston, who by tho way at tho
time said that it was then (I S3!)) ap
plicable to the people of Ku rope, who
were at tho time suffering from evils
and oppression, "which we have
happily escaped," little thinking
how soon it might apply to our peo
ple. "In passing through this world, as we
all pass, poor travellers of a day, I have
heard great lamentations: 1 have opened
my eyes and beheld unheard-of sufferings,
innumerable sorrows, . Humanity has
stood before me, pale, diseased, fainting,
covered with mourning garments that
were bespiinkled with blood, and I have
asked myself, is this man ? Is this he
such as God created him? But I soon
discovered that thesesulferingsand these
sorrows came not from God; that they
are the work of man himself, sunk in ig
norance and corrupted in his passions.
"Thou sayest, I am cold; and, to warm
thy attenuated members, thy masters
bind them Willi triple chains of iron.
Thou sayest, I am hungry; and they re
ply to thee, eat the crumbs swept from
our festal halls. Thou sayest, 1 am
athirst; and they answ er, drink thy learn.
Thou faintest under the burthen of thy
toils, and thy masters rejoice; they call
thy fatigues and thy exhaustion tiie nec
essary curb of labor."
The good Abbe depicted the ac
tion of those who oppose tho efforts
of the people to cast off the chains of
oppression in a manner which ap
plies to the politicians and high
priests of tho day. Of such he said:
The anger of these bad men, when the
weak shake off tbe chains that bind them,
is it not the anger of the ferocious lieast
with its struggling victim? And their
complaints, are they not tho complaints
of the vulture at the escape of its prey?
On the division of interests caused
by the inequalities of wealth, he
said :
"No rivalry is possible where there is
but one interest; neither can there be
dissensions. That which originates dis
sension, envy, hatred, is the insatiable
desire of possessing more and always
more, when one posses for himself alone.
Solitary possessions are accursed of heav
en. Incessantly irritating, they never
satisfy the desire of gain. That wealth
only which is shared can lie enjoyed."
He was equally clear in showing
how the inequalities were fostered,
as here:
"They have made laws for their own
advantage, and have maintained them
by force. On one side, power, wealth,
luxurious indulgence; on the other, all
the burthens ofsociety.
"In other times, without absolutely
depriving him of liiierty, they have ho
managed that almost the entire fruit of
bis laUr reverted to those who held him
in dependence. Complete slavery had
Is-en better for him. For the master at
least feeds, lodge-, and clothe his slave,
and nurses him in sickness, on account
of the jiecuniary interest he has in his
preservation. But be who Ixdoiigs to no
one is used only m long as a profit can
Is; drawn from him, after which lie is
left to suffer unaided. What is lie good
for w hen age and latior have consumed
his strength ? To die in the streets of
cold and hunger. Yet his aspect shocks
those who are enjoying all the pleasures
of life. Perhaps he bays to them as they
pass A morsel of bread for the love of
God! That is impertinent. He is there
fore taken up and thrown into one of
those unclean receptacles called alms
houses, where his misery is less obtru
sive. And of the destruction accompa
nying: "Klsew here distinctions have lieen
founded, not upon birth, but on wealth.
"How much do you possess? So much.
Take your seat at the social banquet: the
table is spread for you. Thou who hast
nothing, retire. Is there home or coun
try for the poor?
"The rabble, im the common people are
contemptuously called, individually en
franchised, have generally been the prop
erty of those who regulate the relations
between the members of society, the op
erations of industry, the conditions of
labor, its price, and the division of its
fruits. What it has pleased them to or
dain, they have named law; and the
laws have been for the most part only
measures of private interest, means of
augmenting and perpetuating the dom
ination and the abuse of the domination
of the few over the many."
On tho elements ol true democracy
he said to the wage-workers:
"You are the people: Know then what
is meant by this term, the people.
"There are men who, groaning under
the burthens of the day, incessantly ex
posed to the sun, to the rain, to the wind,
to all the vicissitudes of the seasons, cul
tivate the earth, deposit in its bosom a
portion of their strength and their life
with the seed that is to fructify, and
thus with the sweat of their brows obtain
the food necessary for all.
"Theses men are of the people.
"Others explore the forest, the quarry,
the mine, descending to immense depths
into the bowels of the earth, that they
may extract the materials indispensable
to the trades, the arts. These, like the
first, consume their life in hard labor for
the procurement of those things which
all need.
"These also are of the people.
"Others cast metals, fashion theni.and
give them the forms that adapt them to
a thousand varied uses; others work in
wood; others, spinning wool, flax and
silk, manufacture different stuffs; others
provide in the same manner for the dif
ferent wants arising directly from nature,
or from social life.
"These are of the people.
"Many, amid continual perils, cross
the seas, to transport from one country
to another those things peculiar to each;
or struggle against waves and tempests,
under the tropical tires as amid polar
ices, either to augment the common mass
of subsistence, or to draw from the ocean
multitudes of productions useful to man.
"These also are of the people.
"And who are they who take up arms
for their country, defend her, give to
her their liest years, their labor, and their
blood? Who devote themselves for the
security of others, that they may rest in
tranquil enjoyment of their liresidea?
Who are they, if not the children of the
people ?
"Some of them also, through a thous
and obstacles, impelled and sustained by
genius, develop and perfect the arts,
letters, and the sciences, softening man
ners and civilizing nations; surrounding
them with that transcendent splendor
which is called glory, and forming one
of the most fruitful sources of the public
prosperity."
11 is remedy, is decidedly socialistic.
Summing up the evils of society, he
searches for the causes.
"Whence comes evil in the material
order? Is it from the easy circumstances
of some? No, but rather from the desti
tution of others; from the fact that by
virtue of laws made by the rich for the
exclusive lenellt of the rich, they almost
exclusively profit by the labor of the
poor, thus rendered poorer and poorer.
What then is to be done ? We must se
cure to lalor an equitable portion of its
products; not by despoiling him who
already possesses, but by enabling the
destitute to acquire and enjoy by the
legitimate use of their physical and in
tellectual powers.
"Now, how shall this be accomplished ?
By two means: by the abolition of the
laws of privilege and monopoly; and by
the diffusion of capital, which renders
the instruments of labor accessible to all.
"Enfranchised labor, master of iUielf,
will become master of the world; for
labor is the action of Humanity, accom
plishing the work which the Creator has
given it in charge.
"Working men, take courage then; be
not wanting to yourselves, and God will
not bo wanting to you. Each of your
efforts will produce its fruit, will be at
tended by by an amelioration of your
condition, whence other and greater
ameliorations will spring, and from
these yet others, until the time when the
earth, refreshed and regenerated, shall
be like a Held w hose harvest is peacef ully
gathered and shared by a family of
brothers."
The organized barbers of New
York are contemplating the estab
lishment of co-operative barber
Bhops in various parts of the city.
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