The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-09-17

The true test of prosperity in a republic
Ia the elevation of the masses. A model
state 10 one where the lab0rer 10 intelligent
and thriving, where health and industry
are sure to obtain the comforts Of life, and
where abundant avenues are open to COM
the healthiest state Of society whore mere
labor il well fed and housed, and where
prizes ale everywhere accessible TO ability.
energy and tact; in short, where full
wages for services, and In propotion to SER
vices, are readily attained. These positions
are so obvious that they sound like self
evident truisms; and yet our own country
ton 10 possible, and the question now
hangs in perilous doubt whether it will
ever again DO possible here. It viii not be
possible, il, in the present contest, the
spirit of the South ia not broken and its
power subdued. S..
Southern society is based on the degra-
da.;on Of labor, whether slave or free, and
the supremacy Of the privileged classes
The southern rebellion Is one, a. its leader
has stated, against the tyranny Of major
ties. The southern doctrine always was
that the chivalry should rule; while it
could do 30 under constitutional forms.
those forms were accepted; when they in.
terfered With its supremacy, they were
at once, as Samson burst the
bonds Of Delilah. The Northis now tight
ing for the rights OF the million, the South
for the prerogatives of the few. This is q
war for the rights OF labor: il is tough. by
laborers hands: 1t should be oyerwnelm.
ingiy sustained and made final by labor
ers' votes. Now ia our only chance to
strike death blow at an aristocracY that
would gradually reduce us, whether with
slavery or without IL. to two classes, the
class Of wealth and power and the class Of
labor and want. These two classes exist
where true democracy Is not in
force, just As fully In pseudo- abo!itionist
rs in slaveholding South Carolina.
Let US see what England confessea that she
now is, what our future statesmen will
confess that we have become, If we now
take the heel Of labor from the half-crush-
ed neck Of southern power. In the July
number Of the Westminster Review We
tind this startling admission
1.-THE industrial community exhibits a
tendency to division into only two orders
the great capitalists. the possessors Of
large accommodations Of wealth, and the Ia.
borers, living upon daily wages, the pos
SCISSORS Of NO property at aa- There Is an
enormous increase in population quite
without hope of advancement in life, who
have no future to lock forward to. and vino
swell the ranks Of these who
are known abroad BY that oninous name
the dangerous classes.
This is brought about in a great degree
~ .le a as ~ ,,.n - anu "a. "a.
sa;, e s h.o ,ow .ha 80. VI .s ~
s 81. .i'.s.S :. ,,,.rr ;,h.h:.ass,s 49, 80
~ p .,.,o hnndred 49,. 40 hn1 "a, a.,s
-. - 49, I.rshoYSsrs = L.. 49, 80.
Z ~ f,h nf gh.4 Il 80 q that tine, a. IN.
;a,r r = va.Ith ccrcentrat;re ;tsaif ~. IN.
h.9ds sc the few. The result Is that Mi, III
lions of laborern in Eneland have nosit;vo.
" no foothold ON the soil, and that about
si,sorhed in parks and pleasure-crnnnas
shnt ont from nlantinr and Cra,Sne NJ
wnndar ina Inndon 7:rees asvs fhst this
Year Encland 4 dependent On Forster
~ res ~ air months aunniv a. ~ra;n -