The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-29
SATURDAY EvEN'G, MARCH 30, 1873

Sn00lu DE frequently Tetnllueu VI eic I'M
portant truth that all good government |
rests on the intelligence, virtues and ener-
gies of the governed. No people can be
free who are mere slaves to passion, or the
ignorant dupes of designing and unprinci-
pied men. No people can long be prosper
Gus who are idle, ignorant, and thriftless.
1t is a poor escape from proper censure
to seek, for a series of years, to lay the
blame of bad government at the door OF
ignorant and corrupt legislators, or vicious
and mercenary leaders. To elect such men
to office is to secure just such results as
we see and we have really no right TO
complain. The only remedy against such
a state of things is to be found in the peo-
Pile. If they elect bad men to office they
have no right to expect anything but bad
government to follow.
Is it not time for the people Of Virginia
to bestir themselves on this subject? Are
weon the right track to secure the rapid
and sure development Of all our resources
the vast. varied and inexhaustible min
eral wealth of the state, as well as its agri-
cultural, manufacturing and commercial
prosperity that should flow from them? Is
it not high time, in fact, that the voice Of
faction was hushed in the popular demand
for domestic or home industry and improve.
ment? The din of party discord to be
senced in the increased energies Of the
working tneh ? And who are the work.
ing men? 1t is not the carpenter, the
stone-cutter, the machinist, the tiller of the
soil only, who constitute the working men.
1t is not sinew and bone which alone
makes them, or even the best part Of
them; nor is it alone the lower branches Of
labor in which the working man is en-
ployed. That work on which the true
greatness of q country depends springs
from the mind, and is vitalized by educa-
ton, system, and long training. r,
A most fatal mistake is it to seek, at
any time or for any purpose, to array capt.
tai against labor. This is the hobby Of
the demagogue, but it has often, been well
nigh the death knell of the social structure.
ms t4tt-Ef.tbi W., .F Y. WY. -t8
lnere Is no JUST anu heoessafy cause VI
collision between them. Labor produces
capital, while capital vitalizes and elevates
labor. Without capital there would be nc
a1lhahu ior iaool oeyoiio 'he hecessi.les
wh'ch shoulo iu,pel eacn man 70 IL wan
out labor. constant, thoughtful, well-di.
rectea lapof, there Would DC no eapltal
This perpetual cry oil the interests OF the
laborlng man as conlradistngnished ron
ana hostae TO capltai-as arrayed agains'
the commerce. Inc Sciences tpe arts, INC
PROFESSIONS oil the country-ls altogether
'alse ana hypocriticai dogma.
40 GOD has SO economized the mental, NOR
al, and manual endowments OF men as tt
equalize, I'D the grand social results. thf
united EFFORTS OF all. IN proportion as the
various eiements OF society harhohiAe OF
CLASH, just ID the same pfopoftloh are INT
people prosperous, the government staoie
anu Tue laws JuoiciouS, Vi ehereiy Tue OPP
pos'te. II would DC as prudent 10 array
the carpenter against Inc orlck-layer, OF
the shoe ,1Ii'ike against the husoanuhal
as II Is 10 array iaoor asai'is. o'pl'ai' anu anu
10 each ana every case as suiciaai.
we nave oee' leu 70 'h's Tram .
thought ny Tue 700 irequehs a'teihp's u
CLASS legislation III these aays--at'enhpts &c
foster and build up one interest, and ina
sometimes an overshadoWing one agains
another ana man'lestiy ieepler interest,"
when they shouio oolh DC leit 10 aoJts
their ahtasonlsims py th f8 own ihheref.
20 grayitles. aE .gs4sI "a
In Virginia, at THIS time, we need po'l
capital ana iaoor--the one, perhaps, a
much as the other. But a greater wan
sun really exisis among US, anu ,hat !
e'iat we ouiSeiSeS Si'ouiu ~ " WIN WIN
economv4 and enterprise To bui,d nm on
broken and shattered fortunes.
q 81 y;,o;ni, bas rich b,rvaet awaiting IN
.aen energies Of the sk;llrul reaner. "A goo,
,r.yidenca bas hlessed her with :, so;l an,