Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-01
The Present Excitement.

The Present Excitement.
Orr who.e country is just now more or
less excited over the strikes and riots arts
ing from the reduction Of wages upon the
various railroads; and although l do not
wholly advocate the course they have taken,
my sympathies are largely with the work
ing men. Mobs and riots are an abomipa-
ton to every right minded citizen, and it
is bad precedent to establish in this or
any country; but when men are working
hard and faithfully for merely enough to
keep their families from actual want, and
are then reduced in time and wages both,
what wonder that they revolt and demand
just compensation tor laoor done? TO be
sure. dry goods are down, but groceries are
not in proportion and when you have only
where are the means coming from to take
advantage OF the low prices in other goods 2
Any one, at all conversant with railroad
men and their way of living, knows that
when on the road their meals cost one
dollar ($l.00) per day; subtract that from
$l.75 (the amour. which fremen receive,
while brakemen receive still lower wages,
[ believe) and it leaves smal margin fo1
the support of family. Some one says cit
carry their meals from home" but do you.
remember that wherever procured it sakes
money to buy them
But leaving out all questions of how the
money, hardly and honestly earned, is
spent, supposing there is just enough to
make both ends meet, aud at the end of the
month all debts are paid, what one of you,
who think the men had no business to
strike, would be willing to step into their
places, work early and late through storm
and sunshine, heat and cold in constant
peril Of losing life or limb, and then feel, as
year after year roll ed round, that you had
only just satisfied the cravings Of hunger
and covered your max dness? No we are
all striving for something more than this
working that we may have something for
the "rainy day each one expects will some
time overtake them, and how we learn to
despse any one who strives to make no
such provision Through the winter the
men lived as best they could, hoping when
spriag opened for better times, bnt instead
of that they compel lied one man to do the
work that two had formerly done, and then
reduced the wages too. 1t was first tried
on short road, and the effect watched
with great interest by larger com panies,
with The feeling that if it was accepted there
the move would become general ard pass
into effect all oyer the country, which
they dictated. The movement did become
general, and behold the result It is ter
rible state of affairs in what we have
always boosted was "free country"
Que thing that has always seemed so
strange to me was the fact that map
| humbly born would strive to rise above the
level and be something more than those
around him; his efforts were crowned with
success, and from the very lowest position,
by steady and persistent effort. he has risen
to one of power and influence now, why
is it that such men generally (there are a
few exceptons) make the hardest, most
| exactng OF masters, instead Of extending a
helping hand to those, like themselves,
| climbing upward They strive to crush
and Cypress them until, disheartened and
thoroughly discouraged, they sink into the
''Slough of Despond" which Bunyan so well
describes. Why not instead
'Do your best for one another,
Making life pleasant dream
Help worn and weary brother,
Pulling hard against the stream.
A RAILROAD MANS DAUGHTER.