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WORKIIKN'S AJjYOCATM,
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fOUKMEK'S ADVOCATE
iX OrriLltL JOUItNAL Of
THE SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY
FUBI.IM1XH EVHHY WEEK
T TBI tUTIONAl. KXIKTT1VH COMISITTRIC.
Central tllli,
B r.t Fourth Street. New YrU II V.
InterttM Inif roiTcsiMiluleiH'OHnllclteil f rntii n
letnnaim lit nil part ..I I lie wi.rM. boilers re
quiring un.-vti rs stniiilil -.nt -iln return .nlnifi'.
Sl liSl ltlPTlnN Katks :
ar (postage fn e)
ifl (K)
5(i
lllOlltllH "
PAYAlll.K IN ADVANCE.
viitii i: 'Hi M Hvi lillll 'I )n 'lad'
RfliT your mi Hie inl"ircs-lMlicl t
tm'lieil ll. Villi I.M1..T Ik III'' lnt ..( rxi.linlK.n
df (iiliscrii'illnii. '1 itu li H I mi mif
i if Mai i ll
1'.U.
SOCIALIST I. A II OK PAKTV
NTI'IAI. KXKrlTtVB I "1 'I ITTK K, HKN4AMIN J
OiiBTuni, hwri'liu v, I- url )i "I . N. Y.
Boaiid nr (iiiiFVANrm, A M.h.naii. Tsittry,
lli'.K lllll'lls i 1. II-'kIiiii, Mush.
Lab"H N kwk in.
Klt-t Kl I II I t ll St l i
I'AKI V .I'lB I'Kl NTKUV.
I. New York.
NOTICE.
O.iv subscribers v, ill now receive Till':
PEOPLE, which takes tin' place of 'he
WoltKMEN'S ADVOCATE as tin' idlieial
organ of tin, parly. Those w ho arc in
arrears art" requested to seltlo their ac
counts. All remittances fur pant indeb
tedness should he inhlrcHHcil to Max
FuKKEK, "5 Kant Fourth street, Now
York City.
OUH PAST WORK.
Ah this in the last nimiher of the
Wokkmkn'k Advocate iiinler its present
iio, and w hile the Editor in not taking
o of it h readers since it bus heeii
uli'il that he nliall continue in com
'inication w it li tiicm through Hie
lailor columns of The Peopi.k a few
'ords in rolatioii to iIh pant work limy
nut ho inappropriate. ut that l:o woulil
promimo to claim icronal creilit. for any
good which the. paper han achiovoil, lor
rn) ono li.'lt i'vr iiihintcil l c iirn.ly on
the ImpeiHonality of the collective move
merit of which ho in, hy appoinimcni,
tho mero molltlipioco; hot that he feels
junior liiHlin ohliitimis to many for
tho aid anil support lert iveil in the per
fonnance of hi duty.
Eighteen MH'H'h hi'e olapM-.l sinco he
wao plio'o.l in charge ..f the ' uikmk.n's
AliviH ATi: liii h-r ( i!f'uiii'.;iin'o mime,
what tnitifc' .M.-l -'! ( ritu al. While
the S.m nilth "f 'I-'' I'm!"! Slates were
all ai,T.i-.i up.ii: f;ir!.i..iii'iital .Uetioim
of ptilielple. til')' l-a'i Collie to'lltl'el'
wi'lely upon rerun, ipn ?t i' .n.- of lioy.
juhh u .n:.. i rtiii.'ifi'y from which
the ( or.'luct of the ntfairs of tho party
Hinl orrfiiliM hi.'l J'l-t heon taken
iloriileil ami oppoxed oiKanied lahor,
conteiiilink: that the ttade iinions wore
an inq odimelit to the ino'resH of Social
itiin. itiion- toeti. perhaps, a inajority'
rocok;m.ed the neivhsit of trado-unions,
not only for defensive purposoN in daily
eontliets with caiilal, hut as primary
schools in w hich Socialist might teach
their tellow wage workers the lirst nidi
monts of tho lahor iliestion; they held,
however, that the action of Socialists
should ho purely educational, and that
the Socialist Lahor party, as a political
organisation, should not, for tho present
at least, demand admission or represen
tation in those economic hodies, hei-aiiso
they feared that such a Uld step might
result in (heir disruption. Lastly, a
inimhor of ti.crgetic and experienced
comrades, versed in tho history ol tho
labor movement and whose opinions
wero formed, not l y mero intuition,
sentiment, or external appearances, hut
in the light of facts carefully observed,
had come to the conclusion that it was
high time to take vigorous action, and
that, unless trade unionism could ho
made to unite upon Socialistic lines the
political and economic forces of laUir, it
must soon become impotent and cease
to be a factor in modern developments
if, however, this desirable change could
lx brought about, trade-uiiionLsui would
1 IS' i y
t
. 0
i I
i u
I
receive additional Htrenth and prove a
powerful arm. not only for the protec
tion of its members from capitalistic
encroachment! under the present hvh
tem, but for the emancipation of al
labor from tho despotism of class rule in
any form.
While the comrades who entertained
these view-, were niimerniiH throughout
the party m, large, tin y constituted an
overwhelming majority of the New
York American Section in particular.
Of course, it was neither desirable nor
desired to foist- any policy upon the
parly. I he soundness ol the views in
piestion had to be lirst demonstrated
.i . . i i . - r .1 i
so dial iney migni oi inemsi-ivi-s wm-
iii, on I the earnest andneaily unanimous
support of the members. Tho WoKK-
Ml.s's AlA'oi ATI-: was the natural chan
nel through which they could be brought
under discussion and its columns were
f light open to all for argument. The
uty of its editor whs simply and plainly
to supply us many laets as no couiu col
lect, bearing upon t he subject, so as to
aid m tho formation of 'in intelligent
opinion, rega I'M less ol iuhovvii, wnien no
I . K I ' I'll..
at il, of course, an npial right with
others to express.
I'lieso facts were of various orders,
though closely relati d in their bearings
upon each other, (ieiieritlly speaking
they were either political, Hocial, or
economical; but, properly classified,
each series would remnre Kunoivision.
Fur instance, the economic facts were
of two distinct sorts, according as they
belonged to tho labor world or to the
capitalistic. Tho latter had never been
presented ill systematic, form to the
laboring people of this country. How
over fairly posted on matters relating
directly to their respective trades, the
most intelligent and best informed
among the wage workers know hardly
anything of the doings of tho capitalistic
world. While endeavoring to convoy,
in tho small space and with the limited
resoui 'os ut our command, all necessary
information concerning other classes of
important events, we mude this particu
lar class a special subject of inquiry.
The result obtained w as soon apparent
What had remained obscure as a theory
to many intelligent people became plain
as a fact to the blind ut. All saw, 1 that
capitalism, through the process of wealth
concentration, which was then receiving
from eirouiustuiKTs eminently favorable
an unpreccdeiiled impetus, was actually
doing more in one day to destroy the
competitive system of production than
labor had done in years to arrest its
progress among tho workers; i! that
competition nnoxig the latter increased
in proportion to its deerea-se among the
capitalists, so that, in all those indus
tries w hich had already reached a cor
tain degree of concentration, the wink
ers, however well organized economic
nil v, wore doomed to defeat in any
snuggle for the betterment of their con
dition and could even hardly maintain
their former standard of living; It that
every attempt to prevent capitalism, by
any legislation short of its abolition,
from entering thisaiiti competitive phase
of its natural development, must not
only prove a failure hut hasten its ad
vance; and, finally, that its abolition
could bo brought about in no other
peaceful way than by independent poli
tieal action on the part of the working
class, using for that purpose the existing
organizations of labor tho best use, and
soon the only use. to which they may bo
put.
Many otlur things becai.ie apparent.
Inch w o cannot undertake here to
recall and for the enumeration of which
wo must refer the inquirer to tho tiles of
the Wkukvikn's Apvot vte. We may
simply mention among them the impor
tant fact that the nh ire of labor in its
product has been constantly decreasing,
both absolutely and relatively, until it
has now reached tho low proportion of
.') per cent All these things were at
last learned or perceived by many whi
did not read the Advocate, who did not
even know of its existence, yet through
its action, w hich waa felt by the labor I
. ,t .i. lr, ,) ,w,t nnfre. '
pross of the country, and not unirt-
qiiently by the capitalist prcsH itself;
also, through its teachings, which wore
widely disseminated and multiplied
. i i , I .. :. 1
several iiiousanti-ioi,i oy us muwi
readers.
At any rate, here in New York the
sentiment in f ivor of resolutely entering
the road clearly marked out by the
inarch of events in the comparatively
now light cast upon them became irre
ristihle, and when the Central Labor
Federation lirst sprang up as the natural
product of that sentiment, the Socialist
Labor party, most naturally also, was
admitted to representation in the coun
cils of that now powerful organization,
as a pledge of the new trade-unionism
of America to the great principles devel
oped by the class struggle; a pledge
that involves the continuation and ex
tension "f the class struggle upon class
linos until the battle is won and a!
classes are abolished.
Not loss naturally, this iiow depaiture
was viewed with surprise and dismay
by all the exploiters and deailbeats" of
the lahor movement. It put an end to
their domagogiiery, false pretenses, cor
rupt bargains, moan ambitions, and
small personalities. They wore bound
to resist it. Sam. ( lumpers, ami his
vicious clique resisted it at Detroit. Wo
know the sequel. All differences of
opinion in the ranks of advanced labor
were buried in (lumpers' grave, and,
re-in forced on all sidoH by the accession
of now recruits, Socialism went on w ith
steadier and quicker stop.
Tho movement at last overgrew its
agencies of propagandist!! and education
and it became imperative to so enlarge
them that, they would moot it most
obvious requirements. Hence the great
change w hich is to ho made next week
in the size, form and make up of the
Wokkmkn'k Apyocaik. We trust that
under its new name and with the ad
ditional facilities at its command, it will
prove a most etlicienl instrunu
social progress.
THE PLATFORM MOVING ON.
About two weeks ago the Nationalists
of Rhode Island met in convention,
nominated a ticket for tlu spring elec
tion, and adopted, word for word, the
platfurm of the Socialist Labor parly. In
a congratulatory letter addressed to
them, and editorially in tho New Motion,
Fdwurd Bellamy declares that this plat,
form is "admirable" in the clearness
with which it shows tho necessity of
carrying into business the democratic
idea w hich wo have established in poli
tic!'. Last week the Nationalists and Social
ists of Cleveland, together with repre
sentative labor men, hold also a conven
tion, nominated a ticket, and adopted
"the platform of the Rhode Island Na
tionalists."
We trust that In the course of time
this platform will ho adopted by every
lahor and reform organization in the
land. By that time, perhaps, the name
of "Socialist ' will have lost its terrors.
There is this difference between
"truck farming" and "market garden
ing" that the former is carried on in
favored localities at a distance from
market, water and rail transportation
Icing necessary, while tho latter is con
ducted near local markets, t lie grow er of
vegetables using his own team for trans
porting his products direct to either the
retailor or consumer. Both, however,
illustrate the enormous amount of vege
table food w hu h the land can U made
to yield under a high state of cultiva
tion. According t" a bulletin just issued
tiv the l 'ensus OlUoo the miniU'r of acres
used in this country for truck farming
purposes last year was .";!!. 1 Kl. and the
value of products at the places of pro
ductionthat is. not including freights,
commissions and other charges or profits
of intermediary ban. Hers w as in round
figures 77 inilliom of dollars. It is safe
to say that their value on the last
market i. '.. what the consumers had
to pay for them was fully 200 millions.
There were employed in this industry
2H,7'5 men, 9,:i-"4 women, and 14,74
children, aided by 75,8ifi horses. Tho
capital engaged was upward of 100
i h h i
millions of dollars, less than !) millions
of which represented implements.
OBJECT OF THE LABOR MOVE
MENT. by lr. JoHann Jakuiiy.
(Wo r(!irlnt, from it translation by Mrs. l-'lo-ri-iii'O
Keiley Wisctim-wut.ky, tlm xreat speech
ileiivercil in WO by the eminent physician
ami Hocbilist of Ku'iilgsberx to I is cuiistiltiency.
While S. n-iitllsm has outgrown some ol t be
Ideits therein ex ressed us to the possibility or
policy of a Mom s viVKMii or temiioniry com
promise between c;ipitnl itinl Labor on tho
I asb of profit shurini:. the co'isiiler 't ions,
chiefly historical, whi h this speech font alio
will prote of value to our American rem lets
(Couetuileil.)
But if the present inequality of for
tune is not solely due to the eco
nomically correct action of the prop
erty noiding ciass aim me sun uessness
of the non-possessing class, to what
other cause can it he attributed? Whence
comes it that Capital concentrates more
and more in the hands of the small
minority while the mass of wage labor
ers, despite their industry, can scarcely
satisfy their barest needs? The reason
for this can evidently he found nowhere
else than in a distribution of the product
of labor disproportionate to the lahor
performed and, therefore, unjust.
Wo shall not investigate the chain of
historical conditions in consequence of
araieu irom me moans oi piouucuon
.... i r .. .1 . r . .. i : ..
tnd the present disproportion between
work and wages brought about. The
quesi.ou now .
What has the State done to bring
about a more just distribution of the
product of lahor? Has it made any at-
, , , . , t. .
t.xiii.t t.- oi7ik.'l'.itiim or 1 1! Iiur u-lm i t t.ro. I
.,j H
tecttho workingman against thesupei ior
pow er of capital or to set a limit to the
al inequality that is growing from
day to day i
Whoever scrutinizes the history of the
nations down to the nresont dav will
find that in this direction l)ra(.ticuv
, . , , , ' "
Homing nas neon none.
Nohility, clergy and the higher digni-
taries of State have sonaratelv and to-
..other everci.ed an almost, exclusive
control in public affairs: they have not
hesitated to turn to account for (bum
solves and their own interests power and
wealth from which all should have prof
ited equally. Legislation itself, far
from distributing airand sunshine eqtiii-
ably in the economic race, has con-
trihuted its large share by conferring;
privileges on the one hand and Inter
fering with liberty on the other, to
widen and deepen the chasm between
the property holding and the non-pos
sessing classes.
Ilow then can any one blame the men
of toil. if. having aw wakened to the con-
seiousness of their rights and their
nowor. thev demand from the State a
veiy special consideration of their so
long neglected interests ? When, in the
article of the Zurich Constitution, Stale
protection and State help is especially
Dronilsed to the workers, there is in
volved in this no infringement upon the
principle of equality. There is no ques-
tion: as some anxious souls fear, of
feeding the poor working man at the
cost of tho rich citizen; slid less of form-
ing a privileged class ot workit.gnion,
stipendiaries of the government. It
is simply the frank and honorably out-
spoken recognition by the law givers of
the State's duty to do that vhich has
been left undone and to expiate injus-
tioe committed, so lighting the social
wrong for which the State is, in part,
responsible. It is only the wished-for
fultilinent of that w hich wo h ive called
the demand for recoiiciliating and icii-
arative iustice.
But the Zurich Constitution does not
stop with the recognition of the duty
and responsibility of the State in general,
it speedier! in precise terms the means by
w Inch alone the working class can now
bo helped:
"Tho development of co operation
based upon self help shall be promoted
and assisted."
Tho ultimate object of this process of
development is: 1 he abolition of wages
labor bv the gradual transition from the
wages system to that of co-operative
liitmr.
Lot us glance now in detail at the
demands to be made of the State, t. c,
the whole community of individuals.
First comes unrestricted freedom of
opinion and the tight to organize mid
hold meetings at w ill. The repeal ot all
laws framed for the purpose of iiti.it it g
or, as tho phrase goes, "regelating
liberty. Next, equal iiht of participa
tion in public alfair.' for all, universal,
direct suffrage and it corollary, univer
snl direct participation of the people in
legislation and administration. Further,
free compulsory- education in public
secular institutions and the introduction
of universal compulsory military train
ing in place of standing army and
militia. These two demands we com
bine liecause public instruction and the
peoples power of defense are most
clostly connected. For the iMiiduct of
war the primary need is money and elli-cii-nt
soldiers; both are secured by etli
cient schools. The wealth of a country
depends upon the successful labor of ita
inhabitants, but work is the inor ruc-
cossful the better the workman can cal-
culate the success of w hat he undertakes,
that in, the more intelligent he is And
the soldier, like the workman, will he
more skillful in the performance of lux
task, the defense of his country. With
us in (iermany, as in most of the coun
tries of Furope, nearly half of the na
tion's income is spent in preparation for
war, while education and cult lire are
put otf w ith sums scarcely worth men
tinning. Let us reverse the proportion
and the people's wealth, will multiply
ten-told without injury to our power ot
iletense. A Minister ot Ldiieation who
understands his'biisiness is the best Min
ister of Finance and War.
For the working class especially, and
that in the Interest of iheCoininoii wealth,
we demand;
SIIOUTKNKlJ IIOL'KS OK t.AHOK AND A l.KOAL
WOltKINII DAY.
The wage worker, too, must have
time and leisure "to cultivate his intelli
gence and attend to the attaint of State."
l'he ('ongress of Lnglish Trades Lnions,
held last year in Hirniingham, recom
mended the eight-hour working day for
trades, and expressed its conviction
that by this im ans 'the physical and
mental power of the workers will be m
creased and morality promoted and the
number ot the unemployed diminished.
Irnhtliitum iif the emnhiitment of Lint
Iren ami eumtl imii for eiiutdieuik for
Men iitd U'oi(e.
Both are necessary to prevent the
further sinking of wages and to save the
ismg generation from deterioration.
Abolition if indireet tit.rex and intra-
due ion of a I'rtKjresxice. Income Ta.e,
h very tax upon necessaries ot life is a
tax upon the workers force ot labor,
hence a restriction upon production and
injury to the prosperity ot the
i i . .
ooie.
Finally, heforin. of the Monen and
" . . - . . - . ' ; - -
('veiht System, and promotion of Indux
' Kf ana Atirwnltural J'rodnetire Co
""" ' -'-o wtjoms ( y uu inieriennon
ot .Viire. L'reatl or btatc uuaranti.
- . ;H t ,nke credit accossil.lo
to the working class. Thin the State has
done in most generous measure both
,1,ri,cu" a,,m '"H'rectiy tor the promo-
Lli.ni en inn itii'Liauniiv iiit-liiou KM III u
. ' . (
auction. Let the State now iii its ow n
interest do the same for the co-operative
associations of the workers. Nothing is
'"" advantageous to the l onimon-
u much for the nreliininarv condi
tions of labor reform. The workingmen
have been advised, perhaps honestly
enough, to keep txit ot pobtics and busy
themselves solely with their economic
interests, as if political and economic in-
terests could be separated as kindlings
are split, with a hatchet. hoever has
followed Olirli.lB of reasoning thus far
cannot, I think, be in doubt tliat.pre
cisely the working class must lirst of all
oi.l most, of alt resolve to transform po
litical conditions in the direction of
freedom. State-help no less than self
help is needed for securing to the worker
the full, undiminished result of his
industry, that is, an existence worthy of
a man.
The State alone, and only a free State
will help the workers !
Let us sum up briefly, the substance
of the foregoing:
The system of wages-labor meets the
demands of Justice and Humanity as
little as did the slavery and servitude of
former times. Like s avorv and servi-
tude, wages labor was once a stei
forward in civilization from which uri
deniable advantages have accrued to
society
Tho social question of the Present in
how to abolish the wages system w ithout
losing the advantages of production and
distribution en ijro by means of associ
ated lalior,
To this end there is but one means,
the system of free associated labor, the
co-operative system The Present is a
time of transition from the wages sys
torn (capitalistic method of production)
to t he system ot Associated Labor.
In order to secure a peaceful transition,
the worker, the employer and the State
must work together:
b is the part of the workers to otter
united resistance to the pressure ot cap
italistic rule, and Dy sell culture topic
pare themselves for independence
It is the part of t lie employer to con
corn himself for the welfare of the work
ers, and especially to y ield them a share
of the profits.
It is the duty of the State te promote
the elforts of the workers for self culture
by promoting their organization, doter-
mining a legal working day and atford-
ing adequate opportunity tor free in
struction. It is the further duty of the
State to assist the development of the
co operative system by reform of the
bank and credit sys em and by affording
to cooperative effort the support of
State ere. lit.
Such help being possible only on tie
part of a free State, it follows that all
workers, and an iriends oi nie worKers,
must aim primarily at establishing true
freedom within the State. Political and
social freedom, freedom of the ciuz-n
without the sacrifice of the majority of
mankind as wage-slaves; this is the ta-k
of our century, the achievements ot
the policy of blood and iron, the clang
of arms in these, our days, the chase
and struggle for wealth and sensual en
joyment, these are but ripples upon the
surface ol the stream of the spirit of
our lime. In the depths, still hut cease
loss is tho forward movement of our
know lodge of nature and of mind, and
with this knowledge the consciousness
of the sovereignty of man. that thought
which moves the world, the Liberty,
Fquality, Fratemi'v of all. Though
vears may pss in vain, the word of
scripture shall yet be fulfilled, the joyful
message which the electric irespt-das
its tirst greeting from tree America to
Europe still armed to the teoth:
Peace oa Earth; Good Will to Men!"
WORKING)! EN, ATTENTION!
"THE PEOPLE"
WILL A1TEAK ON
SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 5, 1891,
Ami every Sunday thereafter.
Price, Three Cz.is Per Copy.
il'or side ut all unm stands )
Thk Pkoi'i.k will be an eight page?
Sunday journal, of tho si.e of the New
York ."ii(7 and Express, and will con
tain ALL THE NEWS,
LOCAL, DOMESTIC AND FOKKIO.N;
Also, Special Articles on matters of
general interest; Correspondence from
the chief cities of Europe and America;
Stories by popular authors, and other
features calculated to make it both
A PLEASANT FAMILY COMPANION,
AND
A YIU ILANT, IIONKST AND FEAltLESS
NEWSPAPER,
DEVOTED TO THE WELFARE OF THE
TOlLINii MASSES.
Its I'ulitics Published in the interest
of the working classes by the New
Yorker Volks.eitung Publishing Asso
ciation, and edited in all its depart
ments hy the ablest and most compe
tent American writers, The People
will sustain in the English language the
principles which the Volkszeitung itself
has so successfully, for the past fourteen
years, propagated among its wide-spread
constituency of German birth or descent.
It will, therefore, advocate and pro
mote, by all the means in its power, the
organization of Lahor not only for pur
poses of mutual protection in daily con
flicts with the Plutocracy, involving the
daily crust of bread which is called
wages, but for complete emancipation
from the Plutocracy and its Wage
System by Independent Political Action
At no time in the history of this coun
try was the working class in greater
need of a hold and watchful defender of
its rights a defender that no threat or
persecution could silence.
n io ltteraiiv true to say that in this
so-called free Republic we live under a
reign of terror. Pinkerton bandits in
the pay of corporations kill with im
punity inotfensive men, women and
children; through the criminal avarice
of such as Vaiiderbilt, enriched by
public franchises!, thousands of people
are annually slaughtered; the press, the
legislature, the courts even are deaf and
dumb. But let the picket of a trade
union refuse to obey an illegal sum
mons, or strike in self-defense, the press
wilfully distorts his act into a heinous
crime and the courts send him to State
prison for years. If, perchance, a plu
tocratic jury affects compassion, the
judge instructs it to be merciless.
If such is already the state of affairs
we may well conceive what it will he
after the 1st of May, when all the agen
cies of terrorism at the Plutocracy's
command will be set in motion against
the fcaght Hours movement. i
Accurate in statement and regardless,
of consequences, Tim People will hold
up to the broad light of day the hypo
crisy of the press, the partiality of
judges, the venality of politicians, the
crimes of plutocrats, and the misery of
the people; not to incite riot and blood
shed (for we leave this disgusting task to
the police agents of the Plutocracy); not
even to obtain justice from a class that
in the nature of things is bound to com
mit more and more injustice; but to
unite on election day the almighty forces
of Lahor,
WokIvINGMEn! It is for you to say
whether such a paper is more deserving
of your support than is the capitalistic
press, whose wealth and power, built
upon your patronage, are systematically
used for your impoverishment and degra
dation. Should you realize at last I he necessity
of standing by your own press, THE
People (which starts as a weekly Sun
day paper vith a snbsciiption list of
several thousand subscribers from all
parts of the country and has come to
stay ) will soon be converted into a Daily.
Dated New York. March 1G, 191.
Sew Yorker 'olkzeitunj.
Is! William s'.reet. New York City.
The wool hat manufacture w as trui
fied a few days ago after a conference of
three weeks' duration, at which all the
manufacture rs were presont or duly
represented. More than 1,000,000 dozen
of wool hats are annually made in this
country. ;
V