THE REMEDY. 749 



It is not within the power of labor organizations to form a 

 third party, unless through the neglect of the existing 

 political parties to serve the interests of the people, they, 

 themselves, furnish the occasion and the necessity for such 

 action. 



Men do not leave parties in large bodies for trivial 

 causes. It is only when these parties are actuated no 

 longer by pure motives, become corrupt and fall under the 

 management of unprincipled and unscrupulous politicians 

 that disintegration sets in. While we do not believe it is 

 possible to obtain the reform, which labor demands, 

 through either one of the existing political parties, we are 

 perfectly willing and anxious that the experiment shall be 

 made, provided it is made in good faith; that is, if they 

 refuse to accede to our demands, that we shall withdraw 

 our support. Whatever the result of this test, it will 

 hasten the day of reform. 



If, as we think it is barely possible, either one or both 

 of the existing parties would accede to our demands and 

 carry them out in good faith, we will have accomplished 

 that which we set out to do. If, on the other hand, they 

 refuse to do so, it will hasten that disruption of the exist- 

 ing parties which we think is necessary before any great 

 advance is made in the direction of industrial reform. A 

 large body of men, composing the Democratic and Repub- 

 lican parties, are united in opposition to most, if not all 

 the measures for which labor organizations are contending, 

 while on the other hand the majority of laborers are united 

 in opinion on their demands. The present party lines will 

 eventually be broken, and these two elements form them- 

 selves on opposite sides on these great and vital issues. 

 This will take place when these issues are forced to the 

 front and the final struggle comes to test whether this is a 

 "government for the people, of the people and by the peo- 

 ple," or a rich man's government. Any plan that will 



