Workmen's advocate., February 19, 1887, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
PI
ADVOCATE,
Jthlvd iUav, Ito 8
fcun, (ffomuctlcnt, &;ituvtl;ui. 3j bvuixvy 19. 1887
xla 3 Cent;
DEM) MEflTS 11ULE
LAW IN RELATION TO CRIME
AND TO PROPERTY.
Extracts from the "Theory of Human
Progression" Legislation by
Capitalists Law ('an not
Make a Crime, Nor
Land Property.
One striking fact is apparent in
considering the past history of laws
with regard to crimo and property.
The laws with regard to crimes have
been considered alterable; the laws
with regard to property have been
considered unalterable.
One generation of legislators and
rulers made an action a legal crime;
but the next generation did not, on
that account, consider it self-bound
forever so to esteem it. On the con
trary every generation of legislators
has considered itself at full liberty
to alter, revise, amend, and abolish,
such laws, accord ins to its own
iudgment.
Hut with regard to the States' gift
of lands it has been quite otherwise.
The deeds of past rulers have
been supposed to extend to all future
generations: and the doctrine now
nrevalent. that the lands, once
alienated by the state's gift, could
not be reassumed by the nation
without a breach of equity without,
in fact, committing that crime ab
horrent in the eyes of the aristoc
racy "attacking the rights of prop'
erty."
This discrepancy is at once ex
plained, when we reflect that legis
lators have been for the most part
landlords themselves, or those so
immediately connected with their
interests, that the government was,
to all intents and purposes, a land-
lordocracy. But the question stil
occurs, and must occur again ana
again; "If the acts of past rulers
were not morally permanent with re
gard to crime, how can they possibly
be so with regard to property "
We have now to show that crime
and property are not distinct; in
fact, that, so iar as regards legisla
tation, they are identical; and that
the laws for States grants, which
are, in fact, nothing else than laws,
although this fact is overlooked) re
garding landed property are neither
more nor less than laws regarding
crime. Property is usually regarded
as an obiect as something essenti
ally distinguished from action. Yet
we shall undertake to show that
action alone is concerned, and that
nil laws regarding properly are
merely laws regarding action. Anc
if we succeed in doing this, we have
unhinged the superstition that pre
vails on the subject of landed prop
erty.
The apparent hopelessness of el
fecting any radical change in the
nmsent svstem. and the lear 01 ad
vocating ("wild") doctrines, hav
both exerted an influence in repres
sing investigation. This apathy.
however, cannot long continue
Whatever may be the result the in
vestigatiou cannot fail to be made
We now undertake to show that the
gift of land by the State is nothing
more than a law affecting action
and, consequently, is of the same
character as alaw relating to crime,
And if so, it must follow the genera
course of the laws relating to crime
and if those laws are not morally
lH-rmanent, neither is the State i
gift of land morally permanent, but
may be revised, amended, or aooi
isfted, exactly in the same manner as
a law affecting crime. Neither the
one nor the other is one atom more
valid, or more binding on account
of legislation. They are right now,
or wrong now, wholly and solely ac
cording to their own merits. The
law cannot make a crime, although
the law may call an action by this
name, and treat it as such; and the
law cannot make a portion of land,
projierty, although it may call it
property.
Both crime and property are ali
enor to law, and superior to it; and
t was not to make either the one or
he other, but to prevent the one
and protect the other, that legisla
tive law was called into existence.
jaw is not tho moral measure of
right and wrong; but the rule of
ractice of the policeman, constable,
ailer, judge, sheriff and hangman;
and until law is absolutely perfect,
there is a canon higher than the
canon of law, and one more valid
and staple the canon of reason to
which law itself must be subject. A
aw against crime is a public decla
ration that certain acts must not bo
performed; and that he who per-
brms them shall bo visited with cer
tain specified penalties. This is ex
actly the essence of the grant of
anded property. 1 his Ts essentially
i law against action a law declaring
that to use a certain portion of land
is a crime lor the .vast majority ot
the population.
And this being the case, the laws
and arrangements of past rulers re
lating to property, are in no possi
ble respect more binding than their
laws and arrangements relating to
crime property being only a con
cise expression of a proposition that
nrohibits actions of a certain char
acter. Drew the prohibition of the
action, and the property has altogether
disappeared. And consequently all
past arrangements with regard to
land are as open to be revised,
amended, or abolished, as past ar
rangements with regard to actions
called crimes; and, consequently,
there is no such thing as the "rights
of landed property separated from
tho mere dictum of the law, which
the nation has an undoubted right to
alter or abolish whenever it shall see
fit to do bo.
, Superstition, on this noint. mav
4 - - r - i - t 4
endure for a few years longer; but
no truth can be more certain than
that God gave the land for the bene
fit of all; and if any arrangement
interfere with or diminish that
benefit, then has man an undoubted
right to alter or abolish that ar
rangement, exactly as he alters his
arrangements in agriculture, in
medicine, in mechanics, or in navi
gation. JNo more crime, and no
more wrong, attaches to his altera
tion in the one case than in the
other.
HOLYOKE LETTER.
The "Capitalistic Idea" (Jetting
Scared -Leading to Socialism.
IIolyoke, Mass., Feb. 16. The
capitalistic ijdea of this place is hav
ing bad dreams, and is lying awake
o' nights. The magnificent exhibi
tion of power in New York made by
a handful of New Jersey coal
shovelers is too much for it, and the
cold shivers is running down its
gelatinous spine; it is beginning to
prate of profit-sharing and co-opera
tion as means to pacify the workers.
The capitalistic idea is extremely
anxious to find out just how many in
this place are in the labor move
ment, and tho hill capitalistic penny
trumpet is inveighing against
labor agaitators as being men who
won't work, etc.; he would be much
better employed in studying tae
lessons of the day, all of which lead
to the conclusion that there will be
no cessation of labor agitation or of
labor troubles until, 1 repeat, every
man is permitted to work, and to
earn a sufficient subsistence lor him
self and his family, but that under
the capitalistic system is an impossi
bility. Verily, all roads lead to
Socialism.
Frank K. Foster will address the
workingmen of IIolyoke on Tues
day, March 1.
We are pleased to see that your
contemporary, London Just ire, ap
preciates the true character ot our
capitalistic menstrual, which has no
sale nor influence here in the place
of nativity. Just fancy if you can a
bona tide labor paper true to the in
terests of the workmen, and receiv
ing ten pages of capitalistic adver
tisements. Bah; what do they take
us for? .Lmgaiia.
A JUDGE'S REASONS
ARRAIGNMENT OFTHE "DEM
OCRATIC" PARTY.
Wealth the Standard of UesneetabiL
it v -The Two Old Parties Like
as
Two l'eas-The New
Party the Soul of
Democracy.
The San Francisco Star published
last week a remarkable letter from
Judge James 0. Maguire in which
he arraigns the "democratic" party
and formally withdraws from it.
This letter undoubtedly echoes the
sentiments of many good citizens
who are tired of the old parties, and
and are contemplating a new de
parture in politics. We publish the'
letter m full:
To the Me ml urn of the California State
Hemomaw Llnb :
Gentlemen : I hereby tender my res
ignation as a member of your club.
In withdrawing, permit ine to returtv
thanks to the officers, present and past,
for many courtesies which they have ex
tended during our long and pleasant as
sociation.
Let me also assure the members, with
whom my relations have also been most
cordial, that my withdrawal is not
prompted my any personal considera
tions, but that it is to me a painful act
ot duty to political principles and con
victions with which the present policy or
the "democratic party is not in accord,
As this resignation is the hnal act
which severs my connection with the
"democratic" party, State, and national-
it is but just to you that, and to all
others who have stood shoulder to
shoulder with me in the political battles
of the past, that I should lully and
frankly state the reasons which have
moved me to this serious sten.
Early in life I learned to reverence the'
name; being out of power at the time
that I reached my majority, 1 naturally
entered its ranks, hoping, and expecting
that it would ever be the aggressive and
intelligent champion of liberty, equality
and justice wherever and whenever these
vital principles ot social happiness might
be either neglected or assailed.
Finally our party triumphed, but,
alas ! it has brought no relief to our suf
fering people. The benelit of that tri
umph has amounted to no more tnan ine
distribution of a few official prizes to the
friends and relatives of wealth aristocrats
and to the henchmen of political bouses.
There are, ot course, exceptions, but this
has been the rule.
Wealth is still the standard of respect
ability, iust as it was under republican
administrations, and the rights and
wishes of the great democratic masses ot
the country are just as completely lg
nored.
Rival bidders for the affections of mo
nonolies. the srreat national parties have
Income like as two peas both in actions
and principles.
The great intellectual statesmen; tne
men of principle and courage, once the
glory of our country, have been retired
from our Federal State, and the people
have practically ceased to be represented
there. The chamber which once hei
that highest body of earthly legislators
is now a sort or national stock exenange
wherein seats are sold to monopolists
and to wealthy seekers after social stand
ing. In the matter of sanctioning this
iniquity, honors seem to be easy between
the parties.
The entire solid area of our great conn
try, including the natural opisji tunities
of all our people the natural resources,
without which none of our people win
live has been made the exclusive private
property of a thousand alien and do
mestic landlords, who, by virtue of the
absolute control which they do thus, as
owners, exercise over the only means of
living of our landless millions, are rol-
bing the Iatte, continually ot trom one-
half to four-faths of the fruits of thrir
lalsjr, and are daily driving them to
lower and lower depths of slavery and
helpless misery.
This is a system of human servitude
just as complete as chattel slavery and
in many respects more atrocious; yet
the so-called "democratic party," while
claiming to be the friend of the lalorer,
expressly defends this system, and bids
for the support of those who profit by
it. Hut these are not the only matters
in which the party has Iteen recreant.
In the late Democn tie State Convention
an emissary of certain railroad corora
tions, who acted as a carrier of messages
between his masters and the committee
on platform, caused the committee to
eliminate a resolution condemning the
election of the president of the Central
I'acilic Railroad Company to the United
States Senate, and aLso caused tiie com
mittee to eliminate Senator Keddy s res
olution ujsjn the Chinese question, which
irior to his aiiearance had been adopted.
This railroad emissary received, as his
reward for thia successful service, a dem-
H-ratic nominal u n for Congress. It is
but just, in defense of the people, that I
lould add: he was not elected.
I will not recount the painful history,
nor dwell upon t,e deplorable condition.
f our democracy. It is difficult to
speak of this lurneh of the parly in the
language ot poll - correspondence. Let
it here suffice t. say that our local de
mocracy isundt. the acknowledged do
minion of a niau who has been publicly
charged with ha ing openly and notori
ously purchased on last election
day; this charge n strongly sup
ported by the sw I recorded testi
mony of several ! ..is; yet, although
this crime airains . the elective franchise
is a blow at the v ry heart of our lilierty,
a crime more t readful in its conse
quences than nui'der or open treason,
no citizen has i 5 manifested sufficient
contidence in tie democratic officers
who are charged with conducting pub
lic prosecutions t even hie a complaint
against this alleged offender.
In face of this public charge and of
other equally outrageous doings, as if to
wantonly humiliate the State democracy,
and commit it to the ratification of such
iniquities, the chairman and other mem
bers of the State Central Committee pub
licly serenaded this man, and tho chair
man thanked him and eulogi.ed him for
his statc.tiiunilih' services to the party
luring the campaign. And so I might
go on, ad libitum, ail mnwttm usijite, but
it is unnecessary. Aw a self-respecting
man I would feel justified, and bound in
honor to withdraw from a party which
has fallen to such levels; but there is
another and potent reason for my im
mediate withdrawal; which is: that a
new National Party is leing formed for
the purpose of restoring the natural
rights of the great landless democracy
of America.
It is founded upon the idea that all
men have an equal right to live, and, as
a necessary consequence, that all men
have at all times an equal and inalienable
right to the use of the natural elements
which God made anil gave freely for the
sustenance of human life; "that to se
cure these rights governments are insti
tuted among them, deriving their just
powers from the conmt of the gov
erned;" that all American citizens are
entitled to equal opportunities with re
spect to the great natural resources of
our common country; that no sjieculator
m the natural rights ot his tellow-men
should be permitted to prevent American
citizens from making homes upon land
which he does not want to use, that no
landlord alien or citizen should lo per
mitted to collect toll from American citi
zens for allowing them the privilege of
using the natural and indestructible
powers of our soil; that the rental value
of land, which results, in all cases, en
tirely from the presence, enterprise,
virtue and industry of the whole people,
and should, as a matter ot common
justice, be taken for public use; and that
no tax, or burden of any kind, should be
imposed upon commerce, agriculture,
manufactures or other industries, or upon
any products of human labor, so long as
this rental value of land which is the
margin of production-shall be sufficient
for public purposes.
To the new party, founded upon these
principles, which 1 conceive to lie tut
very soul and essence of true democracy,
all of the time which I can henceforth
give to the political service of my coun
try will he devoted. I snail tnereiore, in
the next political campaign, do all in my
power to secure the election ot uenry
George, or some other land reformer, to
the presidency ot tne umieu niaies, un
less the "democratic" party shall, in the
meantime, become democratic by adopt
ing the principles which we have
espoused.
Having delilierately resolved to pursue
this course, 1 desire that my position
may le fully and exactly understood, so
that my actions and relations, with re
spect to political matters shall Ik! neither
inconsistent nor amoiguous.
Sincerely trusting that our social rela
tions may Iw as pleasant in the future as
they have been in the past, 1 remain,
Very truly and respectlully yours,
James G. Maii:irk
San Francisco, January 27, 1SS7.
BOSSES' CONSPIRACY.
The Employing Ituildersof New York
Conspire Against tin Journcj incti
The success of the united building
trades in New York has roused the
bosses to united action in order that
they may employ scabs and destroy
the trades unions. The efficacy o
the walking delegate system is par
ticularly obnoxious to the "out
raged" bosses, and so they want to
alxilish the walking delegate. I he
ultimate object of the conspiracy is
nd art ion of iragi-s. There are none
among the trades so able to cope
with their bosses as the building
trades, and we may exject lively
times in New York
spring.
the
Is the man who delivers a declamation
through the telephone a hello-cutionist?
A BRAVE WOMAN.
An
American (iirl
CIlllllipiollH
Her Ideas.
the
Cause of Labor
The publication of the autobiog
raphy of August Spies by Nina Van
Zandt, and the circumstances which
led to it are events in the struggle
of labor against capitalistic oppres
sion. The hellish vindieti venous
and ignorant bigotry of the "hounds
of the law" was shocking to every
one who had a sense of justice.
Among all those who went as a
matter of curiosity to attend the
trial of the eight men who have
been unjustly condemed to death,
the so-called "anarchists,'' there
were no doubt many whoso nature
revolted at tho cold-blooded and
murderous "intent to kill" on the
mrt of the prosecutors, but Nina
Stuart Van Zandt did not end the
matter with mere revulsion of feei
ng; she set about doing something
to assist the unfortunate men. In
ler preface to tho above-mentioned
uitobiography she says:
"1 did not know any of the ac
cused when, during tho comedy
called trial, I entered the courtroom.
Having received what information I
had concerning the prisoners from
tho newspapers, 1 was expecting to
see a rare collection of stupid,
vicious, criminal-looking men.
was greatly surprised to find that
several of them, so far irom corm
snonding with this description, had
intelligent, kindly and good faces,
became interested. 1 soon round
that the officers of the court and tho
entire police and detective forco were
bent upon tho conviction of these
men not because of any crimo of
theirs, but because of their connec
tion with the labor movement.
"Animated by a feeling of horror,
produced by what 1 saw and heard
and no less by a feeling of justice,
I determined to range myself on the
sido of the persecuted
Miss Van Zandt, in company with
with her mother, visited tho prison
ers in jail, and became acquainted
with August Spies. This acquaint
ance ripened into mutual love, am
with the consent of her parents,
was decided that the two should be
come husband and wife, as it was
decreed that only a wife can cal
upon a prisoner outside of tho regu
lar visiting days. Marriage was no
permitted in jai
however, and tho
ceremony had to be performed by
proxy. Of course, this act brought
down upon her the angry vit opera
tion of the reptile press and "so
ciety" people. But the brave young
woman, whose eyes had been opened
to the true value ot "our society,
was not to be browbeaten by her in
fcriors, and her steadfast advocacy
of the cause of tho unjustly con
denied will endear her to working
men of America.
INNOCENT DEPEW.
"1 he workingmen have a grievance.
We do not know exactly what it is.
They cannot clearly express it. Rut it
exists." Cha nncy M. Imjhw.
Oh, no ! You don't know what
they are growling about. But when
you cut coupons, just remember that
each one represents unpaid lalxrr.
The fact that you get the benefit of
the labor of others without adequate
return is a grievance.
THE LATEST.
The "poinding" (stealing under a
legal warrant) by the sheriff of In
verness at the instance of Lord Mac
Donald, of a two-months old babe
for rent due, is one of the latest
capitalistic outrages. The poor
mother had to submit. Yet there
is no rebellion in Scotland against
the brutal government that docs not
hesitate to rob women of their babes
to satisfy the landlords' greed.
Gent "Why do you stare at me in this
manner?" Tramp "Excuse me, Colonel,
I was measuring the length of your legs
with my eye. i thought my legs might
tit a pair of your pants." Texas Sifting.
VNOTlIEIt LESSON
THE RECOGNITION OF BOSS-
ISM DEFEATS LABOR.
lMstricI l! Wins a Doubtful Victor)
Only a Skirmish The Mm Not
Yet - Abolition or Private
Ownership A Color
ed Flag of Truce.
'hrough the inadequacy of tin
means of transmitting information
and also to a certain extent owiin
to the secret policy of labor organ
izations. labor papers have not been
nabled to give absolutely accural
accounts of the great strike of tin
Knights of Labor in the coal carrying
and shipping industry. While as i
rule labor papers have claimed v
victory, the capitalistic sheets unani
mously announce a defeat for organ
ized labor. In each case the "wish
is the father." While it is pretty
well established that tho coal shovel
lers gained some concessions, thou
sands of others who were drawn into
the vortex are still battling, after
their fashion, with well-fed, sleek
bosses. If the object of the directors
of the strike waB simply to gain the
paltry sum of 2 J cents per hour for
coal shovellers, regardless of the
cost to tho other workmen who
struck to help tho former, then in
deed it was a victory for tho coal
shovellers. That it was a victory for
organized labor as represented in
District 49, is very doubtful. But
the end is not yet, and the end of
labor troubles never will come as
long as labor recognizes tho boss
system. When organized labor is
leady to strike to win, the strike
will not end till private ownership
of land and tho means of production,
transportation, etc., is abolished,
and the people organized as a State
claim sovereign control.
Tho matter may be summed up
thus: A skirmish took place. An
unnecessarily large forco was drawn
into the conflict on the part of "49."
Foraging was forbidden, and the de
feat of the enemy's outpost waa ac
complished at the expense of tho
stomachs of the main body of labor's
army. The enemy lost cash. This
the enemy will recover by exploiting
labor under a Hag of truce.
Some day, when the sun rises in
crimson colors in the East, portend
ing storm, tho white flag, dyed in
tho morning red, will not be recog
nized as a llag of truce. ,
SOCIALIST MEETING.
Central Labor Hall, To-Jlorrow,
(Sunday) at 3 P. M.
The American Section, Socialistic
Labor Part) , of this city, has ar
ranged for a meeting at Central La
bor Hall, Lamar Block, Crown
street, opposite Bunnell's Museum,
to-morrow, (Sunday) afternoon, a3
o'clock. Citizens, both ladies and
gentlemen, are cordially invited to
attend. S. Seiler, of Bridgeport,
and Herbert Eaton, of New York,
will address the meeting upon tho
subject of Socialism and its relation
to the labor movement. Admission
free.
BAKERS' RALLY.
Secretary (Jcorge Block to Socak'nt
(erinaiiia Hall.
Bakers' Union, No. 11, of this
city, will hold a mass meeting at
Germania Hall, Wooster street, this
(Saturday) evening at 8 o'clock.
George Block, Secretary of the
United Bakers' Unions of the United
States, will addresa the meeting in
both German and English. The
bakers cordially invite their fellow
workmen in other trades to come and
hear Mr. Block, who is an able and
instructive speaker. Other speakers
will also make addresses. ; :
r