The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-09-06

meaning nothing and intended to de-
ceive the workingmen, or it Is a reyolu-
tion in our Government fraught with the
worst evils TO the workingmen them.
selves. Capital and labor, the fair and
honest adjustment of profits between
them This has been the problem of the
ages-it will be the problem until men
shall become perfect, or Government VIII
be able to make us do the deeds meet for
perfection. Good government may se'
cure their exemption from the legal con
troll of each other-may enforce their
contraCts-but it can not say to capital,
you shall employ 80 many men and shall
pay them these wages-or TO laborers,
YOU shall work for this employer, and
for these wages. "Shall not do what |
will with my own2"-and the labor of
the one is as much his own as the money
of the other-and must not e interfered
with more lightly. 1t is more his own,
for il his sweat, his blood, his life. Men
may work or not, as they please. Capt.
alists may employ them or not as they
please. The wages which they shall re-
ceive are a matter of contract on which
both shall agree, and Government has
done all it benefcialy can, when 1t SO"
cures TO all respectively this freedom,
and when it fairly and fully and speed
lily enforces this contract.
The Republican candidate for Cover
nor has made his own commentary on
the platform. He would provide by law
that railroad companies should pay fix.
ed rate of wages to the employees, a fixed |
rate of dividend to the capital, and shall
divide the residue Of the profits between |
the stockholders and the laborers. What
rate of rages2 What rate of dividend2
Who shall decide? BY what rule shall
it be ascertained2 But suppose the
railroad shall be unfortunate, and there |
are no profits, shall the wages then be
rednced below the rate in order to make
dividend Capital being invested in
an improbable or unfortunate road, can
not be taken out, it must remain. labor
having no such tie, may turn elsewhere.
Shall il be forced to remain2 Shall it be
compelled to work at TIE diminished wa
ges2 Ifnot, what possibility is there for
a fair return for the capital investedY
What would the statutory arbitration"
do in such case? If the scheme is so be-
nefcent, why confne it to railroad? Why
notapply it to manufactures, to husband
dry, to the household! Nay, why not to
the law Office of the candidate himself,
and make semi-annually division of
the surplus profits with the woman who
sweeps it, and the boy who carries his
books to the Court housel
Danger to Labor.
No, gentlemen, these are all devices to
the detriment Of labor. Government
may establish police regulations and sani-
tary regulations it may provide for safe.
ty in the construction Of factories and
mines it may regulate the employment
of children offender years, or persons Of
feeble and unsound mind; it may appoint
inspectors and other officers to secure
these ends; it may, perhaps, exel else still
other powers, in the case of Common
Carriers, and of railroads, which extend
from one end of the continent to the 9TH
er, in which it is part owner, by subsCrip'
ton or donation; but when it goes furth
er and assumes to take laborers under its
especial and parental care, to make them
wards of the nation, it belittles and in.
jures them.
Labor should be free, uutrammeled, (
left to itself. Its contracts should be {
speedily enforced. Its injuries should be
speedily redressed. The burdens impos- {
ed upon it should be as light as possible,
The advantages of education furnished {
by the State should be made easy to all
its children. An enlightened public !
opinion should award honor to its high. {
est self.respect and honorable self.asser- {
ton. Under these conditions it can best
fight the hard battle of life and most sue {
cessfully overcome the disadvantages of '
the daily struggle for the daily bread. If I
shall undertake its special /
care and management, its fostering and Q
protection, securing to it fair wages and /
10 capital fair returns, it must also impose d
duties and obligations, and exact their
If Government shall un. q
1ertake to establish a partnership be. t
,ween capital and labor, and to distribute C
he profits according to law, or to estab- h
ish special boards Of arbitration to which t
abor must submit its demands for the fu.
.ure, as well as its complaints for the past, e
It reguiresno prophet to foresee that labor r
will be enveloped in meshes through \
which capital will easily escape. Capital c
will control the Government; capital !.
will make the laws; capital will inter
)ret them capital will select the arbitra- Ii
ors; q .)italwill enforce their award. 9
If any interest should dread parental a
government; if any interest should dread il
alliances" and demand fair n
ield, it is labor And l can say this with CT
N anxiety greater than l care to express II
o.night, that labor should be relieved of p
ts care and suffering: with heart touch. b
ID to the quick by the misery and wretch 81
dness, the weary life, the breaking hu- o.
nan hearts, which l see around me, and O.
he heroic fortitude with which men and ",
Vomen and children encounter them. If al
hese weary Ones-some struggling for
read alone, some straining every aching al
erve for a higher moral and mental life Il
could be lifted up. and every obstacle g
D their progress could be removed; if ev- re
ry human being could be elevated and d.
lade to take his proper station as man, Sc
bove forms, above property, above capi- la
al, | would welcome the means whateY- IL
r they might be; revolution in Govern. 81
lent, revolution in society, the subver- T
ion of every cherished idol-and thank 81
iod that l had lived to see them sue. "
essfully employed, HI
The Strikes. te
This question has been brought into Vi y
Oecial prominence just now by the =,
rikes and subsequent riots. No man +
pproves, every right-thinking man con. u u
emns and deprecates lawless violence Pi
,ward person or property, and believes ",
should be restrained and punished by W
le strong arm of the law. Few believe NJ
lat strikes accomplish any immediate y,
bod. They agree with the platform of VI VI
le Workingmen's party adopted at Gin ~ ~
nnati. that they are the fruftless efforts VI VI
Workingmen to secure their economi- VI
Il emancipation by guerilla warfare O.
yainst individual employers. Yet, let pc De
not deceive ourselves or do wrong to PPee
M : L A