The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-08-17
Benton Letter.
BENTON, Aug,

ED. JEFF: With your permission we
would once more occupy a small por-
ton of your valuable space for the
purpose of giving to your readers what
soever of items or opinions may be of
interest to them. News is rather
scarce as everything else seems to be
swallowed up in the excitement of the
late strike, and, although We are not
sufficiently close to the scene of action
to be very considerably effected by it
except through local trade, we never
theless take some interest in it, and
cannot resist desire to express some
of the "maudlin sympathy" as you are
pleased to term It, for those who are
ground down by the heel of oppress
ion. Watering of stock, ETC., suits the
purpose of Vanderbilt & Co very well
as far as stock is conc Arned, but when
they persist in watering laboring mems
wages until they become too thin to
purchase the simple necessities of life,
we cannot look for other results than
that which is bringing business to a
stand still on this occasion. Now we
do not wish to be understood to ap
prove of such lawlessness as has been
manifested through the late strike. far
from it, for public OPT ion in finding
public expression should condemn all
such actions, but, at the same time, it
should strike at the root of the evil, for
it is difficult matter to make good
law-abiding citizens out of over-worked
starving men. Railroad corporations
are protected, regulated and held up
by Legislation, such, also, should be
the case in regard to those who labor
for and depend upon the same.
But it is not our intention to occupy
too much space on this subject, so we
will pass, and, to change the sub
ject, will inform you that DIR. F. w.
Entrikin, of your city, delivered a
lecture yesterday in the II. E. Church,
of this place, on the subject of Ph,si
ology and the effects of Alcohol and
other poisons on the Physical System,
which was received with considerable
interest by those in attendance. The
Doctor is a good talker and well pre-
pared to dissect and illustrate his sub
ject in an able manner.
Farmers are now busy threshing
their wheat which proves to be a good
yield and of the best quality. All veg
itation Is In a thriving condition, eyen
hearty chokes are raised in small quan
titles at the saw-miIl west of town, but
it is a crop which does not generally
pan out very well. Corn has been do
ing batter than was anticipated, al
though it is now suffering for rain, and
we think We may reasonably look for
ward to better times when the sqrplus
is run to market Yours, sc, i
8EN. BUTLEh.
four friend should not allow hiszeal
to run away with his discretion. We
can have sympathy for the depressed !
condition of labor, but it s'-ould not !
lead as to forget that many men now /
termed capitalists, have gained their
positions by the hardest and most con-
tinuous labor, and have done so by !
prudence, zeal aud urtiring effort. ,
These men have not quit work when
ten hours have expired aud folded
their hands i'll apathy, nor have they
wasted their earnings in riotous living,
nor squandered their wages in de
bauchery. They have been the archi
tects of their own fortunes; yet to day
many of that very kind are struggling
amid the vicissitldes of trade only to
retain what they have gained by the
waste of bodily strength and mental
energy. They have set their teet1 4 hard
have put the brakes down
upon their expenditures, and are
striving with all the earnestness of an
eager nature, to meet their obligation.
to other business and the public gen
orally. they too ''are ground down
under the heel lof oppression, but they
take their grinding nanfully, regard
the supremacy of the law, and the OBJ
legations of meuHl ct teum, are not in
vaded. Their condition is worthy of
as much sympathy as the others and
because of their obedience to the law,
snd their respects for the rights of
athers, deserves even more. There is
no doubt great wrong in the water
ng of stock and the fictitious expan
'ion of capital, and it should be curbed;
but to FIX the rate by law at which a
.ailroad may carry freight, would be
Is unreasonable as to attempt to reg
llate by law the supply and demand
IF grain. The same Is true of the
price of labor When it is scarce it &
will regulate itself, when it is plenty it
will be regulated To AVOID a surplus, )
aborers must become capitalists and !
Employ laborers-must become sgri-
,ulturists and producers of wealth in
tead Of consumers. Strikes, and
lots, and destruction will not accom- /,
,lish what is desired. Disobedience to !!
aw will not bring relief, and violations