The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-27
The Laborer, the Artisan.

1t has been asserted that the prevalence of
high rents bears peculiarly hard upon this
class of our population. We do not know
that the assertion is entitled to our unquali-
fed acceptation, because we are not informed
that the dwellings they occupy have partaken
Of the increase ia the same ratio that larger
buildings and structures have in localities
where the demand cannot be supplied
Taking it for granted however, that their
rents have been raised, We would not eucour-
age in them any feelings or sediments OF Bit
torness towards those who own the property
they occupy We are taught by the highest
authority to place ourselves in the positions
of others if we wish to arrive at an approach
to Just estimate of what our conduct and
feelings should be. 1t is to be borne in mind
that the times in which we live are are far
different from those before the war. Money
has greatly deprecated, and provisions are
higher than they were formerly. These
CAUSES affect the property holder, as well as
ths laborsr or artisan Then again taxes on
real estate have been enormously increased, as
has been Building material of every description.
Labor it must be remembered isa also higher than
it was. The property holder was generally
slave holder; his losses upon this score have
in many instances fallen heavily upon him.
Real estate, too, has perhaps deprecated in
value because of the scarcity of money at the
South These facts we say are to be borne
In mind by the laborer or al tisan, who, it has
been asserted, forms the only class which is
suffering from high rents, except that OF the
professional man.
We wish to impress the laborer and arti-
san with the principle OF charity, which for
bids thinking evil OF his neighbor. We wish
to impress him with the fact that the property
holder is his friend, in degree far higher
than are those who abuse him, and sndeavor
tu ustil into the minds of the so-caled poor
mar, feelings of enmity and dissatisfaction.
Ii not the aborer dependent upon the capital
of the property holder for employment more
or less Who bnilt the houses but the man
Of property Who build up the cities but the
property holders, and thus give employment
to the laborer and the artisan These are facts
which We might elaborate, but which We throw
out for the Consideration Of this class of our
coninunity, about whose Oppression" as
manifested by the dog in the manager" spirit OF
the property holder, SO much has been writ
ten of late The time will come when the
evil Of high rents, if it really be an evil will
be corrected 1t is certain that tenants
meetings do not constitute the proper mode
to bring about a reduction Of rents. We
must remember that the property holder has
rights as well al the laborer and artisan, and
because he avaiS himself OF the benefits of
a law Of trade, he IL not to be vililied as
hearth extortioner and unfeeiag Insurer.
We must simply change positions with him,
and ark ourselves if we would be willing to
invest our capital in house building, and then
rent out the houses at an annual sum less
than that which competition in the rent
market offered us? If the laboreF and arti-
san will ask himself this question seriously,
hs will, if candid and unprecedented, be very
apt to answer in the negative.
The paragraph in our first article expressed
sympathy with the tenants, and sense of
right and Justice with the owaers of property.
While we May properly sympathize with the
miSfortunes which may come upon our fell
lows by no action of their own, we cannot
charge oppression" or "a dog in the manger'
spirit upon valuable class of the commu-
nifty, because they happen to be benefited by
the course of events over which they too had
10 control. They are not more selfish than
any other class whose object is, after ALL in a
business matter, self-interest.
We are aware that the view we may take
OF this Matter may not be popular" So
called; but Is public journalists, we consider
1t our duty to maintain what we believe to
be the truth, and to set our face against ar
raging class against class. The tenant move
ment has failed in Richmond, and in every
other city whore it has been made, as it was
compelled to fail, because it was not a proper
measure of removing the grievance complained