The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-09

time. The delegates from the State of New
Jersey, at Columbus, represented him to be
IN full accord with every principle Of the
National Labor Union, and that he defend
ed those principles throughout the canvass.
We have read the inaugural from beginning
to end, and 1t has the true ring, and we re-
greet that our space will not permit US W
print it entire. instead Of extracts from il.
LABOR.
Wages, hours ot labor, and the Iust di-
vision Of the JOINT profits Of labor and cap
ital are subjects now attracting general at
tention. These questions have been brought
to the notice Of Congress, and bill auth
orizing investigation into the causes Of com
plant will doubtless be passed. 1t will be
found that the increased expenditures Of
the general government, producing a high
rate Of taxation-the destruction of com
merce and other branches Of industry-the
waste Of the public lands by subsidies to
mammoth corpOratlons-a deprecated cur
rency-and an oppressive tariff that dis
eliminates In favor Of Mxuries and against
the necessaries If life, thus increasing the
prlce Of food and implements of trade and
husbandry-are among the causes that in
duce dissatisfaction and unrest among work
mgInen. These evils Congress has the pow
er To remove, and so apparent are they that
action should be insisted upon, without
waiting the result Of a tedious investiga-
ton. But the questions connected with
the labor interest are peculiarly for the con
slderation Of the local governments Of the
several States, whose rovince it is to guard
the domestic and business relations Of the
people.
There should be no conflict between cap
ltal and labor. The interests of both can
be made to harmonic SO that both will be
benefited Capital has its rights, which
should be protected, and yet it is 50 power
tul that the laborIng interest requires the
constant Watehful care If Legislation to de-
fend II from imposition. Labor demands
Just and equal laws. and the abandonment
Il all class Legislation.
Where the producing classes are receiv-
ing liberal compensation, the people are
prosperous and happy. Competitive cheap
labor, diminishing labor to almost starving
rates. is ruinous Ia country where the
people govern. Reduce man to penury,
and you take from him that self-respect and
spirit Of independence which every citizen
should possess In Republic it is essen
tIal that the masses have remunerative
wages Their labor should be SO rewarded
that time can be had for relaxation and the
acquisition a that degree Of knowledge
that will enable them To- exercise, under
stansimgly. the rights and privileges ~
freemen.
The Legislature should institute rigid in
curry into the treatment az children en-
! Pl"yed IN workshops and factories There
Is reason to believe that the provisions Of
, the act If eighteen hundred and ifty-one,
, the second section of which limits the hours
, Of labor of.minors, and prohibits the work
! ing Of children Of tender Years i'll manufac
turing establishments, are often disregard
ed. Not only Is the mind untutored, but
in some instances the body Of the child il
eneIvated by one7ous requirements. The
State should not permit the cupidity Of en-
ployers or the necessities of parents 10
overtax the young and helpless She not
only owes every child an education, but al
50 protection in the proper development Of
the physical powers which God has given
The body made by Him who created all
things, to be the abode Of the soul, is not
mans t. abuse or to be abused
TAXATION.
The late war left the nation heavily bur
dened with debt This necessarily produced
increased taxation but worse than this
load Of debt is the extravaganza in both
public and private life that the war has en-
tailed. Such large amounts were then dis
bursed, that the people seem to have lost
proper appreciation Of the value of mon
ey, and have become careless Of its use
The economy Of former times il now by
many considered parsimony.
Happily, this evil in the conduct of pub
lie affairs has been comparatively unfelt III
New Jersey. 1t is conceded that under her
State administration, prudence and econo-
my have generally been exercised Yet
there is room for reform in some items ii
Legislative expenditures. Let us watch Wig
ilantly the expenses Of government Let
us scrutinize every bill involving the apprU-
priation Of the public moneys. Let Us
hold all officers to strict accountability,
and punish corruption to the extent Of the
law. Let us make New Jersey the model
State Of the Union in this regard. When
ever the nation has been in peril, she has
been among the foremost in patriotism and
loyalty. Let her now, by her example, be
foremost in rescuing the country from the
new danger to which it is subjected
The people are clamorous for a reduction
If the national taxes Every dollar Of the
public debt. principal and interest, must be
paid. and should be paid as speedily as the
financial condition Of the country will adj
nit. But do not crush the rising genera
tion. already weighed down by local taxes
incident "a the war. The credit Of the
country does not requireit for that has been
established by demonstrating to the world
our ability t. pay.
The cost If administering the General
Government should be greatly diminished.
II the national revenues were reduced more
than a hundred millions of dollars a year,
all the legitimate expenses Of the govern
ment economically administered could be
met, the interest Of the public debt liqui-
dated, and large sum paid annually in re-
duction Of the principal. BY repeating the
inqusitorial Internal Revenue laws, except
as to a few articles of luxury, the services
Of a large number of officials could be dis
pensed with. II any revenue from internal
taxation be needed, it would be far more
economical to apportion the amount requir-
ed among the States 10 I've assessed and
collected at trifing cost, with the State
taxes, by the officers Of the townships and
wards.
CORRUPTION.
The patriotism Of the American people
and their love Of the Union, have enabled
them to endure much, and without a muir
muir they wiz still strain every nerve To
meet all legitimate demands upon them.