Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-09-07
OUR VIEW YORK LETTER.
Politics Iu she Stase-COukIin and Fen
ton-The Labor QuestiOn-The rele-
graDh and Railroads, and the E1-
press Business


1 tOn-The Labor q QueatOA nc AeAe-
graph and Railroads, and the E1-
press Business
POLITICAL
Don't take any stock in the rumors that
have been set ahoat here as to the intentions
of Senator Conklin. Senator Conklin did
not come home to organize raid upon the
administration, he is not in opposition to
President Hayes, nor viii he be. Of course
Senator Conklin would have liked it better
had he been allowed to control the patron
age of the state as he has done for so many
years, but he recognizes the prOpriety and
| justice of the Presidents action, and acqui-
eSees heartily in the new order of things
And the next winter he will be the most eff
fective supporter the President will have in
the senate. And, by the way, the Repubi-
can party Of the State of New York was
never in so comfortable condition as now,
and the Presidents civil service reform is
what has done it. The spoils question out
Of the way, there is no longer any difference.
Gov. Fenton is back in the ranks in full ac-
cord with the party of the State, and all are
working togetheSas amiably as could be
wished. The people of the State, of both
| parties believe in the President, and they
will show it at the polls. Only the disap-
pointed are growing, and as everybody
knows the impelling motive of their growls,
they can do no harm. The best capital the
President has is the fact that within two
weeks over hundred useless officials have
walked the plank in this city alone, and
there are more being led to the slaughter
The fact is, the President is gaining ground
daily and whoever opposes him will be
ground to powder by the people for whom
he has instituted reforms that are actually
reforms. He has smashed machine poll
tics, and all honest men, Democrats as well
as Republicans, have faith in him, and are
having more every day.
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Robert B. Roosevelt, an old citizen, and
very good man, has addressed an open let
terto the Mayor, asking that the city begin
public works in order to give work to the
starving unemployed. 1t istrue that there
are vast number of men in the city who
would work il they could get work to do,
and it is also true that unless they get work
the city will have 70 support them. Roose-
veltargues that the city might as well get
the value of the assistance it will have to
render, as to give it in the shape of aims.
The newspapers are criticising his letter Sc
verely, but I can't say but that he Is right,
and that all other cities and towns that
have unemployed labor should not DO like
wise. ROosevelfs proposition does not go
far enough. The thousands of profession
al mendicants, the beggars, organ-grinssrs,
thieves and tramps should be arrested and
compelled to work. Every man and wo-
man who cannot showyisible means of sup
port, should be compelled to work, even if
corporal punishment should be found nee
essary, and that would reduce the burden
imposed upon the people about half.
Then, why not set the honest poor at york
on public improvements which have got to
be made sometime? Should not the muRi- |
cipalities of the country take advantage of
the cheapness of labor to build their new |
railroads, their public buildings, and their
streets, and their everything that they have
got to build sooner or later? This is the
precise time in which to do it. If they do |
not set the unemployed at work Of this kind, |
the public will have to support them any
how, and why not get the worth of their
support out of them? In short, why not |
get the value, in permanent Improvements, |
for what we have got to pay? believe in
strong paternal government, which will |
actas regulator. when private enterprise
is active, the government can be quiet.
But when from any cause p'ivats-enterprlse
becomes stagnant, and thousands upon
thousands of men, who would work if they
could get work to do, are thrown out of en-
ployment, why should not the government
step in, and, taking advantage of the cheap
ness of labor, give them employment on It's
work? This is the time that custom-housSs,
post-offiee, and other public buildings that
the government will have to have within
ten years should be built, and everything
else of public nature should be done. If
a city or town has railroad to build, a
school-house to erect, or anything else OF
the kind to do it cannot do wiser thing
than to commence it now. By this means
it will get its Improvements done at half
the cost of four years from now, and it will
give employment to that portion of the poor
who will work. The tramps should then
be compelled to earn their living, and the
labor question would be settled.
Donahue, the leader of the railroad strikes
at Hornellsville, was released from Ludlow
St. jail, having served his time out, but |
was arrested Immediately by the sheriff of |
Steuben county. and was taken to Bath, and |
put into the common Jail. Donahue don't |
like this, for it interferes materially with |
his purposes. He had made so much noter-
iety by his connection with the strike, that |
he had made his arrangements to utilize it,
by starting paper IN New YORK, devoted
to communism and all sort OF wild labor
vagaries. His sheet was to be named The
Striker, and he confidently expected that
every laboring man who had dollar to
spare, would send in his money, and that
he would at once be elevated to the place of
aleader Of the laboring people, and possibly
get to congress on the strength of the hob
by. For be it known that Mr.. Donahue like
all the leaders of great movements, is the
most consummate demagogue that ever
breathed, and there is nothing that he will
not do to advance himself. He is still Ian
gushing in the jail of Steuben county, and
as the workingmen are too smart to advance
anything to let him out, he is likely to stay
there some time. The labor movement in
the city is hanging fire. The managers are