New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-18

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to aalnspce and build thsn intor g1es-
sivs and hourishing communities. All
employment il honorable that enable us
to conform TO the scriptural injunction
Elm the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread y and none more so than tie tiihng
of the soil. The want Of lucrative. en-
ployment for all who are disposed to labor
is q great affection, not only to the working
classes, but frequently the governments
under which they live. This is the case
in Europe, and all countries embraced in
the Eastern Hemisphere, whose popula-
tons have become dense and whose
wealth is concentrated in the hands of a,
few, who are disposed to use it to Cypress
the many. The lands are not cultivated
by those who own them, but by those who
rent at ruinous prices. And wherever
capital gives employment to labor, no
matter what branch, it is at ruinous rates;
prices that are not sufficient to feed and
clothe the masses comfortably, and give
them decent shelter. This condition of
things is very apt to breed discomfort
among the laboring classes, and not
unfrequently is the cause OF revolu-
tons where governments are in SYM
patty with the rich and use their
power to promote class interest, instead
of the public interest. In this country
things are entirely different. The peo-
ple-and this embraces all classes make
choice of thsir President every fou, years,
and choose their legislative representa-
tives oftener. This gives them political
influence that. protects them, in large
degree, against d system of favoritism
that is practiced under hereditary gov
ernments. Here, too, the people are the
rightful heirs of the public domain, and it
is within the power of all who choose to
become landholders to do SO. There is
no necessity for q man of energy and en-
terprise continuing in business here
that does not give assurance of indepen-
dence in the course of a few years. If
he is q mechanic he is not compelled to
labor always for mere subsistence. The
laboring men of this country have some
thing to soy about the price of labor, as
we'll as the selecting Of those who are to
govern then. Yet, Notwithstanding the
many advantages that are possessed by
them over the laboring men of other
countries, they do not all do as well as
they might. A great many are proAigate
and improvident, and not unfrequently'
find themselves in a condition that places
them at the mercy of men of capital, who,
having no sympathy in common with
labor, are always ready to reduce the pay
of the laborer. But this class of working
men.do not compel all men to work for
reduced wages-wages that will not
afford decent support and enable them
to lay up something for rainy day. The
great inducements that are offered in
this country to those who desire to have
homesteads prove a great relief to all
kinds of mechanical and other business
followed, by laboring men in our towns
and cities. The fact THAT lands are to be
had almost by asking for them induces
many to go to the country when business
fails to be prosperous in cities, and in
this way the price of labor is sustained.
There is no more honorable and indie
pendent employment. than that of tilling
the soil, and the great wonder is that
more of our own people do not
avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity presented by the government of
securing homesteads for themselves and
families. A man with half dozen boys
and girls growing up could not raise
them to more wholesome or useful occu-
patton than that of attending to the dairy
and farm. Many boy and girl are per-
mitted to grow up in our cities and
towns, and, for the want of some useful
employment, become lazy and shiftless
drones upon society; and others, who are
disposed to hunt work are often compelled
to beg for it and take just what is offered
in way of compensation sometimes less
than what will board and clothe them
decently rather than be without employ
ment. It is certainly better to do even
this than to remain idle, for idleness is
apt to bring with it train of vices that
are terrible to think Of But there is no
necessity for these things in a country
where there is land enough to give all
profitable employment.
THE METAIRIE JOCKEY CLUB.
We observe that few of what General