The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-18
THE REPUBLICAN PAETY TRUE TO ITS
HISTORY.


employed in rescuing labor from the absolute
ownership of capital to the complete rectlnca-
ton of the relations existing between capltal- :
lists and laborers. 1t mast do So Inc lapof
question, which has long been postponed by
variety of extraordinary circumstances, Is
about to become paramount Importance. The
Republican party, impelled by the strong
sense of humanity and justice which has car
ried it through the philanthropic labors of the
last ten years, will not need to feel the
promptings of self-interest to put it on the
right track. The speeches of Hoar, Dawes,
Shanks and especially of Kelley, 1--WE are sor-
ry for our halfhearted praise of the last gen
tleman's remarks after reading full report OF
them in the Globe mark, as we believe, the
most important ''new departure that
has been made for several years.
Mr.. Kelly's extreme views on the subject OF
protection ought not to blind the people OF
the country to the ability and conspicuous
honesty of the man who declined re-elec-
ton to his present position unless he could be
relieved of the duties as an office-broker gen.
orally made inseparable from it. Here are
his remarks on Mr.. Hoar's bill in full:
NJ am grateful to the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts for having brought this subject to
the attention OF the House. 1t demands inn
mediate and earnest consideration. The fail
ure to investigate such questions as this bill
proposes to submit to an able commission has
deprived England of her national prestige and
threatens her imminently with revolution. Ii
was the failure to consider these questions by
the imperial government of France, and those
which preceded it, that lighted the fires Of the
Commune in Paris. 1t is the failure of gov
ernmenGs to consider the condition of the
masses of the people that is upheaving society
in all lands, and has brought about an inter-
national association of the bone and muscle
of the world, the action of which is teaching
governments and privileged classes that. with
the laborers, Notwithstanding their hard con-
dition, there are also intellect, culture and
energetic but disciplined will 1t is the failure
of governments to recognize the questions
propounded by the gentleman's bill that is
1arousing the young enthusiasts OF England
and the continent of Europe in hostility to
church and throne, and making them, titled
though they be, leaders of the poor and OPP
pressed toilers of the Old World.
III Sir, it is the failure of European Govern
ments to consider these questions that il
bringing to our country each year more thar
quarter of a million of people, who flee
from lands which are not poverty-stricken
but which abound in wealth and its elements
because the toilers in the midst of that wealth
are doomed to penury, to want, to hunger
- and often to death from hamilton. Recent
English writers and the reports of parliamen-
8 tary commissions show that among the labor
ing people of England are several millions
who are in want OF healthful and sufficient
food throughout succeeding years. 1t is ow
ing to the failure to consider these questions
that England is becoming the land Of drunk
enness, and that while her receipts of revenue
from spirits swell from year to hear, her home
consumption OF her own cotton goods has
fallon off thirty-five per cent: in four years
Her agricultural laborers are lifted, ill-clad
and housed in kennels inferior to those of the
hounds Of the plutocracy | have the au
thority OF r. 81. Patterson, of Daniel Grant
of Sir Edward Sullivan and host of recen
writers, proving that the honest toll of la
boring family in England can no longer keel
decent roof over that family.
Mr.. Speaker, we are walking in the ways O
old nations. We are saved from these dir,
results for the present by reason of the extern
and freedom of our public lands. Go int
our old and crowded cities go into New York
the commercial metropolis of the country
and you find poverty as gaunt, want as alb
solute, the inability to find employment al
certain seasons as complete, as it is in the
east end of London or the heart of Lanca
shire. Thank God, it is never so widespread
Let us take measures to prevent it from evel
becoming so. Prudent forecast will do this
We are following in the footsteps of the old
nations and now, while it is day, while with
out violence order may be given to that which
is running into chaos, while the whole subject
is susceptible Of easy control, let us authorize
the appointment of a commission which shall
at the end oftwo years or sooner, give us such
report as may be agreed upon. We Sc,
what results England's commercial and rev
enue systems have produced. Let us be ad
monished and avoid them in time; and
would add-and hope the gentleman from
Massachusetts Mr.. Hoar will, in the thir
teeth line of the first section of the BILL where
II, he speaks of laws regulating commerce
finance, aud currency, add-"and of partner
. ship III order to promote, If possible, to
at least enlighten the laborers and capitalists
of the country as to the feasibility of cooper
alton and the prospects of happy results from
its establishment in this country.
We who live under Government resting
upon the virtue and intelligence of the people
cannot afford to permit the laborers of any
one of the States of the Union to fall into
the condition of the laboring people of Eng
land, of France, of Austria, or even of Bel
GUM, where better provision is made for edu-
cation than in the others. We must look to
it that they whose skill and toll in the mine
and the coal-bank initiate our industries and
supply us with power, or who convert the ores
into metal and all forms Of utility and beauty
that they who shear the flock and wash the
wool and spin and weave and dye it; that
they who by their labor convert the apparent
ly arid fields of the South into cotton and all
its useful and beautiful fibres shall not live in
ignorance, and shall not, in this country, so
richly endowed with every description of ma
terial wealth, live in poverty and die in want.
Their toll, enforced by steam and mechanical
appliances, and our resources, if regulated
and equitably adjusted, are sufficient to ban
ish poverty, except as the result of intemper-
ance, from the wide limits of our country.
Mr.. Shanks spoks as follows:
On last Monday introduced in this House
a bill for the purpose of establishing bureau
of labor, and to define the duties of the head
of that bureau. | believed then, as 1 believe
now, that the time has come when this Con-
gress should take hold of this subject and dis
charge promptly its duty to the people by a
thorough investigation, which shall determine
by clear proof whether labor practically stands
on an equal footing with capital, or whether
the capital of the country practically owns the
labor of the country. 1t has been the pride
of the Republican party, and of this age, that
very great extent from the hands of capital
1t remains now for the representatives of the
people to see to it that labor does not 90 back
into the hands of capital. The laboring peo-
pie of this nation think to-day that they are
subjected unjustly to capital: that discrimi-
nations are made against them which have
this effect, 1t is due to the large number of
people holding this opinion that we should in
vestigate the subject and determine whether
fbQv arc n thair il1dop,apt tbo,
are correct, it is the duty of this Congress to
redeem them from that thralldon; and if they
are not correct, it is the duty of Congress to
place in their hands the means by which their
Judgment shall be proved to be unfounded.
/ am in favor of this bill, though | much
prefer the organization of bureau that shah
proceed at once to make an inquiry of this
kind, because the commission contemplated
by this bill will be embarrassed to some extent
in consequence of its want of power to bring
before 1T the proper testimony, the evidences
which may produce the effect desired. How
ever, sustain this measure. Speaking for
the people whom have the honor to repre-
sent, l say to this Congress that the time has
come when we should no longer neglect this
matter. The question is, whether we shall
obey the edict OF the American people which
has gone out to the effect that their legislative
department shall take care of the laboring
elements of the country, and not leave them
to be mistreated by capital. In every country
the original element of wealth is labor. Cap
ital is the result of that labor; and if it has
come about that capital, the result of labor,
controls labor itself and directs its fate, then
the time has come when this wrong should be
riSnteu ana the laboring people restored to
their original and rightful position.
/ am, as l have said, in favor of this meas
1lre and shall sustain it but am much 800