Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-09-08

From time to time we read the stats
ments of our periodicals, about the
business outlook, and the activity in
tue various branches of business-of
the rusty wheels that begin to turn
again; that this mill, and that factory
are working on full time that others
are increasing their help, &C., all of
which doubtless is true. In certain
kinds of business there has been a
steady improvement going on for the
past year; and in certain branches Of
trade, the demand for labor has been
increasing in slow way; but while
this is true, we still have daily reports
of failures in business from all por-
tions of the country, and also from
Canada, which goes to show that we
,have not got down to the much quot
ed ''iuIti-pun" SO far as the whole
general business of the country is
concerned. There are yet great
many thousand unemployed people,
both gale and female distributed
through all the cities and towns of
the country. And although we have
an immense harvcst,-the largest ever
gathered in the cohtry-and prices
of provisions must rule comparative
ly low; yet these unemployed thous-
ands are looking to the coming win
ter with dread, for no labor means no
bread to them. And the features is
gloomy to them. Another feature
makes it look sad. When we consid-
CT what n large area of our public do
main remains unoccupied, and our
homestead laws are so liberal, and the
land is SO fruitful, it seems needless
for any one to suffer for bread. If
these people would strike out for
themseh cs, and make themselves
homes, what an immense relief it
would be to the public feeling, as well
as TO this class of people, if two-thirds
sof them, at least, could be settled up-
on their own homesteads, where, by q
few years of persevere labor, they
could have homes of their own, and
help develop the unbounded wealth
that lies hidden in our very rich. virgin
soil. ..-.,,-
We are led to speak in this way,
because it is our firm conviction that
this must be the ultimate solution of
theagreat labor problem that comes
before the country in such alarming
proportions. 1t is certainly reason
able to suppose that it must be very
dong time before we can expect to see
another such decade of activity in all
branches Of business as between the
years of 1868 and 1873; so that, with
the almost reasonably fair revival of
business in all departments of trade
'on a common place basis, we could
not expect to give employment to the
great army of laborcrs now calling
for it. We must expect for years to
come, that we shall have large sur
plus laborers, except IN tilling the
soil.
In this department we yet have
roomifor the employment of very
large number of workers; and ener-
getic men and women can make q liy-
ing, and good one, to, under any
ordinary circumstances. Take out
this surplus labor clement that the
business of the country does not de-
I: mand, and place them where they can
live themselves, and our troubles, in
a business point Of view, arc nearly
over.
The loss of the last great strike
would.not have been, if there had
been no surplus laborers. The same
curse is i'll great degree the father
,of the 'itramp" method of livelihood.
1t is held by some statesmen that the
times demand a national labor beu.
reau; and would certainly be a good
thing, if, IN any way, oilers could be
put to work, for themselves or the
government, and either willingly OF
by compulsion, they should earn theil
own bread. And until we have wise
laws thoroughly executed, we shall
have tramps in abundance. These
people should understand that man.
nfactorics, will not want them, they
now turn out more goods than the
.the country demands and therefore
it is no use for them to wall ''for tim.
les to change-for business to revive,
DC; but to go to work and carve
their own living out of the soil, ant
.not|)e dependent upon the vicissitud-
les OF trade, or soul-less corpora
tion.