Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-24

outraged right. 1t is plain that thes
man are possessed by a most earnes
conviction that a great wrong has beef
done to them; that it is such a wrong a
the law is powerless to prevent, and tina
they are therefore justified in their at
tempt to right themselves in their owl
way.
Louisville Evening News, 2Oth:-Thi
strike" on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail
road is bat one of the index fingers point
ing to the mighty struggle now begun be
tween capital and labor. The struggl,
was anticipated by all thoughtful men
so soon the Federal Government sold GU.
to the b~ondholders and Shylocks of Wal
street. The oppression now endured
not only by the laboring classes, bat b
men in all branches OF business, is tht
legitimate offspring Of the %ruinous Gnau
cial policy which the Republican party
has fixed on the land. The hydra. heaC
Of forced specie resumption and the
wholesale contraction Of the currency
have created a black cloud that hoveri
like the ghost Of Banquo about the com
merce aud industry Of the country.
Louisville Courier journal: The mis-
take into which w%orkingmen are apt tC
fall, and for which there is a certain ex
cuse. is that lawless violence cures any
evil. The world has not yet witnessed d
successful strike. In the end it is AWAY,
the poor man who is driven to the wall
Undoubtedly the case is often one-sided
and with the working man; but his mis-.
fortune is his lack of both knowledge
aud resources. He needs intelligent, moi
excited. leadership, and this he rarely
gets. 1t is so hard to lead wisely, SC
easy to mislead, and demagogues are
plentiful, This railroad business is un.
happy for all concerned in it, and its re.
suits will in too many instances be de
plorable. No right.feeliBg mar can End
it in his heart not to pity the distress oil
the poor work-peOple, yet no right. think.
ing man can approve the nature Of the
proceedings resorted to. They are really
opposed to the interests of the working
man, as is everything that is opposed To
the public order and peace.
Philsdelphia Public Ledger, 18TH
II the strikers who are o~bstructing the
business and destroying the properly of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad could
point to the instance in which mob VIC.
leaee has ever protected the wages ofthe
laboring man in this country, or in any
way promoted the success of a Strike
they would have at least that one cues.
tionable excuse for their conduct. But
that sort Of proceeding has rot brought
permanent success to the American
working man within the present genera.
ton. On the contrary, it always brings
down defeat on his cause A mob NAV
yet some temporary advantage in its
work Of obstruction or destruction for a
few hours, or a few days, but ultimately
and in most instances veIy quickly
it is put down, and the unfortunate men
who allow themselves to be drawn into it
BY wrongheaded leaders, whose passions
run away with their judgments, are the
sufferers. They do not get back to their
places, and, instead Of losing a fraction
Of their wag 8, If the strike" is on that
account, they lose all. OF course the
leaders who inAame the others TO riotous
proceedings lose their places, teo. but.
as they are usually a shifting and reck-
less set, they ARE very little about what
consequences come to themselves or
others.
Pittsburg Post, 2lst:--The resistance
to further reduction Of wages or add.
tional work, on the part of the men en-.
Dloyed on railways, is but the signal
light along the whole line Of labor IL
every department of industry, which will
require all the wisdom and forbearance
not only Of employer, but the entire com
munity, to alleviate. This is the reeoil
Of the shock given to all classes, without
exception, by the extiDguishment Of
credit and the prostration of trade and
commerce, aud one of the consequence
Of an effort to get back to solid ground
by squaring expenditures with receipts.
Neither corporations nor individuals can
last long where they give out more than
they receive. The most difficult road to
travel is economy aud u~nrelenting re
trenchment, after a season of success
and prosperity. The adjustment OIL
wants and necessities becomes in ibis
process irregular, and requires patience
and involves suffering to keep the great
breathing machine in harmony. Wages
are reduced suddenly, because there is a
commanding necessity. Men resist az
suddenly, because the result of their la.
eor will not guarantee support; thil
quick ~antagonism produces collision
and the whole armed force of society i,
demanded to preserve the peace, because
there is no intermediary element to ar
bitrate or adjust the difference between
the conflicting interests. Loss occur
not only to the individual, but to society
and therefore demands the thoughtfn
attention OF every man who has a stak,
in the community.