Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-11-01

carrying them upon us ticket. Does the
Biddeford Democrat pronounce the sup
port of Tweed and his associates by the
democracy, bringing them tojusticeP
Secretary Boutwell, has delivered lecture
in Boston and New York upon topics of great
public interest, which contains matter that
should be generally considered. At the open
ing of his lecture he stated that his object
was to unfold as far as he was able the rela-
tons of labor and the laboring people to the
great interests Of the country He then said:
~ speak frst-because l don't expect to
coincide entirely with laboring views-of some
errors that think they commit; and first,
that they look to labor organizations for sub
stantial and permanent and general advantages
to the laboring population. Combinations of
laborers are not to be denounced. They have
a right, and it is right for them to assert the
right, that they shall have a voice as to the
amount of wages which they shall receive for
given amount of labor. The influence of
such organizations must be temporary. They
are not comprehensive enough to elevate the
laboring people of the world or of the country.
Next, say that think they spend too much
time upon the question whether they are to
labor six or eight, or ten hours day. AS
the inquiry goes on, as laborers and employ
ers come to better understanding of their mu-
tual interests, this is one of the questions
that will be settled by the force of events, and
very likely it will be so settled that men in
particular pursuits may labor only six hours
day, as in the mines and in occupations
which require particular mental attention.
- sk, rl--o H. I'll.
varied, where the laborer turns from one
thing to another through the different hours
in the day, he may perform labor for more
than eight or ten hours a day without injury
to his health and the labor organizations
commit a wrong, not an error merely, when
they attempt to dictate, NOT to the employers,
when they attempt to dictate to the youth
Of the country who may and WHO may not
learn a trade. As far as l can see there is but
one way, looking to the means and not to the
means on which the elements rest,-there is
but one general way for the laboring people
i speak now of the artisans-to work together
for general result, and that is by co-opera-
ton be confined to the laborers, or whether
the laborers and employers cooperate togeth-
er, the same result will happen, that GER
tain part of the laboring people will be en-
cluded from the organization. l believe if
you could to-day introduce the system of CO.
operation there would still be a number Of
persons left that must submit to the question
of wages. How are these men to be elevated
so that your system may become universal {?
/ see but one means-e education, and that of
the highest kind. l see danger from the fact
that certain persons from social or eccesias-
teal reasons are Withdrawing their children
from the schools. My most Important; sug-
gestions to the laboring people is that they
faip sfa of
founded on any other basis are essentially in
efficient Consider that your children are to
live in the world with the rough and undisci-
pined children, and that they must not be
sepaI ated.
The tenure of the land is the subject to
which l wish to call your attention. 1t is
now admitted in England that land cannot be
cultivated except by the proprietor. The
coming up of such question is postponed in
this country, and the laboring men have less
reason to apprehend evil because it will be
long before the land will be thickIy settled.
The important question is, why should any
man determine how land should be used after
his death? This should be prohibited by law.
In time it will become ridiculous. An
other evil. to which attention should be
called is the evil growing out Of the power of
railroads to own lands for other purposes than
the accommodation of their own business.
Why should it be so? Another incident evil
is that the companies are thus able to stow
away their profits so that they are not seen by
the public. Our railway system now includes
fifty thousand miles of railroad. The public
interest is to keep the companies specifically
for what they were established, and to keep
their rates as low as is consistent with the
transaction of their business and the making
of fair profit. Situated as we are in Massa
chusetts with right to limit the profits to ten
per cent, j have no doubt it would be ad-
visable for the legislature to compel them in
certain years to carry passengers at a very
low rate to enable the people TO get out of the
cities and stimulate them 10 acquire home.
Our internal commerce is fifteen times as
great as our commerce on the oceans, and it
is very important that this business should be
done at the lowest profitable rate. The ad-
want &c would be mutual one to the capital
lists and laborers. A more important SUBJ
ject is the water communication with other
OF the one hundred and thirty
odd steamships once sailing from our ports