Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-08-22

labor to sell could fix his price;
while the man wishing to buy it.
could either take it at the price
offered or let it alone. But the
man who hires, commonly has the
advantage over the man that
works. The laborer must work ol
suffer privation. He is obliged
by his necessities to take what he
can get. The law of supply and
demand governs to a certain ex.|
tent /; butt where employers are
few and rich, and the employed
many and poor, the handle of the
jug is good deal on one side.
Political economists tell us|
the laws of trade must regu.
late these things we must nod
interfere with the great principle
of supply and demand; yet, it waS|
one of DIR. Franklin's maxims THAI
for State to prosper, labor should
be well paid; and if profit arise
from any operation of industry
which has been the joint result OF
the labor of one and the capital oil
another, ii is matter of some con
sequence to ascertain the princiH
Piles on which the division or dis u
tribution of this profit should bel
effected.
In all important Operations off
organized industry, the differentl
degrees of skill and talents possess.
ed by the different laborers en-
ployed, justly entitle them to like
shares OF the profit; SO also like
distribution belongs to capital, asl
the amount is great or small, or at|
different times more or less valua-I
BILE. Now while in all these cases.
the remuneration by mutual conf
sent of the parties by the laws of
trade per se.yet would it not be iml
portant to ascertain the principles
on which this mutual consent is
founded We do not like the way
they regulate themselves. For H.
lustration, as shown by all authen-
ticated statistics hundreds of wo-
men in New York and other cities
have worked sewing at wages so
low, that eighteen hours hard, la
Dor out of twenty-four, would
scarcely afford them subsistence.
Craftsmen and laborers in other
sections, and at different times,
have Jared almost as badly, as ev-
idenced by the number of strikes
among workmen. Another in
stance reported Of foul injustice, is
that of a railroad company taxing
its employees by a reduction of
wages TO such an extent of severity
as to enable the company by few
months net savings thus shameful.
ly acquired, ia pay an installment
OF thousands Of dollars on the pur-
chase of an interesting line of
railroad.
Verify there is a principle to be
looked at higher than supply and
demand. There are higher laws
than the laws of trade. There is
such thing as right; such prin-
ciple as justice. There is law of
God which says the laborer is
worthy of his hire. There is a
principle in he maxim "thou
shalt not muZzle the OK that tread
eth out the corn. a Just rate of
wages should enter into the very
conditions of supply and demand,
and fair rate OF wages should be
the first law of trade.
We would not recommend or en-
courage the formation of any or
ganized associations on the part of
laborers fany class, to spend their
time and money in the display of
Spasmodic and futile efforts, to eff
feet reforms through political chan
nels; nor to foster a spirit of fac
tious opposition to grangers in any
of their laudable efforts for relief.
We simply bespeak equal protec-
ton for all, against the imposi.
tions of capitalists and all unjust
discrimination; affirming this set
tied conviction of mind, that the
Legislature possesses no shadow of
right, to confer special favor
upon any class, or to give
any species of legislative sane
ton to mOnopolies, indi-
vidual or corporate, general or To-
cal which manifestly tend to a
partial diffusion of wealth, or the
setting up and sustaining of mon
eyed lords at the expense of the
lab0ring masses and to the detri-
ment of the State. Any species Of
legislation by which special favor
is shown to one party, class or Or
ganizati0n, in consequence Of
which others must suffer or pay, is
in its very nature palpably unjust.
abhorrent are all political
schemes, however speci0us the
pretext, the proposed policy and
manifest tendency of which, by
class legislation is to bolster UP a
shOddv nobility and degrade labor