Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-05-29

tue paltry pay OF their iaborcrs, as long
as they can in their well-flled purses
who in thousand ways defraud the la
borer Of the pittance due. Against no
,us of the ancient Jews was the Lord
more bitter, than against this. 1t was
called very 6tly, grinding the faces o.
the poor" This evil has obtained to q
great extent in our free country. Anc
although it does not 60 by the name of
slavery, it is the same in principle. Fur
ther it is mcancr than avowed slavery, fol
it adds hypocrisy to the sin Of oppression.
There have been reasonable grounds fol
the Shareholders taunts in this respect
We would not make this sweeping &C.
cusation against all who employ the free
laborer. There are many who do pay
their employees literally ana promptly
We would give them all the honor which
is due them, for thus conscentousy con-
sidering the ri ghts of the laborer. This
is in keeping with the spirit OF republic.
This we have said, is not especially preva-
lent in country communities but there
is practice which prevails more especial.
y in such, which is of precisely the same
spirit. Oppression in such places finds
abundant exercise in the practice of
usury.
This bears upon the poorer classes Of
society. A worthy laboring man ha,
from his hard gained earnings accumulated
a small sum of money, which he invests
in a farm. Sickness deprives him of his
income. He becomes involved, or per.
haps he has some small amount Of the
sum stipulated to be paid, yet to make
out. For any purpose he needs money,
for which he is willing to pay proper in
tcrest. But the money he must have
He goes to the professional lender, to
obtain loan. Says the lender:
Bring me your note for 500, on in
terest, with good eudorser, aud | will
let you have so5,' bleeding the poor f.l-
low just in proportion as his need is ur-
gent. He is not at all anxious whether
the loan BE- accepted or not
Or perhaps he says: Give me deed
of your farm. (which is worth S5OO,) and
will give you bond to return it, u
xON pI4 ttS fHIblfstE uOtUFS tft Oftc yttlf :.
Now il sickness, failure OF crops, low
prices Of produce or labor or from any
cause whatever the hundred is not forth
coming, the poor man loses his land im-
mediatey, or must submit to runous
interest which in short time will eat
away his home. This is an extreme case,
vet it is common occurrence. 1t is 30
common that the saying "a bond Tor a
deed " has become u progerb ora byword.
Examine the county records OF the trans
fer OF property, and there learn that
millions of dollars thus pass annually
from the name Of the poor laborer to
that Of the rich lender.
Take another example. A poor man
is obliged to sell piece OF personal
prop rty. In the hands OF man who
could keep it, it is worth thirty dollars ;
but the ric buyer cant thiuA OF giving
more thah twenty.
at is uou gh, it is nouyht, saith the buyer,
and wnen he .o.th his way ue boasteth - Pror.
Shame upon that rich man who cannot
LOOK upon the sweat stained galns OF the
poor, without having u heart greedy to
pos.css them | seem to see hun, with
his easy carriage riding from his own
costly home, with its wide acres, across
the country. lie passes by sunny little
house with its patch Of ground Tor u gar
den. which is the laborers pride. and he
chuckles within hi,aself, and chirps up his
horse, as he thinks "next year that will
be mine" The sad pale face OF the lnva-
lid wife at the window, CAUSES him never
pans, But she, after the rattle OF his
wheels has died away, goes about with a
sad heart, for next year she Is to lose her
home. Never mind, weeping one! There
! is a little home upon earth waiting Tor
YOU. which even his ayaricious heart will
not covct ; and mansion IN heaven upon
which he has no claim
No wonder that you detest this evil
You despise such character as this-do
you? Perhaps you do, but you have
helped to form them, though you may
never have been thus heartessly unjust,
The mass Of people look upon such a
man, as a "smart, business man, and
upon one who does not thus, as mot at all
shrewd." Shrewdness, even ii it does
step a little aside from fair dealing, rs
looked upon as the first qualification tor
business man. The majority OF men
lose respect for him, of whom it is said
"he is honest enough, or means to be, but
is not at all shrewd" What wonder
while such an incentive exists in the pub
lie mind, that our business firms are so
frequently surprised by some shrewd'
confidential clerk proving defaulter =
He lcarns the lesson of his employer, to
be shrewd to his own advantage.
This spirit is not only conhned to the
transactions of business, but it mapltests
itself also in social relations.
We boast that we are Democratic. 1t
we are so, every one who is worthy, up
right and honest, will be looked upon as
entitled to respect; and if not especial
notice, at least, civil treatment, But
how is this, even in the Democratic
North? Money, in the vast majority OF
cases, and not merit, is what seeafes re-
spect. How many there are, who admit
to their homes, with every attention, to
saw nothing of civility, those who have
wealth, regardless OF virtue or moral
worth at the same time not deigning to
associate with those who are poor, be they
ever so worthy.
Il this compatible with Democracy =