A SOCIALISTIC MANIFESTO.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4469, 2 May 1883, Page 2

A SOCIALISTIC MANIFESTO.

The following Vxtrardinary manifesto has been issued by the "working men" of San Francisco :— We, the mechanics, skilled workmen, laborers, and wage-.workers of San Francisco are the men who have produced all the real wealth this city owns. Bui other tnea who do not produce anything—loafers masquerading under the names of " lawyers," "bankers," " brokers," "rum-sellers," " capitalists," professional "preachers," and " politi« cians," are the ones that by some hook or crook hare come to "own" all that wealth that we have produced. j We number m this city 100,000, while they do not exceed 5000. But they have all, having produced nothing; while we have nothing, having produced all. When we protest or agitate or ask for an investigation of the causes of this unjust and hellish itate of things, we are met with either contemptuous silence or

the answer '* Work for what we please to give, or starve." We desice, and will have in the near future, such laws as will give us the fall value of our own labor. Denied the right of speech in the infamous journals of this land, we demand now by this Bill of Indictment such a radical change as will give us Liberty. Our brothers in the East have already given warning; we now do the same. Not only here, but there, everywhere, it is now well understood by the majority of American working men that they are legally and systematically , robbed. Hof three fifths of their earnings. A moment's reflection will make it clear also that they can never secure the full and just recompense of their labor by any legal method, for the reason that the laws of the State and the forces of Government are the very instrnments whereby this robbery of industry is carried on. This being thus, it behoves the working men of America to make the inevitable deduction, and to boldly apply the remedy. And for the purpose of teaching by example the value of force scientifically applied, we have determined to abolish by physical violence certain legalised wrongs under which we now suffer.

But let no good man be alarmed at this expression of our intentions. We shall not act hastily, or blindly, or indiscrimr nately. We shall first explain our grievances, then reason with our oppressors, and endeavor to persuade them to grant our rights ; and failing in this, as we expect to (ail, we shall finally:enforce ©ur demands by virtue of the clenched fist. We shall be specific and simple in our expositions, cool and clear in arguments, and direct and decisive in our action. We shall be economical in' choosing the means whereby to reach our ends; we shall be careless of our personal welfare, and above all we shall be scientific in our methods, whether of destruction or construction. We shall respect neither life nor property when they stand as" obstacles in the path' of human progress, nor will we shrink from any sacrifice on our side that may be necessary for the success of our cause. From time to time we shall issue manifestos secretly promulgated to the public, exposing the evils of which we complain and the abolishment of which we demand. The rights we thus demand must be granted or we shall take them.