Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-06
MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 6. 1877

MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST G. 1877.
1t is stated that large portion OF the Pfesl'
dents message. upon the reassembhng OF Con
qress, will be devoted to a consideration OF the
labor question also that several members OF
the Cabinet are known to be in favor OF the pas
sage of low providing for the organization OF
a commission, which shall have due re-
gard for the interest Of all concerned-produ.
GERS, merchants, railroad employees ard capt.
talists-so that on any question fair compro
mise may be effected, and that Congress has
the right to pass such law under the clause OF
the Constitution authorizing that body to rcgu
late commerce with foreign nations, and among
the several States and with the Indian tribes.
The Ohio republicans recommend that Congress
establish national bureau Of industry that
Congress exert its authority over all the nation
al highways by prescribing and enforcing such
reasonable regulations as will tend to promote
the safety of travel, secure fair returns for capt.
tai invested and fair wages to employees. pre-
venting Encouragement, improper dlsorimlna-
lions and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of officials at the
expense of stockholders aud shippers aud EN-
ployees; that provision be made for statutory
arbitratioDs between employers and employees
to adjust controversies, reconcile interests aud
establish justice aud equity between them. NO
better evidence of The unsettled and dangerous
condtion Of this country could be adduced than
that contained 10 the above statements Of the
ideas of the Administration and the intentions
of the republican party. The popular idea of
this government is that it should protect not
only the life, but the property Of its subjects.
end to afford it the requisite means to secure
those ends the property owners pay it annually
large SUN in the shape of taxes. All that a
citizen OF a republic can reasonably ask of bis
government is to secure him the right ito pad
die his own canoe Every citizen OF the United
States, by the Constitution Of the country, is
free and equal--free TO do what he pleases,
provided he does not TROUGH upon the rights
OF Others; and though poor as snake equal
before the law to the richest Of his neighbours
Being secure in these essentials OF freedoms
rights, he has his iortuno in his own hands. 1t
he be sensible, active, Industrious and eco.
nomical his life will be SUCCESS; II foolish,
indolent, lazy, and a spendthrilt, it will be
q failure he makes it tue one or the other.
The government neither gives him braius,
food nor clothing. Nature grauts him the
former, and his own work The two latter.
Pariarchal governments. and that set up by
Wat Tyler, fixed the price Of labor and of food,
but population has increased too much for the
rule Of patrisrchs now, and the wildness Of Wat
Tyler has been the laughing stock of all suo
oeediDg ages The price Of brains, labor aud
food, 10 republican government, can be fixed
by no law save that governing supply and de
mand. and when commissions shall be estab-
lished for the purpose Of telling employers what
wages they shall pay their employees the re-
pEblic will exist but in namc-as it has done
since 1861. If governmental commissions can
fix the price Of railroad labor, why not of every
other sort ? and if of labor why not Of food and
clothing? Ii the country is to remain repub-
lie in name let republican institutions be en-
forced throughout the length aud breadth Of
the land; let q man work for the wages he
chooses TO receive, and when by honesty and
frugality he has acquired property by which his
latter years con be passed without labor and bis
children have start. let that property be pro-
tected from the destructive ravages Of commun-
lists and internatioualists, under the name OF
strikers. But few men in this country were
born with silver Spoons 10 their mouths, and
those who have by toll and economy-and with
out anybody 10 fix the wages they received
saved enough to engage in agriculture, banking,
manufactures or internal improvements should
not be compelled to establish tho price of the
labor they employ according to the dictum Of
any commission or bureau Of industry. The
imperial and monarobical governments ofEurope
would dare not attempt such interference with
the industries of their countries as that pro-
posed by tho republicans, for the result would
be to suspend all industrial operations ct once,
except those carried on by governmental agen.
cies, as employers would rather cease opera.
lions altogether than pay their employees
other wages than such as they alone know
their business will justify.
---
Mr.. s. p. Bailey, who has preferred charges
against Collector Russell. which, if sustained,
must result iu bis dismissal, will present them
to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue on
Saturday next 1t is understood that Mr.
Ro;lav hoa in his poeaeasinu aUiapnca corroho.