The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-01-24
THE DAILY DISPATCH
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Saturday 1Isrnisx, January "a, 1897.

THE DAILY DISPATCH.
Saturday nIsrnisx, January -. 1877.
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Labor In Europe.
In work lately published BY NJ r. lie f~s'
one Of the distinguished scientific men OF ffahcs,
d, he following are given - the three sys'e"' -
European labor: Permanent fofcea e.s~s
ments.n or slavery and sesfdom' - 10 na'c..'
sclavonic provinces Of Turkey ana ~ Oe'
Europe. voluntary permanent ens.s
m IN Sweden, Austria and Hungary ''"ie VI '''
forms being close guilds, Hereditary app'Snuee-
sh,p. and the system Of patronage. Under the
svs,sm az patronage, "wi,hout any formal bono,
..~,.r.. ana xsrkmen remain with their masters
al ,ha,r lives not from affection, nor yet only
fran, ,ha forca Of habit, but most commonly from
pecunisry obligation In many districts, the
ouvriers are bound to remain with their masters
until they repay the loan with which he generally
establishes them 10 life, and this can never be done
before quite mature age consequently, not before
the stationary and unadventurous age" There
seems to be little practical difference between this
system Of voluntary permanent engagements and
Involuntary permanent engagements, yet M. lie
Play maintains that this system has come the
nearest to solve the great question of the day
the consultation of individual liberty with security
Of exissence"-that 1t Ia both advantageous to the
best interests of the working classes and is much
loved by all who live under II, though 1t appears
that there are not few fugtives from this eondi-
ton Of voluntary permanent engagement"
The third system of labor is tha: of voluntary
temporary engagement" which is met with ~
England, France, Belgium, in three swiss 70
tons, in Norway and in many Spanish prosinoe.
This system LIE Play deprecates IS the most oi'A'
trous both in it's moral and social consequence
The North British Review conbats win emery
and power the views of lie Play, though t eoueeo0'
the existence of great evils, inseparaoie ffo" "
system when the employer thinks only OF no" nc
may obtain the largest amount OF labor sor Inc
smallest amount of ages, aud troubles himseiI ID
no wise with the moral social weu-oeing OF ms
men. Yet though this state Of things Is essenaahy
evil the Review Is unquestio2abiy right in assent
log that the remedy isnot to be found In the return
to the fsudal State, and that society must 60 on
ward 70 get clear.
Ofal the wookmen mentioned by LIE Play, the
highest place is assigned to the matchmaker OF 1e
neva. Sober Industrious Intellectual, finding MS
chief pleasure in reading, attending lectures ano
the cultivation of flowers, be stands forth one OF
the model wsrkmen of Europe,-a little ike tne
Scotch both In moral character and in spiritual
leanngs, but without that terrible stain OF drum
keuness which unhappily marks the Scotch. side
by side with the Genevese matchmaker, equal 10
him in sobriety and forethought, is the agricui-
tural peasant of old Castillo the most entirely dem
ocratic in his habits and in the constitution CT his
society of all the European ouvriers. This is ow-
ing to the long domination of the Moors in that
part of Spain, which knit together Christians OF
every rank in the one understanding brother
hood of religious faith"
Some of the vie VS. of the North British Review
upon the solution Of the great problem connected
with labor in Europe, seem to US eminently ser
sibls and just. Perhaps the greatest difficulty CT
ALL" says the Review, ''lies with the working
classes themselves. Their improvidence, extrav
agance, want Of foresight. and love of gross sen
sual pleasures, render any outward attempt at
amelioration of their condition very sad and very
hopeless Until they will aid themselves by mo-
raj elevation-which can only be brought about
by a wide spread and most liberal education-no
one else can aid them. Yet we must be just
We must not expect from ignorant or at beet half
educated men, the moral virtues others of high
Intelligence and liberal teaching do not often
ahew. We must not expect that fabulous amount
instincts and inclinations. 1t is very easy to say
that the poor ought to be this and that; that if
they were reasonable and frugal, such and such
benefits would acc rue to hem ia their old age
But this is fagrant injustice, and this is the i'm
perfect side of political economists. The good
we seek must accord with human nature, society
must change and right itself into harmony with
natural laws All that ignores, stultifies, and mu
r.yyg Il,
aud noble proportion--is false and vicious the
DRY. 1t is only another mode of preaching subjec-
tion to tyranny, and resignation to wrong. Ii we
have not found the true answer to this terrible
social enigma yet, we must not accept false CUES
ses as the truth, and be contented with them
Still, while pleading earnestly and warmly for the
recognition of natural laws, for the dignity and
sacredness of human instincts, we must not forget
the grand question Of proportion, nor allow of
excess which is vice, because total abegnation is
not virtue. The working classes owe it to them
elves "a well as to society, to make the best of
their condition; and the best is not made by run
ming themselves and their prospects by sensual and
proHisxte extravaganza. Economy, frugality, in-
dustry, self denial all virtues, whether exer-
cised by rich or poor; doubly virtuous where, as
In the case of the working classes, the prosperity
or the misery of the future depends on their ex
ercise or neglect"
Let us hope that the working classes of Europe
will adopt these usetal suggestions, and the time
will surely come when the wide CULTS now inter-
posed between the various conditions and castles
of Europeans will be bridged over as they al
ready have been in some portions ofour own
country by genteel equality in education,
and the moral and intellectual elevation of work
men.
Richmond.
correspondent OF a Northern journal, VIII o has
visited Richmond, pens q spirited tribute to the
resources, capabilities, beauties enterprise and
prospects of our fair city. Among the objects
which strike the attention of the traveller are the