Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-07-31
COMMUNISM.

The Railroad strikes in the east, and the
sympathy shown towards the strikers not only
by the laboring classes generally, but ~ The
great majority Of those in easy circumstances,
are evidences of the widespread feeling tx
isting throughout the country, that something
must be done and that very soon, IN The way
Of recognizing the laws Of society, 50 far at
least, as they concern the regulation of prop
erty, industry, and the sources of livelihood.
The avarice of employers; and the unjust
privileges of the rich have forced the laboring
classes, for self protection, into these unlaw-
full combinations which are now threatening
the country with disaster. 1t IS an easy mat
ter for writer's in political economy to say
that capital and labor should work together
in harmony, that the supply and demand
must regulate their employment. But the
experience of all ages has taught US that with
an inordinate increase of wealth there comes
always this conflict between the poor and the
rich, and especially II Is the case when the
supply of labor is greatly in excess of the de-
mand for it. The poor man singly cannot
protect himself against the hard pinching bar
gains of the rich man; he must take the pit
lance offered for his labor or he must starve.
Laws are passed to protect the industries and
the wealth of the country, but seldom do We
hear of any to protect the labor, Capital Is
strong, the dollar is mighty; wealth can and
will protect itself The rich man can lock up
his money bags, but then the poor man must
suffer. There is a community Of interest be
tween capital and labor, one cannot thrive
without the other but the weaker and not the
stronger needs the protecting arm Of the law.
1t is absurd 70 say that these things will reg
ulate themselves in accordance with the laws
OF justice. Take for examples the Baltimore
and Ohio and the Pennsylvania Rail Roads
a certain number of men are required to work
them and keep them in running order, They
can afford to pay a certain price for the
requisite labor. Their legitimate profits are
made from the traffic, such as carrying pass
engers, transporting freight, etc. over their
respective roads, yet because their is an ex-
cess in the supply of labor, these soulless cor
porations must traffic IN the poverty OF the
poor; they must add the laborers profit, aye
his bread and butter, to their own gains.
During the past year the legitimate profits Of
these two roads were greatly in excess over
any previous periods since their construction,
in consequence Of the Centennial exhibition
at Philadelphia. How much Of their enor-
nous profits went TO the workingmen2 Not
dollar. No, instead of increasing the pay
of the labor employed in proportion 70 the in
crease of profit on the capital employed, the
wages of the men were reduced and the mum
Der of hours of labor increased and this is
the way in which capital will always, if left to
itself, regulate the price of labor These are
fair samples Of what the thousand concentra-
tons of capital are doing for the laboring
classes in the east. Better far would it be for
this country that all this surplus wealth Of
the rich should forever remain locked up than
that we should become a nation Of starving
beggars Whether or not it is for the Gov
eminent TO naugurate q change in the, laws
regulating the employment OF capital and
labor We are unable to say. This IS 4 subject |
which needs the careful attention OF good and !
wise statesmen.