The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-19
THE CITY LABORER.

berries begin to ripen.
| THE CITY LABORER.
| Mr.Jackson s. Schultz, of New York ,is
opening up one of the chief sources Of
the reckless expenditures OF the city
government. He is writing and lectur.
ing on the "City Laborer," as shiftless
do-little. for his wages, who consumes
about $24, 900, 900 Of the public funds and
performs for it not more than $4,000 ,O0(
worth of work. 1t seems that the "city
laborer" has "come in" for his share Of
the general plunder, and as he can moi
steal it outright he has learned how tc
obtain full pay for the least amount ol
labor that can save him from being
ranked with street loafers. Mr.. Schultz
says that at any hour In the day one car
see at least one-fourth of the men sat q
stand," and the Mail continues as fol
lows:
He can take up less dirt on his spade
and be longer about 1t; can walk slower;
can occupy more time in lighting his
pipe; can lift less, while pretending to
strain his energies; can ind more ex.
cuses for stopping WORKMAN any other
worthless human being on the planet.
"Sambo basking in the sun" was not an
inspiring sight, but there was a down.
right honesty of laziness and useless
ness about him that was far less pro-
voking than the fraudulent make-belieye
of the City Laborer. Not only does the
latter fail to do one-Quarter Of an honest
| days work, but he is impudent and
| shameless in his eXtortion of over-pay
| for failing to work. He gets at least
seyenty-fve per cent. more than the man
who, serving private master, has to do
something to earn his wages.
We have never seen any indication OF
laziness among our city laborers, though
the most of our work is done on contract
and interested parties have the manage
ment of the men. In New York there is
large army Of city workers who serve
a double purpose-working for the city
and voting for their employers. In
stead, therefore, of pleasing their en-
ployers by faithful service, the employ
ers are compelled to please them in Or
der to secure their service as election
bummers and "early y-and-often' voters.
By this and other enormous frauds the
city debt advanced from $36,000,0 00C
in 1864 to $4,000, 900 in 1870.
Laborers injure themselves by shirk.
ing their duty to earn their wages.
Faithful service never failed TO be large
ly profitable to the laborer personally !;
and in all cases where men have risen
from common toll to wealth, the first step
of advancement was made by industry
ana fidelity to their employers. On the
contrary all those who have studied
how to render the least possible service
for their wages have sunk deeper and
deeper into abasement, poverty and
misery. A general decentralization of
the working classes, like that which dis
graces labor in New York, is the great
est impediment to the success of meas
ures for their elevation. They lose the
sympathy of the influential, and incur
the contempt of all who are injured by
their recklessness.
Mr.. Schultz urges either the abolition
of the eight hour system OF the reduc-
ton of wages. The Sc laborers receive
the smallest wages of any class of toll
ers. They can not find decent rooms to
1--we in within such distance from their
work as would render ten hours tolera-
BILE to any one who revolts at cruelty to
human beings as we'll as to dumb brutes.
AS to wages they can not be fixed by any
other law than that of supply and de-
mand. To raise wages the supply OF Ia
borers must be diminished, and this can
be done only by the great reforms we ad-
vocate, which would greatly increase
the number Of self-employers and of mas
ters desiring the labor Of others. Wages
can not be reduced except by either an
arbitrary decree or by increasing the
supply of laborers. This increase is the
tendency of our prese system OF
Things; atendency that should be shifted
in the other direction.
If Mr.. Schultz and the Mail will look
u little deeper, they will discover that
the cause OF the abuse they complain OF
is in the incapability and dishonesty of
the public servants who have charge Of
the public works. The last analysis
brings US to the people themselves as
the party that is responsible for all
frauds and abuses. The people do not
elevate faithful, honest and capable men
to Office. Party chicanery commands the
ballot-box, because there is no unity
among the better portion of society.
The parties divide the well-disposed be-
tween them, and the bummers conquer.
The result is every conceivable rascality
in the use of the legislative and execu-
tive power and in the squandering Of the
public funds.
Many Southern Oranges are helping
each other, by supplying means to raise
the present growing crop, thus; Be il
resolved by Grange No.-that we will
execute mortgage of thirty bales of
cotton by our authorized committee, to
any merchant who will furnish supplies,
at a reasonable per cent, to the mem-
bers of our Grange that may need them.