Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-07-23
LABOR AND CAPITAL.

The Oppression Of the One and the Tyr
amy of the Other.
Extract from Senator Carpenters Fourth of July
Grafton, at GAINESVILLE, Wis.
"The Declaration of Independence
promises equality in regard to the pttr-
suit of happiness. Labor is the source
of all prosperity and happiness; and
equality in the pursuit of these requires
that every man shall be equally pro-
tected in respect to the fruits of his
labor. This presents one of the most
difficult problems of modern civiliza-
tion-an equitable adjustment between
labor and capital. Take, for illustra-
ton, our Interstate commerce. The
farmer raises wheat; the railroad COM
pany transports it to an Eastern market !;
commission men handle and sell it to
the consumer. Now the price which a
bushel of wheat will command in the
New York market ought, upon equita-
BILE principles, to be distributed be-
tween the farmer who produces, the
railroad company which transports, and
the commission N ,rchant who receives
and sells it, in the exact proportion in
which each has contributed to the gen.
eral result. So in regard to any article
manufactured. What the article is
worth, when completed, ought to be di-
vided among all those who have con-
tributed to it's completion, in the exact
proportion of the contribution of each
to the final result. But this has never
been the case. Labor, in all countries,
and at all times, has been the prey of
capital, and how to relieve it from this
4 10 oil IN,
the pursuit of happiness, by securing to
each the exact and just fruit of his la
Dor, is the great problem to be solved
before the pledge made lin the Declare
ton of independence can be fully per-
formed.
This problem is replete with difficult
ties, and its solution requires reor-
ganization of the business of the coun-
try. 1t must be attempted, too, with
out the aid of precedents, and carried
on against the efforts of capital, which
is always alert and thoroughly organ
lied. The legislation of every country
has favored capital at the expense of la
Dor. Capital is protected and labor is
taxed. There is bond of sympathy
between the rich, and the capital of
New England sympathizes and cooper
ates with capital in every State on the
Union. The attempt recently made in
Congress to strip from our national
banking system its feature of monopoly
touched in tender spot every banker
In the land.
am happy to say to you, farmers of
Rock county, what 1 did not know
when penned this address. BY dis
patch have received from Madison
this morning, am informed that the
judges of the Federal Court, Judge
Davis, of the Supreme Court, Judge
Drummond, the United States Circuit
Judge, and Judge Hopkins. the Dis
trict Judge-who have been holding
court jointly in Madison for the pur-
pose of considering this question of the
validity of the Potter law on modest
application from same mortgages or
bondholders to issue an injunction to
restrain the State of Wisconsin from
executing its own laws-have pro-
nounced the Potter law entirely valid
and constitutional [applausel, thus af
frming the rights of the people and
placing them upon the firm basis of ju-
dicial protection. Applause.
Capital stands by its friends, and re.
wards service munifcently. Labor,
having been defrauded for ages, dis
trusts even its friends, and is compelled
to make only a moderate compensation
for faithful service. These are a few
of the disadvantages under which labor
is entering into contest which is des-
tined to shake this country and the
world. The first victories will be on
the side of capital, but the final result,
in this country at least, is not doubtful.
Sooner or later the people will open
their eyes and be wise; and evidences
are multiplying on every hand that the
unjust exacsions of capital will he re-
sisted until they shall be abandoned.
The organization of the trades union,
reaching to every State and Territory !;
the more recent and far more powerful
organization of farmers to resist the ex-
actions of corporations engaged In the
carrying business the growing oppC 81
ton of the masses of the people to mo-
nopoly in all its forms, and to legislation
for the benefit of special classes and
particular business interests; all those
things betoken the joining of an issue,
and the beginning of q contest to settle
the question whether the laborer shall
be permitted to enjoy the fruits of his
toll.
Whom the gods mean to destroy they
first make mad. The petulance and
rage which capital is now manifesting
at the first steps taken by labor for its
own protection, indicate that monop-
oily is marked for destruction. The
cheering aspect of this contest is that
labor outnumbers capital at the polls,
and will ultimately assert its power.
Capital, if wise, would yield gracefully,
anu deal justly; and if, refusing to do
this, it shall finally be shorn of some OF
its just rights, it will have it's own OBJ
stinacy to thanks for the result.
The first attempt of the people OF
Wisconsin to relieve themselves from
the oppression of monopolies and fiji
within reasonable limits the cost OF
transporting our products to the sea-
board, has been met with defiance and
insurrection anu our railroads are
operated to-day in opposition to valid
law. The people are told that railroad
nil cubpo,k 70 L.