Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-10-25
CAPITAL AND LABOR.


one side of the questions at issue, which
cannot bear the test of reason and argu
ment: It is when some apparent interes
of the public, and of the working classe.
especially, is being considered, and mer
are prone to rank them selves with those
whose professions of friendship are the
ioudest, not knowing, or caring to know
what concealed motive it is which prompts
the sudden display of interest and kindly
feeling. Hence, the popular side of @
question is always sought and studied by
demagogues, who endeavor, by specious
and plausible arguments to convince the
people that they are right in that belief
which their apparent interest PROMPT:
them TO entertain. There is scarcely q
political battle fought in which more OF
less Of this kind of electioneering is not
resorted to, and we are sorry to say it is,
in too mary instances, attended with that
| success which shows that it is truly pow
erful for mischief. Old s;agers, who look
to politics as a means to live off the pub
lie, are quick to perceive the direction in
which the tide of public sentiments like
ly to set and equally quick in taking ad-
vantage Of that tide to the fnrtherance of
their own ends and purposes. 1t is not
until the excitement of the contest has
passed away, and the promised results do
not appear. that they are forced to the
somewhat CALLING conclusion that they
have been duped again.
The settlement and early development
of new region is almost invariably con-
Quoted by n.en of the poorer classes.
With little else than the rifle which is at
once his protection and in great part his
means of subsistence, the hardy pioneer
strikes deep into the forests which form
the Western bounds of civilization, and
prepares to rear home for himself and
his children. far away from the comforts,
the elegancies, and even the necessities
of civilized life. As the years roll on, he
finds himself surrounded by those who,
like himself, have left old homes and
scenes in the hope of improving their
condition of life; the wilderness has given
place to rude homesteads, and its silence
is broken by the hum of busy industry.
With the advent of an increased popula-
tion comes new wants, that which was at
first sought as luxury becomes in turn
comfort and then a necessity. The
! simple mode of life which was all suf-
ficient to him when alone, becomes
changed to suit the change of circum-
stances. Society makes its demands up-
on him and they are inexorable. 1t is
then that capital comes to his relief. ana
its advent is hailed with unalloyed salts
faction. 1t builds railroads and opens
up the channels of navigation, placing
him in communication with a market for
his produce, and thereby giving him the
means of purchasing many things to
which his household had been, for many
years, a stranger. He finds the land
which he had purchased but few years
ago OF the government at its minimum
valuation, has rapidly advanced in value,
and he congratulates himself upon his
foresight in locating where he did. The
toll and privation of his earlier manhood
has now just reward-he has grown
comparatively affiuent by the rise in val
ue of his land alone. When he had to
haul his grain fifty, sixty, or a hundred
| miles to find n market on the lake shore,
or the river bank, and sell it at fifty or
sixty cents bushel, what was that land
worth in the market? If well fenced,
eight or ten dollars an acre, while to day
its value is very low if we set it at five
times that sum, and his wheat brings one
dollar per bushel instead of fifty or sixty
cents; But it is not his own exertons
which has caused the increase, but the
simple fact that capital has sought re-
muneratve field for investment, and in
benefting itself has benefited him also.
We submit that this is true picture Of
the western farmers condition of a few
years ago, and of to-day. Labor was
value!ess until capital had opened chan
mel through which it could reap its reward.
The field was now ripe for the 6ema-
gogue and he was not long in putting in
an appearance. 1t is now fashionable
and popular to talk glibly Of the extor-
tions and expressions of capital and to
decry the past and present benefits it has
worked. "It must be content" says the
new born friends of the people, with a
reasonable profit on its investments, and
we, the interested parties, are to say what
a reasonable profit is" Labor and cap-
tai are not antagonistic to, but dependent
upon each other, and he is no friend to
the best interests of the people who strives
to array them in opposition. Capital
which seeks to open up new fields for la
Dor, and place distant sections in direct
communication with the seaboard, must
be acknowledged as friend of the de.
velopment of States resources, and {
due regard to its own interests will cause
it to hold its charges at such rates as will
build up rather than destroy the busines.
on which it is dependent. Sooner or latel
the people will learn this fact, and wher
they have learned it the rule of passion
and prejudice will be at an end. 1t i,
but few years since the penny whistles
who are so loud mouthed for 'the people
now inaugurated a crusade against capi
tai by tickling the palates of workingmer
with an ''eight hour law" What is the
result? That tho law is dead letter OF
our statute books. Capital cannot b,
forced into unremunerative fields anC