The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-31


Et,NDAY -. .DECEaIBEIsss 81, 1877.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
LEXINGTON, Va, December Is, 1877.
10 the Editors of the Richmond Dispatch:
Genflemen,- In the hope that the follow
'ing article may do good, ask you to give
a mace in your columns, with such COM
Svnents OF your own as you think proper.
ne appeared as an editorial in the Church
1 Journal OF November Goth, published IN
New York. 1t is evidently by an anic,
practical thinker--a clergyman, II l mistake
Z not-doing duty in one OF our ehtei s s.
ern cities.
/ have changed its heading, and given an
other more likely to engage here attention.
Although the truths III ged bear more press
inrIy upon the crowded populations else
where than upon the people Of this favored
Commonwealth, they are becoming daily
more and more applicable TO ourselves.
And 1t NAV be that some patriotic member
OF our Virginia Legislature, now III session,
influenced by the views. so forcibly pre-.
sented, will introduce some proposition,
which, after careful examination, shall be
put into the best form OF law for the en-
,couragement and protection OF institutions,
perhaps in the several counties OF the state,
where iaboring men and women may safely
deposit their small savings with the larger
deposits OF those who can lay by more for
fair accumulation. 1t was blessed thing
thus to bind together "the rich and the
poor" while relieving poverty somewhat OF
its hopelessness and keeping wealth more
mindful OF its obligations.
Respectfully, w. n. PENDLEToN.
TIT is hardly necessary for us to mention
that the Rev. DR.. Pendleton was General
and General Lees chief Of artillery, and is
now rector OF Grace Memorial church in
Lexington. We comply with his request
with pleasure.]
Capital and labor.
ONE PRACTICAL WAY TO RECONCILE THEM--To
BE ENCOURAGED AND SECURED BY LEGIsLA-
TIoN.
The "strikes . Of the last summer reveal
ed to thoughtful people, a fact that every
one should know without such rude Illus
tration, this-namely, that on this ne,o con-
tinent we shall be obliged to face and settle
for ourselves every question which has
disturbed the old. a
j. It was fond dream, which events have
rudely dissipated, that the Declaration OF
Independence and the Constitution OF the
United States had settled forever all ques-
tons OF government and social order. The
enthusiastic and somewhat infantile conf
dence in those two documents, as the flower
and consummation Of all wisdom in the
social order, was somewhat rudely shaken
by the late "unpleasantneSs" between the
different sections OF "our great and -glo-
rious country" The revelation, sudden
and flaming, that underneath the fair out
n 80 70 N nonn
money-spending, there lurked the old vol
canic forces which have reyolutionized gov
ernments and burned cities; that Briaren,
hundred armed aud untamed, lies hall
asleep under republicanism, as he lies
under monarchy, with the additional advan-
fage in the republic of a ballot in each
hand, was q startling revelation last sum-
mer to large number of estimable people
who have goods to be burned and stocks to
be deprecated.
The notion that the world can be gov
erned by set Of philosophical propositions,
deliberately drawn out on some sheets OF
ioolscap, is not so universally accepted as
once it was.
Under republic or under monarchy, I'M
der universal suffrage and world full OF
ballot-boxes, or under absolute despotism,
the same old, original, and unchanged pro-
and human natures passions and sins, its
needs and its weaknesses. its purbllnd Wis
dom and its profound and almost hopeless
stupidity, remain about the same.
The questions of the relations OF capital
and labor, OF rich. and poor, Of tramps and
beggars. criminals and pariahs, to society,
OF social vice and degradation to the COM
munity, of Church and State to each other,
Of those that have to those who have not.
5nleed, every question which has burned
at the heart OF Europe for centuries is still
an open question to us in America. In
their tnrn eaeh2 will come and demand an
answer. We have been living in q sort OF
FOOLS paradise in respect to them. we
have thought they belonged only to con-
dition OF things which we have LETT far
behind. and to an unhappy world where
ballot boxes and universal suffrage were
unknown!
It has been, again, that some at least have,
been awakened out Of this fantastic dream.
Tine facts Of the world and Of human life
are not changed by. theories, governmental
or other. Man remains about the same, as
far as we can see, that he has been in all
past history, and allowing him to vote for
county supervisor, member Of Legislature,
or even presidential elector, has not mate
rally changed him., He is, a coarse animal
in many respects, led by his animal, greed,
too, whether he be rich or poor, tramp OF
merchant-prince, elector or elected. he
needs governing. On the whole, he prefers
to be governed. he is apt to shirk the re,
sponsibility OF governing himself, and
I turns that business over to s:politlclaas,"
| who kindly save him the trouble! "Our
fathers . were seriously mistaken in imagln-
ing that he is anxious to. govern himself.
Generally he is not fit. But even when ne
8 is, he prefers to, :sattend to his own Dusl-
ness s'-to make money, that is, or to carry
out his own private purposes---and rs quite
Obliged to any ex-conyict, ex-gambler, OF
.ex-prize-fghter, who will take the trouble
cf governing off his hands! a.
- 1t would be amusing il it were not so
tragic, the panic terror OF capital, before
this huge, unframed force, the Drawn and
muscle OF labor For capital, as represent
ed in our country, has been largely the cor
rupting and demoralizing force among us;
/ IL is capital which has bribed judges ana
bought legislatures, ard even congresses
and cabinet ministers. 1t is capital which
has been everywhere sapping national in
tesrity and poisoning the springs OF pubic
honesty. It is capital to-day which is hI-
& ing the Hobbies in Washington, and, with
both hands full Of money, proposing to buy
through it's own jobbery and knaYery IN
the highest places. The instinct OF labor
against capital is a natural instinct, and cap
1ital has carefully cultivated it. The instinct
OF capital against labor has become, and
ought to become, in this country, lurid