Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-02


the Fsrmer-sOme Facts About Work
ing Men and WOmen-The History OF
the Order-Its Purposes and Objects.
Those who are working for wages are n
part of the community of whom but very
little mention is made. What the Hon
Jefferson Brick says and does is of national
interest, and is telegraphed hther and
thither without regard to distance or OK
pense. When the Hon. j. Brick is laid up
for n day the great army of newspaper cor
respondents hang about his door, interview
his servants, and pump his physicians, that
they may send of specials to relieve the
anxiety of troubled world. Even Miss
Arabella Brick is an object of great impor-
lance. Her hair and eyes are as familiar to
us as our own; her "flwn-like step and
sylph-like figure have been described to us
al nduSeanl and when she is engaged or
married, the nation opens its mouth in adj
miraton rs one man.
But the great army Of people who toll and
delve are of no consequence to any one.
The
Short and simple Annals of the Poor
correspondents; they are alike 'unhonored
and unknown Here and there we read of
man who was once poor but is now rich,
and who reminds the world that he was
poor because it magnifes his present posi-
ton; but we only pity him for having been
poor and then forget it rs we look at his
handsome carriage and horses. To hear
this man talk one would suppose it was our
own fault that we remain poor, to become u
millionaire is such an easy thing.
To be sure there are days when the voice
of the politician is heard in the land and no
voice is so full of sweetness and melody.
In those days the working man is his BROTH
er and bosom friend; his welfare is his first
thought ut morning and his last at night.
But when election is over our honorable
member conveniently forgets his brothers
and bosom friends existence
1t is I'M old saying that one half the world
does not know how the other half lives.
How many of the wealthy people know how
these working people live? The mill owner
will tell you that they are well oil, happy
and contented; an improvldcnt class, but
they know their wages are sure at the end
of the week and they jog along contentedly.
The clergyman does not know much about
them, but the banker has general knowl-
edge of them and will tell you they ought to
be content, for in no other country on the
globe are working men so well off lie is
astonlshed at their impotence IN forming
trades unions and labor leagues, and would
have all such measures put down by the
strong hand of the law. All classes are
agreed the working man is or ougut to be
happy, and that he will remain so rs long
as he is content 10 keep his place.
First, last, and always, he must keep his
place. Should the son of It working man
aspire to the hand of his employers daugh-
ter, he would be laughed and booted ut. A
working man has no place in society. The
merchant is in society, so is the lawyer, the
doctor, the wealthy loafer! Even the dry
goods clerk can hang on the skirts, but the
working man, he has no lot nor part in the
grand panjandrum-society.
Working Women.
And the working woman, what of herP
She is not vague figure of speech, she is "A |
flesh and blood reality. How about her?
You must ask again and again before YOU |
can get an answer. She is not to be talked |
Of She is not in society," Girls who live
idly and starve respectfully ARE in society; |
girls who are the daughters of business or |
professional men are members of society by |
birthright; but woe to her who works for "A |
living! There Is small loop-hole for her |
II she Is school-toacher, but il she is II mil |
liner, dressmaker clerk or servant, society
knows her not.
That these people are people OF brains and |
oil hearts, your readers do not need TO be
told, yet there is great danger of its being
forgotten. They are men and women who
read and who think, rs well rs people who
suffer- They are brought into tho world
poor and everything combines to keen them
poor. They must work or starvo. Nor can
they be particular rs to what they will or
will not do; whatever comes to hand first
must be their choice. If their work docs
not please them, they are told they may
leave, yet that is just what they cannot do.
They must work or slarye. Wages may be
poor, but better that amount than none ut
nll.
What shall these people do
to help themselves? II they form trades
unions or labor leagues they find il is a bat
Tie between labor and capital, and capital
has, nearly always, been the stronger. n
they strike the whole world is up in arms
against them, and the mill owner has the
entire sympathy of the unthinking public.
II they ask for laws giving less hours of
labor they find tho lawmakers are organic
ed from among their employers from bank
ers' lawyers and clcrgymen. What have
they to hope from theseP Nothing. They