The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-11-06
Who i. Responsible for the Hard
Times :?

can platform Of last year, and the gushing
self graduation with which the party put
Grant before the country for another term
1t was full Of recital Of its many success
es in keeping the country great and pros
porous, and gilded all over with promises
of golden future in case of party success
Having carried the country on that issue,
no member of the party can object if it
be tried by the standard itself has set up
The administration of the government
by Gen. Grant and his associates has now
lasted almost five years. Their control
has been absolute and irresistible They
have made laws and unmade them at
their pleasure. They have fixed the tariff
on importations; given the country such
currency as they pleased; made first gold
the legal tender, and afterwards green
backs, amended the constitution; recon-
structed the Supreme Court, to interpret
its amendments; in short it has been
the one power absolute in the land
Now what result do we sceo The cry
of hard times and more trying winter for
the laborer than We have ever known be
fore makes itself heard from every quar-
ter. 1t is said that millions Of men in the
Country are out of work, and their num-
Der is continually increasing. In New
York thirty thousand are out Of employ
ment, and Philadelphia pre-cmincntly a
manufacturing city, is suffering yet more
severely. On the average every one Of
these men represents family of five de
pendent on him for their daily bread We
read in New York papers of crowds Of
women seeking for work, who, when ask
ed for references from their former en-
ployers, Indignantly answer that they
had never worked out before, and then
with sudden humility declare that they
would do any kind of work, no matter
how low, provided it was not disreputable,
in stores, but they were beyond putting
on airs now, and would chenrfullv black
boots for living.
Last week 400 mechanics and 900
laborers were discharged in one day from
the Washington navy-yard, and thus were
400 added to the number Of orphaned
children of benignly paternal govern
ment The Harmony cotton mills of
Cohoes, n. Y, said to be the most extern
sive in the world, has closed up indefinitely.
This establishment, when in operation
gives employment TO five thousand men
and women at fair wages. The managers
shut down because the times are such that
they cannot afford to keep the mill going
Nearly every paper published in a large
city contains accounts of the destitution of
thousands of men, women and children
Even the New York Times gives the fol-
lowing terrible photograph Of affairs in
Yew York:
Mr.. kellock, the superintendent of outdoor
poor, who has been connected with the depart
ment for twenty-siX years. estimates that there
city of New York who are utterly destitute.
This number will be increased during the Win
ter to from 10000 to 10000
The founding hospital is full and running
over. A policeman has been kept in front of
the house, in Washington place, day and night
to prevent people from leaving more infants
there. Even then some of the desperate mothers
have been able to put down their infants while
the back of the policeman was turned knowing
that the kind sisters would not allow the lmfor-
tunate babe to perish
Every effort will be required to be put forth
by both authorities and private citizens during
the coming ordeal, not only to prevent suffering
and starvation, but to save the city from being
put at the mercy Of an army Of men. women
and children driven to desperation by the panss
OF hunger, cold, and general want.
The responsibility for this state Of things
cannot tail to rest Just where it belongs
upon the shoulders of the party having
control of national affairs. Everybody
sees it. no one can deny ii, and honest
men will acknowledge all that We have
charged.