New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-02
THE RIGHTS OF LABOR.

the nature and Office Of the Greek partlcle
should be suddenly informed that th'
ship wherein they were wrangllng wal
sinking, or the chamber Of their sessions
was on fire, they could not be constituted
a more helpless obstruction to relief thar
the political partisans and their press
do to the indispensable and immediate
remedies required by the labor situation
The Bulletin does not intermit its argu
ment that high water, short crops anc
deprecated warrants spring from the mis-
take or corruption of the Returning Board
The Bee attributes the epidemic Of starva.
ton to the fact that
The stupid infatuation and obstinacy OF
the Radical Senators has rendered impos
sible an understanding for an extension OF
the special session tor some days, for the
adoption of reforms proper to tighten the
| burdens of taxes, and restore to the NUM-
| cipal administration the control of its own
affairs.
| We can not expect those who reason
from European standpoint to compre-
bend the causes which operate in land
of free labor In Europe everything is
attributed to the King or his ministers.
The breadless go in throngs to Versailles,
Windsor or Vienna or wherever the head
of the government may be, and the author
tiles pay out some thousands of loaves.
They start a palace, canal or railroad.
Perhaps they avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity to dismiss the Duke of something
or the Marquis of something else. Maybe
the mob escorts to the lamp post some
monopolist or contractor in breadstuffs
Then comes possibly the war between the
petroleum powers and the soldiery. But
we do not in the United States attribute
the decline in local prosperity to political
causes. If we did it would not be pru-
dent to tell any common sense people
that because certain obstinate Senators
would not prolong special session, OPP
posed by merely majority Of those rep
resentatives who called it, that therefore
the people are starving. This might do
on the banks of the Seine, but nowhere on
tho banks Of the Mississippi or its tribu-
taries would it receive the slightest re-
spect.
We are compelled to notice, though
with regret, another fallacy growing out
Of the same difference on the theory Of
government. Mr. Jacob Muller lays down
two propositions: l. THAT the individual
citizen sacrifices part of his independ-
ence and part of his property, and that
the State owes him in return protection of
life and property and the right to obtain
his subsistence any way he chooses with
out endangering life, property or morals |
of the other individuals.
We will state it more clearly for Mr.. |
Muller. A number of equals assemble by |
their representatives to determine upon
the grant of power to those who are to
administer common government. Moth
ing is left to discretion but the terms and
extent of the powers and duties of that |
government as reduced to a written con-
tract. Under this contract every man ID
left free to labor and to obtain the best
wages that he can. 40 ene can compel
him to work, Aor es.a Ae compel any
,ne to pay HIS fer his worh if they
10 not need it. 20 ons has any
egal claira ca 4ovoransnt o. Oh
society for subsistence, nor 10 Their Any
light to seize the substance Of tho public
II OF the people 80 supply the wants Of
he individuals. This lAach to dis
lbuse the mind OF any idea. that under
'ur form OF government. there is @n obi
cation to eEplos any one or 70 provide
he means Of subsistence Is follows,
therefore,, that under oar Eosernnent 10
me has right 10 demand pablie wages
n subsistence, or, falling il this to help
himself to subsistence trora the substance
# others. Under moet Eropean gov
rnments the people may argue-as h&s
zen sometimes argued for sl.ves--.hAt
he wealth of the public has been acca-
nulated from the unrepresented and tn
equited toll of the laborer. Hence
here may be a natural equity in Selling
y force on the substance of the State or
f individuals. There is no such right
ere, and such remedies are alike illegal
nd inadequate.
The obligation of republican society to
elieye its needy members stands on the
igher and nobler grounds of humanity.
Wherever there is suffering the public
pliers should be opened by law. If it be
thin the policy of the State to construct
nblic works, it is strong argument that
ley will Incl dentally relieve the misery of
S people. :
We write this to show that the suffer-
g of our people is not caused, as, accord :
g to one European authority, by the !,
estimate refusal of Republican Senators :.
extend a session which the European
itic did not wish to assemble at all, and
at neither communism nor petroleum :,
Q just remedies for popular suffering :,
lder republican government, and array
people whose sympathy will cause them :,
divide the last crust with the helpless r
,tims of industrial depression. =
LIE TIMES CHANGE, AND MEN CHANGE g