The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-12-19

Then it Is demanded that the contract
system shall be abolished, that the eight
hour system shall be enforced in all pri-
vate and public employment; that to
prevent money paDics and speculation
a graduated system oftaxation shall be
adopted which shall take from rich men
all the property they may possess over
a given sum-say about 100000. FL
nally, to enforce this programme, a Com
mittee of Safety shall be established to
out the whole United States in the
| grand crusade against the so-called
usurpation of capital and in defense of
the rights of labor.
These resolutions, impractical and abb
surd as they are, SO far as relates to
the remedies for the relies of the existing
disasters, are nevertheless significant as
corresponding in all vital points with
those adopted a few weeks ago at work
ingmen's meeting in Philadelphia, and
also at the Massachusetts Labor Con-
vention held in New Bedford in Sep
tember last. They show the extent to
which communistic ideas are making
their way at least among the leaders and
spokesmen of the working classes. But
that they represent the ideas of Ameri-
can labor, properly so called, or the
opinion of even considerable proper
ton of the sensible foreignborn work
men who have made this country their
home, is not true. In fact, any Impair
tial spectator present at the Cooper In
stitute meeting on Thursday night could
not fail to be struck by the lack of SYM
pathy between the platform and the au-
dience. The bulk of the workingmen
present were evidently incredulous as to
the utility and wisdom of the measures
proposed by the orators. As one honest
cartman said, "All this is very fine, but
it will not I'll my truck"
Respecting the "bread or bullet" re-
solution, that the workingmen shall help
themselves to food and shelter, and
send the bills to the City Treasury for
payment, it ls superfuous to say that
any attempt to enforce it would GER
tainly produce more bullets than bread. |
For the corner grocerymen and landlords
would object to the process. The stores,
indeed, might be pillaged for once, but
when the Long Island and New Jer-
sey farmers or the Western Oranges |
find out that they can obtain no cash
for produce sent to this city, they will
at once cut off the supplies, and famine |
would at once set in. AS for sending
the bills to the City Treasury, who is to
audit them? Must Comptroller Green
cash every bill or x mark receipt for
groceries taken from every store, and if
SO, where is he to obtain the money!
The City Treasury is deplorably empty
at present, and it is very difficult to bor-
row money on bonds to pay current
expenses.
The truth is, this programme of the
Cooper Institute mass meeting is the
most impracticabie and injurious to Ia
Dor that could be possibly devised. IT'S
adoption would do more harm than
good, and plunge in untold misery the
very class whose interests it is intended
to promote. 1t is not true that capital
is the enemy of labor On the contrary,
it is its truest ally. Capital, and by
capital we mean not money, for that is
only a mere measure of value or means
of exchanee-is nothing more than the
of commodities and arti
cles useful to the we'll being and happi-
ness of man. The sa wages know moth
ing of capital or its uses, and in time Of
famine they have nothing to fall back
But in civilized countries there is al
ways reserve supply avilable in time
of need, and this reserve is ample for
sustenance during the existence of and
recovery from the present distress. In |
fact, it is already being made available
all over the country. Mills and facto- |
ries are everywhere starting up, and |
business in this city and in other places
is reviving. In short time there will |
probably be work and employment
enough for all. But it is reserved for
the demagogues who misrepresent the
intelligent workingmen of New York
to wage war against and denounce the
chief element or motor of the return
ing prosperity of the country. The in
cendiary programme of the great mass
meeting, if adopted, would destroy the
commerce and trade of New York in
short time, and render it's stores and
factories hopelessly desolate, reducing
labor to far more terrible fate than it |
would otherwise be called on to en-
dure.