The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-04

THREE millions of men out OF work
Five millions of women and children
dependant upon these three millions who
are in enforced idlenessl Eight millions
OF persons thus made helpless and des-
peratel In view OF these startling lacts,
the Pittsburgh Telegraph asks, Is 1t any
wonder that the labor question is being
pushed steadily and boldly to the trontI
That it is demanding consideration and
investigation, and ls daily assuming more
Importance? Idleness, poverty and dis
tress, failures, bankruptcy and crime
spread over our fair country, and there
does not seem 10 Do any one capable OF
devising ways ana means ot bringing
about better state of affairs. Strong
and brave men wear out their hearts rs
they see wives and children in want,
and alter months OF vain searching for
employment, too often are tempted
to crime or maddened 70 suicide.
Yet this great land is broad enough for
all, and millions OF acres which will
yield sure subsistence to patient workers
lie waiting Tor any man to till them.
Our cities are overcrowded. While the
rural districts have been neglected, and
we may say messursbly desplsed, the
towns have overhowed until the supply
OF labor far exceeds ihe demand.
Notwithstan ding the continual warn
ings given through the newspapers
and in other forms, there is II continual
rush INTO the cities Some come because
they think city life is easier than county
life, and thus they crowd and crush each
otner, fighting desperately for the work
which is not enough for all, and wasting
no small share OF the industrial force aud
productive power which, rightly dls-
tributed, would add to the nations pros
perity.
Beyond sll doubt this Overcrowding q.
civic emPioyments, This dlspropOrtonste
mssslng OF the population in places
where hundreds of thousand. must strug-
gle in vsin tor work, has been an import.
ant cause OF recent prolonged disasters.
Competition in any business is IN excel
lent incentive, but competition often
ruins business. 1t works two ways; it
stimulates production and consumption,
but it also reduces profits, often
below tho point OF safety,
and then come long credits,
losses and failures. The best state o.
society is that In which all can be- en-
ployed with 4 fair remuneration. Ex-
treme low prices either for labor or goods
have no permanent advantage. I'm
questionsbly large part of the present
difficulties OF the country are the result
of over.stimulsted labor. During the
war mauy new industries were started,
th6 demand for labor WAS great, nigh
wages were paid, not only for skilled
labor but TO interior mecnauics men
were induced to leave their rural homes
and crowd INTO the towns and
cities where these industries were call
ing. for them. And this stimulated in
dustry, this abnormal growth OF labor,
WAS carried throughout every depart
ment of business. 1t WAS fictitious, fever
ish and unhealthy. All men could see
plainly that the demand for iron could
not always last, and that gun and cart
ridge factories must eventually be shut
up, but they could not see that boots and
shoes, clothing and all the ordinary
trades would be affected as well; that
there would be q lesseHcd demand tor
sewing machines as well rs for diamonds,
for food as we'll rs for luxuries.
But the fact that there are three mil
lions of persons out Of employment does
not prove that business is 1T II stsndstil.
Compare the country to-day with what
it was twenty years ago, and it would
seem to be in the full tide OF prosperity.
We forget the condition OF the country
in 1878. We compare it only to the
hot-house stage OF 1878. The need of
the country is scattering OF
useless, concentrated labor, and the
opening of new channels OF pro
ductIon, and of new markets tor
that production 1t is not that there are
three millions too many working people
in the United States, that they have no
employment, but it is because they are
not in the right places to find smploy-
ment. The remedy Mr.. GREELEY
taught it: "Go VAST, young mani The
glory OF this country is in its ability to
afford every man employment, every
man wholesome food, comfortable raj
ment and house to live in, but the whoe
country is not comprised in it's towns and
cities.
WE print to-day the chief points OF
q recent letter OF Mr.. ARTHUR, the
chief OF the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Engineers. Mr.. ARTHUR is evidently
man of strong common sense, determined