The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-07-28

made by the strikers to the executors of
+ the law. 10 do otherwise would be to
( revolutionize civilization, and, above all,
/ reject the precepts of Christianity, which
alone can create and preserve order among
( men, and from whence true civilization has
It's origin. But what must be the judg.
ment pronounced against those whose ty-
rannlcal rule has brought about this strug-
gle, which threatens the foundations of our
government? Against them it may be said,
that In the main all the evil results of this
conflict can he attributed to them: that
they have, 10y an IN iust reduction of wages,
driven their employees to desperation and
forced them To seek redress even at the
expense OF violating and defying the law
that they have cursed our country with a
riotous outbreak such as never before, in
the annals of her history, has been known,
and which may be but The foundation for a
greater one at some future day; and that
the loss which they have sustained is but
the instresults of their actions.
Unfortunately, however, the law pro.
vides that property destroyed by riotous
assemblages must lie paid for by the State,
and hence the greater portion of the loss
lncurred-srowing out of the wrong dongs
of capital, be it remembered-must be met
by taxation, Shall come from the people.
But should 1t, in justice, be so? "My
deeds upon my head! | crave the law"
answers capital in the language of the
generous Shylock. There is, of course, no
legal way of avoiding the refunding of
capitals losses, and for conscience's sake
submission must be given TO the majesty
of the law. In this connection, however,
this much may be protitably learned by the
people: to so amend or revise their laws as
to secure labor against the entertainments
of capital, and thus relieve themselves of
an obligation wholly unjust; or, in other
words make capital feel the sting of it's
own rash acts.
Capital sees very clearly now that slabor's
wonder working wand" can not be welded
successfully to its profit unless properly
compensated. 1t may behold in the ashes
of its burned property, as though traced
with labor's hand, and written in characters
bold, Capital depends upon Labor" The
laborer will be to the capitalist a faithful
servant. so long as he is enabled to be so
and at the same time maintain his dignity
rs husband, father, and a citizen; but
he is not willing to be his Stare and his
wife and children the victims of want,
while he (the capitalist) lives in luxury, re.
tinement and atfluence-his family fed
upon the choicest food and clothed in the
finest raiment; and that, too, as the result
of his (the laborer's) toll. So long as CAPT.
tai rules within its proper sphere and does
not attempt to control labor with the des-
potism of a tyrant, labor will be its obedi-
ent instrument of operation; but Just as
soon as it seeks to exercise sway that
will influence the sacred privileges of labor,
and aims to lessen them, SO soon will labor
cease to render it obedience, and can, if it
I,kl,
may give it such a blow as will be felt at
the very foundation of its throne. Though
it lie true that capital takes the precedent
in the affairs of the world, its dignity and
power is not greater than that of labor,
upon which it really depends for motive
facilities. Capital, therefore, must ever
preserve inviolate its unity with labor; and
it can best do this by securing to it its
rights-in giving to it the recognition, en-.
couragement and support to which it is
entitled. Let this be universally done, and
as result we may expect to witness the
disappearance of communistic ideas, there
will not be found better friend to capital
than labor, and capital will be virtually the
ruler.
One of the great curses of our country is,
and has been, extravaganza. Its ma!edic-
tions have been invited by, and have fallen
upon, all classes. Attributable to it as the
first cause are the panics, financial embar-
easements and strikes. Extravagant in
their desires for riches, and not content to
work slowly, but surely and honestly, in
the battles for gain men have rushed pell-
nell into enterprises, and become SO en-
tangled that the only means of escape is
to abandon all and become bankrupts; ex-
travagant in their manner of living, moth
ing has been wanting to satisfy the unre
strained desires of the "inner man," or
array to pride's taste the outward appear
ance. The future has been forgotten in
the enjoyment of the present. Question
the tramp who with nervous voice begs at
your door for bread, and he will tell you
that there was time when he was making
eighty, ninety and hundred dollars
month, but never thought of the future.
The consequence is poverty, the fruit of
extravaganza, has made it's appearance,
particularly among the laboring classes.
Capital, determined to hold its own, has
steadily encroached upon labor, until a
conflict has ensued and labor has been the
victor. Labor has been asked to perform
an impossible task-to permit reduction
of wages while capital loses nothing-and
it has rebelled. Let capital be satisfied
with smaller dividends, a reduction in
rents, flour, etc, be made (all of which the
exigencies of the times demand, and then
ask labor to allow a reduction, and there will
be no such riotous demonstrations as have
cast dark stain on the history of our
country that time will not erase.
Monday, July 23rd, 1877. r.