The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-11-09
CAPITAL AND LABOR.

A grander revolution than any that has
ever heretofore shaken the political aud So
cial systems of the world is now forging its
thundcrholts 1t is revolution which will
be confined to no particular territory, but is
destined to sweep over continents and gather
in its folds tn bone and sincw OF every shade
Of government known to civilization. In
England, Belgium, France, Holland and Ger
many, powerful organizations exist among
working men for the amclioration of their
condition and for the dev;sing Of schemes for
the efficient prosecution of the great war on
capital. In our own country, Wendell Phil
lips leads the column, and in terrible ar
raignmcnt Of capital, attacks its vested rights,
and sounds the notes of communistic ad-
vance.
The New York World of the 3rd, Il us
succincrly gives the substance of the startling
news that comes across the waters, in refer
ence to this important movement, threaten
ing as it does the very existence Of the social
and political systems Of christendom
If the labor movement continues to gather
strength at the rate it has since ''the most re-
markabe of all strikes was brought to sue
cessful issue by the patience, intelligence, and
self restraint of the men of Newcastle, the
bright stars in the armament of capital will
soon pale their Intellectual fires before the
brighter sun Of labor. From every centre Of
industry, from all the headquarters of practi-
cal sociology, come notes Of preparation for
| the imminent struggle between these antago-
nistic powers. Changes in forms of govern
ment have been tried, and political reforms
of every imaginable kind have been agitated,
| until the working classes despair Of improve
ment except they themselves, legislate on
their own affairs. For the moment all their
efforts are concentrated on one particular re-
form-the dlminution Of the hours Of labor.
Until that is accomplished, politics remain in
allegiance. Stimulated by the success OF the
Newcastle strike, the labor movement has
gained an impetus which compels instant at
tcntion and demands earnest consideration.
In England and Belgium the question has al
ready assumed tremendous importance, and
in Germany it bids fair to assume gigantic
proportions The workmen's committee Of
Berlin have issued circulars calling general
congress of working-men to be held in the
German capital on the 18th instant for the
purpose Of organizir 6 a general strike for a
reduction Of the daily term of labor to nine
hours (instead of ter. hours, as Ia Belgium)
and for a general increase Of wages. In the
| columns Of the World to-day will be found
abundant evidence of the Importance of this
movement and records of it's progress in Eari-
Gus parts of Europe. 1t is necessarily attract
ing the attention of the leading employers Of
articles in leading journals. and of speeches
by our leading thinkers. Mr. Thomas Bras
sey, one of the largest employers Of labor in
England, boldly takes the bull by the horns
and proposes the adoption Of the system in
vogue at sea, pamely: the employment of
three sets of men to work eight hours each
out Of the twen:y-four. Sooner or later some
such plan must, he thinks, be adopted Ger
tainly, now that the agitation has been fairly
and generally begun, he working men arc
not likely to be satisfied until they have es-
tablished their right to reasonable share of
the leisure time which makes life enjoyable
or even tolerable. Not least among the pub
lie men who have devoted themselves to the
clueidaton of the labor question is Mr.. Wen
! dell Phillips, one of whose speeches on this
subject we print at length to-day. The bur
den of his discourse is terrible denunciation
of the wrongs Inflicted Oh labor by capital.
and an argument to prove that the tendency
Of the present great movement is the equaliza-
ton of property. Extreme as Mr.. Philips
opinions may be, and distastefal to many of
our readers, we recommend the perusal Of
his speech as it contains much food for
thought and many matters Of general interest.