Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-06-09
THE GoVERNORSHlP.
To the Editor of The Vermont PAenir.

To The Editor of The Vermont PhGnir:
1t has been supposed that capital and la
Dor depended upon each other, or 10 other
words that while labor created capital, at
the same time capital employed and paid
labor, to the mutual advantage of the cap
italist and Of the the laborer. Capital
should pay a fair equivalent for labor, and
where this is done il IS the height of folly
for labor to make war upon capital, as for
capital to Cypress labor.
Considering the claims that are urged
against one of our citizens who is now a
candidate for Governor, the writer prefers
in this article TO refer more especially to
our own manufacturing interests, because
those hostile to Hon. Jacob Estey openly
urge the employees of the firm Of which he
is the senior member no. to support Dea-
con Estey in their political caucuses be-
cause said firm has not of late paid as high
wages as some think ought to have been
paid under the circumstances. But the all
vocates of this idea are not always consist
ent, for a certain newspaper which supports
Mr.. Harris publisheda letter claiming that
the farming interests in this county had
suffered because the firm of Estey & Co.
paid more wages than could he realized
by farming. Let the laboring men and the
people of the county examine this matter
in an intelligent and candid manner. j..
Estey & Co. have heretofore, under more
favorable conditions of the market made
some money in their business, and we
submit that they earned it in an honora-
BILE, legitimate way. 1t is well known that
business, and especially that of manuiaet-
uring, is now, and has boon for the past
year greatly depressed. Many manuiact-
urers during the past year have closed their
factories many haV failed and thousands
of workmen with their families have been
thrown out of employment. Nolwithstand-
ing these misrortunes all over the country
the firm of j. Estey & Co. still continue TO
manufacture, thereby furnishing several
hundred persons with employment and
both directly and indirectly beneiiting the
business interests Of our town and county.
The compensation paid for labor by this
firm is as high as any similar establish
nient in New England or elsewhere. Man
uiacturers cannot run their factories at a
loss, for any length of time, without cxpe-
riencing results similar to those which have
occurred at North Adams. Manufacturers
everywhere have reduced wages. There is
much competition in all kinds of business,
and no one manufacturing concern can
compete with their rivals without standing
upon an equal footing so far as the cost of
preparing their goods for market is con =
cerned. Suppose tho firm of j. Estey &
Co. should so conduct their business as TO
be compelled TO close their factories, would
it not he serious calamity 10 very many
besides themselves? There are many ele-
ments which enter into the safe manage
ment Of any extensive business, which
those not familiar Herewith do not usually
fully appreciate. Ills well known that the
market for the sale of musical instruments
in this country is now greatly depressed,
and that j. Estey & Co. are now TO large
extent manufacturing for the European
market. This management enables them
to keep many persons in their employ
which they could not otherwise do. Do
the men who have steady employment in
these hard times seriously think what they
would do if they were suddenly thrown
out of employment by reverses in bust
ness which are now constantly occurring.
We have no sympathy with those who APP
peal in public matters to selfish motives.
The employees Of ]. Estey Il Co. are an in
telligent class of men, and we feel assured
that they have too much manhood to OPP
pose in this political canvass one who does
not hoard capital, but keeps ii invested in
business TO the advantage of very many.
Those hostile to Deacon ESley may spread
the report that his employees will act against
him in the coming town caucus, but we
are certain that the result will be far differ
ent from what such traducers expect.
"D."