Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-15
What tho strikes are Working.

MN ana restrain tne refnhlnueI theicoi' w
il has been in all the past, and so it will be
in all the future The opium war in China,
the oppressive rule of Great Britain in India
through the East India Company, have
opened up high way for the gospel of peace
to travel over and triumph in. So it was in
the civil war that desolated fair portions OF
our land and so, we believe il will be in the
gigantic strikes that have just strobe over
us. Even now the light begins to break forth
It has already, as never before, fixed atten-
ton upon the condition of large portions OF
our population, and shown the necessity that
something more be done to take off the bur-
dens sin has laid upon them-yea, that much |
be done to relieve them, and raise them up |
physically morally and religously
1t has served, too, to fix attention on the |
relations of capital aud labor, and give new |
impulse to the discussion of a subject that |
has had prominent place among British and
continental statesmen and philanthropists
for years past, and seems likely soon to be
more practical question in our church
lie, ii nOU One Vi luc pluiiihcul ioouco III Jul
national politics. 1t is seen in the light of
these few days as never before among us that
labor and capital are mutually DEPENDENT
that there is sort of benevolent connection
between them. They must live and strive
together not merely for themselves, but each
for the other. Left under the law of sin and
selfshness, labor will become blind and starve
capital greedy and gloating, and they will
devour each other. Both will perish and
come to naught.
Further these strikes have called attention
to power that has been rising and swelling
for years past, until it now rivals and really
surpasses, in some of the states, the power of
the state itself-the corporations. Corpora
TONS as they are now found among us, are
comparatively new factor in our social and
civil life. The genius of government has
hitherto kept its eye fixed upon the individ-
ual, and sought to guard the rights and pun
sh the wrongs of the individual In so care
fully looking after the individual, the huge
corporations increasing and mounting up
among us, have been until of late, quite
overlooked. Being thus overlooked, there
is no doubt but what they have abused the
privileges granted them, and wrought gigan-
tic frauds-frauds that have oppressed and
injured in the dearest rights of property and
person, thousands of individuals in our land,
and dsgraced us in other lands. 1t belongs
to our citizens, through the government, to
restrain and correct these corporations As
attention has been turned anew to these cor
porations, we trust the issue will be not to
abolish them or abuse them, but to correct
their abuses as one of the evils of the times,
and dissipate that sheerest folly and grossest
darkness of the times--that there is antag-
onism and hostility between capital and la
bor Each needs the other and is profited
by the other. They are not enemies, but
industrial friends. These combinations of
men for lawful, and oftentimes praseworthy
objects, are one of the approved institutions
of the past for developing the interests of
society, multiplying and facilitating bust
ness, and securing the public good. Rightly
managed, controlled by justice, if not benev-
olence, they do this. BY no means wonld
we blot out railroad corporations, insurance
agencies, trust and banking companies
We would retain them, infuse justice and
control them, as we would the individual, by
law and righteousness.
We see also that the state and the govern
ment that represent it have further duty
to do to the masses that have engaged in the
strikes. Many of them are ignorant; many
are Incorporate and degraded, and are con-
tent to be so. Many of them live low, and
immoral lives. This is especially true in
the cities and centres of population and
production. These must be shown how, and
helped to raise themselves They must be
helped to form habits of sobriety, industry,
faithfuness and thrift. For this they must
be sought out, taught and trained, and made
intelligent by reading, thinking and con-
versation upon their rights and the rights
of others. In this way they will be
taken-they will take themselves-out of the
way of temptation and the use of evil and
designing men, and become power for
good in the commonwealth, as they are now,
in their ignorance and vice, for evil.
Further, the strikes have been kind of
glass to show up the religious condition of
the many that have so largely suffered in
them. Their irreligion underlies the whole
difficulty. 1t underies their ignorance, in
temperance, brutality, and all. This is for
the church as well as the state-for prayer
and self-denying Christian labor to correct.
The gospel must be preached and practiced
upon these until they come to see that their
interest, both in this life and the life to
come, lies in the direction of order, intelli.
gence and integrity-in knowing God and
fearing Eliminating sin, and trusting in the
Son of God for forgiveness and cleansing
from all iniquity. Then when wrongs come,
as come they will in this world, these
: wronged ones will be patient under them
and seek lawfully their correction.
, Thus both the state and church are APP
pealed to as never before to unite and u
5 work together to execute just laws-put
down riot and disorder, reform abuses and
. redress wrong-all for the conservation
. and perfection of the commonwealth The
n men that have made all this necessary
:. instructed and renewed, can give strength
|, and support and perfection. The welfar
: of both the church and the state lies no
n alone in its educated men, and investe,
|. capital, but in its laboring men in what
e contemporary well calls, its toil-worn crafts
. men-its laborers, with the hard hand
n "crooked, coarse, wherein, notwithstanding
= lies cunning virtue, indefeasibly royal, a
of the sceptre of this planet" in these am
, in its men of mind-the toilers of the bus
g brain-lies the hope of the country. So
= is that both dignities will be united an
l. he that tolls outwardly for the lowest Q
a mans wants, and he that tolls inwardly ia
the highest, will toll alike for the bread @
"a life and the bread of heaven, and secure fc
:. themselves and their country the blessing
r. of the Addressed One"
N New HAMPSHIRE Liquor LAw.-Th
Y. provisions of the new liquor law are yer
RS stringent, providing, That on the trial {
-. a. oo,npla;nt an ;nbiotn,ant 20. l,ao,;,,, g.,