1892

When a man has been intimately connected with the Organisation of Labour, and has been trusted by it, he would be wrong to let it be said that he has withdrawn from the Labour movement when he has not. Although I have resigned the editorship of the Worker and with the editorship all the official connection with the A.L.F. which it entailed, yet the Labour movement never had a greater lien on my life than it has now. I believe : that the truths taught in the socialistic labour movement are practical and not "theoretic" only ; that a complete demonstration of those truths may be made peacefully by common everyday men who have strength and faith ; and that such a demonstration if on a sufficient scale to finally attract general notice, will remove the doubts and fears which really impede reform and will crown the Labour movement with complete and peaceful accomplishment. I do not desire to underestimate and certainly have no intention of belittling any of the varied phases of the Labour movement, in all of which honest and earnest men are working. The political phase, the organisation phase, the labour paper phase, all are valuable and worthy of the strongest efforts of any man. But to me there has for years been a sense of something lacking in the movement as a whole, a something for luck of which all that was done seemed almost vain.

We have not swallowed our own medicine. We have not lived the life that we say men should live. We ourselves have been content to bear the life that we declare to be unbearable, to continue, taking part in a social method that we denounce as social sin, to swell the flood of competition which is swollen by every man taking part in it no matter whether he protests or not...

The Australian Labour Federation was formed in Brisbane, Queensland in 1889. The Federation was an attempt to federate Australian unions into one body. It did not attract widespread support outside Queensland and its operations in that state were dissolved in 1914 when its main supporter, the Amalgamated Workers' Union merged with the Australian Workers' Union.

The Townsville Associated Workers Union passed the following at a special meeting :
This Association is of opinion that Mr. W. Lane's proposed action in forsaking the Labour Cause in Queensland is unwise and that in view of near difficulties we trust he will retain the editorship. Failing our request being acted upon we learn with deep regret of his intended departure.
A somewhat similar resolution was passed by the Brisbane District Council. Mr. W. Lane is not leaving Queensland at once, as has been stated. He will visit a number of the sheds in Western Queensland and New South Wales to organise for the New Australia movement.

It was with feelings of sincere regret that the Board ol Trustees had last week to announce the retirement of Mr. W. Lane from the position of editor of the WORKER, which has since its inception been so ably conducted by him. ...

Mr. Lane's reasons for taking this step are that he is desirous of giving practical effect to the ideas he believes in, and which are embodied in the New Australia Co-operative Settlement scheme, to the successful establishment of which he intends to devote his time and energies. In conclusion, the Trustees desire to place on record their great appreciation of the manner in which the WORKER has been conducted and their esteem of Mr. Lane in his connection with the Labour movement generally. He has given to the people of this province that which all the powers of Capitalism can never take away— knowledge of the unjust and cruel system under which we live.

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