, 1874-01-02

ment, aud the wrong nan will always be thrust
into the wrong place. Let the State take care of
tho laboring class if 1t can, and it takos
from them al inGuca:nent to take caro Of
Themselves. The little ambition they have world
bo extineuiahed. They would be reduced 20 i:
condition Of children. AL incentive to foresight,
and economy, and temperance would bo destroy
Cd. The majority of men cultivate these virtues
not for their own sake, not because
virtue is its own reward, hut for
the reason that they dread the con-
sequences of rccklcssncss and improvidence.
The dread of losing employment has tendency
to keep ths laboror steady when there is labor to
be had. The knowledge that he may bo with out
employment is an inducemont to him to 1ay by q
penny for q ralny day. Let the State promise
him labor at au times, and it holds out . premium
to carelessness for the future. All tlls On the
assumption that it were practicable for the Gov
eminent to enforce the right OF the laborer to
employment. But it is not practicable. The
amount OF labor that eau DO utilized depends On
the demand for it. The demand depends on tho
amount Of capital existing aud seeking pro-
ductiye investment. Government cannot in-
crease that amount by it's more fiat, and thero-
fore cannot create demand for labor where,
when things arc left to themselves,
there is none. Wherever and Whenever
there arc the means OF employing
labor, labor will be employed. The interests OF
capitalists and 1aborers aro one. Where capital
exists it must be used. directly Indirectly, in
tho employment Of laboross or perish aud it
is never the interest OF its owner that it Should
be wasted. When laborers arc idle, it is either
because they will not work or because there IS
no capital that can bc used in giving them work.
unless tho employers arc willing to submit to
loss. This they are not willing to do. II, now,
the State steps in and taxes tho community 10
support certain laborers, what is the result
The first result is that the owners OF property
are unjustly deprived of it. Taxes levied oy
Government, to afford employment to laborers,
is wealth taken out Of the pocket OF its owner BY
The strong hand ct Government. Tho 1evying
Of such tax for such purposo
is dividing the wealth of the capitalist
with tho laborer. It is covert
way of eGecting community Of goods It's Of
feet ia the same, so fa1 rs the owner Is con-
cerpcd, as If it was taken from him and divided
amorz the laboring class. But there Is another
point to which attention must be called It Is
this: The levying OF taxes to afford employ
mentto labore-s out Of work does not and cannot
accomplish that for which it is levied Since
such levy only transfers wealth from individuals
to tho Government, the individuals who have
been using it in manufactures or otherwise will
now be compelled to discharge their hands.
Their capital having been diminished to
the extent Of the ta1, they will be
Obliged to dismiss number OF hands, which will
bear the samc proportion TO the whole number
Of employees before the tax WAS raised that the
ta1 itEelf bears to tho amount Of capital used by
them in the support Of laborers. Indeed more
workmcn must be discharged on account Of the
levy Of the tax than the Government will be ab1o
to employ by its means, since the amount that
reaches the treasury will be less than that OF
which private enterprise is despoiled By all the
cost OF it's collection. The amount OF capital in
country that can be used in the support OF labor
remaining the same. the demand for labor re-
mains tho same, and by no possibility can Gov
eminent find employment for more. It can dad
employment for one thousand or ten thousand
only by throwing more than one thousand or ten
thousand out OF employment.
The doctrine OF the right to employment tB
the ncgation Of property. rs proudhon says
Give mo the right to employment and give up
the right to property" When the laboring class
lays claim to such right, it claiu1s
privilege greater than any accorded to
any other. II the lab rer may demand that the
Government shall pro- ide him with labor, may
not the merchant as6 that it shall find him Gus
toners, tho doctor patients. and the lawyer
clients In the last analysis, the demand means
that tie State shall do everything and the indi-
vidual nothing. It ia a demand that civilization
shall re!rograde instead Of advance; for tie
Inv Of tho progress Of civilization is the growth
Of individuality, Of personal independence Of
the community, and tho restriction Of the sphere
OF government Governments we're instituted
to defend the individual against tho many. The
advocates OF the right of employment set the
many over the individual, and make OF Govern
ment an institution to pillage the individual for
the benefit of the mass. Could they carry out
their principles, they would mike tho State an
organized robber, to guarantee to the idle, the
improvident, the spendthrifts, and the drones Of
society the results Of the sweat and toll OF the
thrifty and the sclf-donying.
THE SOCIAL WAR AT WASHINGTON.
The time has come in the history Of the Re-
public when questions Of rank and etiquette
have acquired vnst public concern in official
circles ut Washington. The gradual disappear
ance OF the forty-four million reserve ia Of less