, 1874-01-08
LABOR AND RELIEF.


VioyvA OF IL Farmer.
10 tbs Editor af IHe Chicago Tribune:
S1n: Binco onrly In tho fall your papcr has
teomcd with articles dovising ways to keep 1nbor-
ing mon aud their families from starvation.
Now, I hayo no doubt tint tho humane porsons
who have advocated tho benevolent Bido Of thia
question are honest aud really think thoy arc
doing sorvice in tho dAuso of God md humanity.
But, from my standpoint, ! differ from them III
TOTO and hayo but little patience with 1t. 1have
liyod In the West somo fifteen yeats, md during
no year has tho relative prico Of labor and pro-
duce boon 90 decidedly In favor Of the 1aborer
rs during tho year 1875 just closed. In this
region thoro las beon no reduction III the prlco
OF labor while all tho nocessaries Of life arc sold
below tho cost Of production. TO my knowledge,
this is the caso all over tho West; mud my
friends East oay thoy arc obliged to pay oxtraya-
CANT prices for short days work.
Since tho monoy-pan1c, lnborers IN manutac-
turing districts, in Bomo instancoa, havo boon
thrown out OF employment; but, as genornl
thing, through tho country and city, tho cry Of
distress is q humbug and aelusion. Ask any
ono Of those mon who arc appealing to the pub.
w work for you, and he will auswor
you with domands at war-ratos and, II you do
not accodo to them, your work may 10 undone,
and ho will, nine caaoa out Of ten. plunge into
somo saloon and talk despondingly OF hard
times. tell you, 1tr. Editor, II tl,o laborors
family la not provided with tho comforts OF life,
it is, Oh general thing, his own fault; it iH be-
ca1He lie il lazv and sliftoss. I havo lived till
mn grny, aud haro mover known timo T. days
bring moro comforts to a family. Tho fact Ia,
men will not work. They will do somo somi-
professional jobs. where they expect double pay.
70 tako hold of honcst work at honest pricos,
thoy will scorn.
Last spring company feigned to make rail-
road through this county, aud not . laborer
would listen for q moment to farmers impor-
tunitios. Why? Because ho was going to mako
big wages for short daya work. Tho result VAS,
from bad weather and wet pits, ono-third Of his
time was lost, and as there WAS no hiatus in Lis
appetite and consequently mono in lis boarl-ac-
count the thing footed up badly, T know a man
to 20 to the job oyery morning for five weeks,
at the beginning OF spring, and mndo but six
days work, Aud, what was still moro Of dis
appointment to their "groat expectations" tho
company failed to connect, and tho men aro
idling away thoir timo in our little towns, dis
cusslng hard times, while tho corn Of tho farner
is standing in tho Held unhusSod.
THO farmors al over the land, for the want OF
faithful and reliable holp, are working. from
twelve to sixteen houra day; and from tho OK
tra labor, care, and consequent worry, arc be-
coming premnturely old. Now, il theso mon,
taEe M their % faalies aid III 60 into . tic Agricultural
OF deggars, and do honest work for
honest prices, they will bo. q thousand
timos botter OF, and tue farmers burdens great
ly relieved. nm not afraid to contract to find
situations for 2o0 W. u mon, tho coming ing,
in this county atondC where houso-ront, garden
spot, wood, and cow -pasture will cost but moro
trltto; hnd whom wA)tor comes, they will not bo
without food, talking panic, and cnrsing man-
kind in general. 4 FARMER.
ELKIoHN, WIS.,
Tho Funds OF tho 'rsc1icf md Aid
Socioty.
To the Editor qf The Chicago Tribune:
Sir: do not know whether it will avail
anything or not but would like to mako one
or two practical suggestions in relation to the
charity fund now in possession Of this Society.
Iu tue flrstIplace. tho knowledge that 30 largo 4
sum-SG00. .000--is placed where it can bo reach
cd, IL III incentive to thousands Of peraonB to
mnko IN effort to get portion OF it. This not
only encourages idlenoss and beggary, but is l.
powerful iuduccmont to the commission OF all
sorts Of petty frauds and impositions, against
which no society, however vol organized, eau
protect itself.
The means Of prevention suggested are that
this fund should be permanently invested on
mortgago-securities running for ut least ten
years, ut 10 per cent interest. This would fix
the principal beyond the reach of everybody, aud
give to the Aid Society an investment which,
would bo aB lasting as tho corporation aud the
City of Chicago. The intorset, 100000 per all
nun, with $4,000 or $4,000 collected yearly
from charitable citizons. would produce enough
to Hatisfy all ordinary demands Of tho Society
for tho care a1d protection OF tho really-doBery-
ing poor. In the matter Of alfording aid to
those In mood In tho cheapest and most expedi-
tious manner, sonp-houac should be eatab-
lishcu, whero, at u cost Of 800 per day, gront
amount OF food could be furnished; aud. ii to
this were added bakery for ~ 900 loavcs Of
bread it would spread real CLARITY among q
yast fsumber Of people.
repeat that the Investment OF this principal
fund Should be made ~ speedily ny possible,-
not only to secure permanent supply for the
future, but to removo the Inducements to fraud
which 1.ow clog tho efforts Of the Society to
carry out its raally charitable objects.
GEonaE A. SuuFELDT, in.
Cnsl,-D onntions of tho Relief Society.
10 The Editor Of The Chtcauo 1r1tune:
Sin Tho Relief aud Aid Society made great
mistake in yoIding to tho tecont demands Of
Commune demagosuoa aud dead~beats. Hun
dro,ls of dollars have been thrown away. aud
worse than wasted upon tho least-dosorving iu
the community. hesitate not to say TINT
worry large proportion OF those who hayo lately
besiezsd tho doors Of tho Relief Society aro
professional beggars. whose brazcn impudence
drives away tue modest and deserving poor.
MONEY bestowed upon sllch mendtcantH ls a
premium Oh beggAry and crime. Cash-dona-
tlons should very seldom le made, and only in