New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-01
THE RIGHTS OF LABOR.

WHEREIN tue ulstIetses now enuuItu Oy large
portion of the Laboring Class in tho great cities
were temporarily set forth, and the sentiment
expressed that the community would listen TO the
cry OF the hungry and provide them with work
and bread. Let us consider.
There is a constant tendency to over-popula-
ton in villages aud cities, but especially the lat
ter. Too many aspire to live by Trade, by Pro
frssions-by something, anything but that fun
damental, inevitable industry. the cultivation OF
the earth. And, snce it Is certain that we can.
not all, nor nearly oil, live by Trade and Head
work, it 10 clear that portion of the eager
crowds that throng our cities must occasionnlly
be driven back--starved out-into the broad free
country. To-day, the City Of New.York and its
suburbs contain over One Million and Quarter
Of People,, while there 10 lot business enough
here to support generously moro than Half MIL
lion How is beDevolence, or policy, or pbilan-
thropy, to deal with this problem Suppose the
Half Million who have employment or capital
were to undertake to support the Three Quarters
of Million WHO have neitho', what ia to binder
Three or -Four Millions more from coming and
squattog here with the cry "Giye US work
1--WE are wllling TO work for living If you
cannot give us work. give US bread any
show -
A great rebellion like that which now conyuses
tie coubtry necessarily breaks up or chokes the
pregIistlg channels VI trade. Ports are block
aided; merchant vesstls shrink from capture and
eoBdscaiion railroad bridge and cars are
burr cd; canals are brosea ups the great mass
of tho people stop buying aUy but articles OF
urgent necessity, and their prudence beggars
those who depend on their custom for living
II everybody should stop utiDg Liquors and To-
bacc1, II great many who now live by producing
them sosld fell or be reduced to want II
pIay.lg-card,, cripeiine and da"Si-e .h"nd sud-
denly 60 out Of fashion, large classes that now
live by these ysuiles would 60d themselves out
at the elbows. Do the Philadelphia laborers
hold that people ought 70 return to wearing
hoops, dancing, and playing cards, out Of com.
Iassion for or in justice to those sufIerersi or
must We end something else on which to employ
them
And Lere il exposed one corner of tho radical
defects of current education. 1t fits too many
of US to be good satellites. perhaps, bat not in
dependent, self.centered, sef-sustsining persons.
A lad is seat duly TO school TIL no is sixteen,
ard then placed in q countng-house, where lie
becomes good book keeper or cashier, aud for
a time al seems well with him. But By and by
comes q "pspic," "pressare," crash-Irade
atoms. md be is thrown out Of situation just
when it il impossible TO get another. What arc
we 70 do with him or jor hint lie tries, Of
D,.Ii int. fha ma
House, or sone other beggaTly resorts but it is
only possible for one out OF twenty 70 succeed
liz 40 doing, leaving the rest to suffer What IS.
the remedy
Ours is very slow one. Here are Its out
liDes:
!. The Freedom of the Public Lands to Actual
Settlers, so that all who are defeated and thrown
out elsewhere may find easy access to the soil.
Let no man truly say 81 do not cultivate the
esrih because can obtain no earth TO cul'i.
"vale." Let every one bsys the same chance
list Adm bad WHEN he lost bis frst " situation
Messirvrs Republican Members of Congress there
mus. he no lodging this grand measure OF UNIVERSAL
and lasting benehctnce, TO which we as party
stand pledged. We do not soy that it lnust be
taken up bhe puhtcu Ut tuis hoii 'HS Law" ~
siop. but we insist that no Bounty Land scheme
shall he permitted TO anticipate it.
9. A better and more practical Education,
whether for the fow or the many, whereby tho
great msjority shall DO qualified TO earn tlelr
living III more ways than one. Make every boy
a good farmer or mechanic firttj tlen put him
into store, drug-shop, pulpit, or where you
will. but let Lin feel that whenever this fails
him he can go back to the farm or the shop
ssain.
). Reduce official compensation for al bus
posts requiring peculiar anG exalted qualifications
10 the lowest point, nc TO mitigate the fright
I'D mania of Office seeking which now seduces
many from the ways Of productive industry aud
debauehes the whole community.
4. Organize great Labor Exchange, whereby
the upwiIiDgly idle can be speedily and eheaply
transferred TO sections where their labor 10 in de-
msnd. Thus We are well assured that Illinois,
Wisconsin, and Iowa have too lew agricultural
lsborers 10 take care Of their growing aud riPen-
ING crops, While hundreds Of thousands 10 the
cities are hungrily calling for work. 1t is not
possible to bring the work to them, why should
they not try to reach IL Would ID not ne bet.
ter to help them tbithsr than suhsist them in
ideness here.
Ill ~,ha nh. Ia