Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-09-29
EX-SENATOR STEWART ON THE RE
LATIONS OF LABOR AND CAPITAL.


In the San Francisco Bulletin of Sept. q is
| a communication from ex-senator VIM M. Stew
art concerning the very comprehensive ques-
ton arising out of the late labor riots He
maintains that one cause of the prevailing hard
times is the disastrous carelessness with which
the affairs of the municipal and business cor
porations of the country are managed "The
disease" he says, sis anarchy, the remedy the
enactment and enforcement of just laws !"
He tells good deal of truth in the following:
coincidence will be restored in this country
as soon as it is understood that life and prop
erty are fully protected. When the law is
again obeyed, because it is law, fear and I'M
certainty will give place to security and hope.
If the robbery of cities cannot be prevented
under existing corporate organizations, let the
laws for their government be changed. If
the people cannot trust themselves, they
certainly ought to have an instinct of self
preservation that would induce them to ap-
point guardians over their monetary affairs.
1t is worthy of consideration, whether it
would not be wise for all large cities to elect
such municipal officers as control the expen-
diture of money exclusively by taxpayers
BY the effort of taxpayers and the influence
of your valuable journal, San Francisco has,
to q large extent, been saved from the torrent
of municipal corruption that has engulfed the
eastern cities The question of municipal ex-
travagance must be met. The rate of waste
of the past ten years in cities cannot be en-
dured. 1t must be stopped or anarchy is in
eVitable. Railroads and insurance compan-
les, savings banks and other corporations
should be limited by law to the purposes for
which they are created. 1t should be made
condition of their existence that all sleight of
hand devices, such as watering stock, fraud
ulent manipulation OF assets and the like, be
stopped. But it is not the duty of Govern
ment to take any part in the management of
the business of corporations or individuals
Both corporations and individuals must be
restrained by law from infringing upon the
rights Of others. They should be confined to
their legitimate business No other limita-
ton can be made without disregard of the
principles of free government. Every effort
of any man or set of men to control the prop
erty of others contrary to law is a step towads
anarcy. Every riot, every threat, every Or
ganization to control labor, or capital, para
lyzes enterprise and multiplies the number of
the unemployed. 1t is not the duty of one
man to give employment to another, any
more than it is the duty of that other to give
employment to him. There will be plenty OF
men to find employment for all
who wish to labor in the country, if the en-
ployer is protected in so doing. But without
protection there will be no enterprise No
one will build up for the mob to destroy The |
people must rise in their strength at once and |
assert the principles of free government in
this country, or everything will be lost. The |
of the future hangs like cloud |
over all enterprise and progress. The re-
sources of the country remain undevelo ped,
while millions of people are starving The
office hunters tell their followers that capital
is at fault, because capital is timid and has no
vote. The brazen demagogues and hungry
oafers demand division of property in the
hope of sharing the plumber"