National Republican., 1877-08-18
JUDGE VESTS SPEECH AT BELLE.
FONTdINE

Az TIME Wnen nearly all the news
papers were dcnouncing Judge WEST in the
most intemperate terms on account of his
Cleveland speech, we protested against the
injustice We said we had no fears but that
he would come out Of the present campaign
with national reputation as an able, wise
and conservative statesman. We predicted
this from an intimate knowledge Of his per-
sonal character.
The speech made by Judge WEST on
Thursday evening al Bellelontainc, in open
| ing the Ohio campaign, was eloquent, log
zeal and characterized by the most compre-
hcnsive and statcsmanliko views. lie has
shown himself able 10 grapple with the new
problems presented by the labor question in
Il manner which proves that he has studied
the subject 40 thoroughly that his views are
entitled to great weight for their practical
suggestions.
1t appears very clearly from Judge
VESTS speech that, while he is n man OF
the people and fully sympaihizcs with the
honest laborers who are now unemployed
or employed ut insufficient wages. he does
not propose 10 remedy the evils they are
suffering from by unwisc, unjust or impruc-
ticable measures. lie recognizes the fact
that the interests of labor and capital ore
not antagOnistic TO each other.
HIS method Of treating the subject is de-
cidedly philosophical. lie says that the
Government has no right to assume iuris-
diction OF the relations between labor and
capital; that the freedom to contract is the
highest liberty of the citizen, and that the
li,borer is no less interested in preserving
this right than the capitalist 1t is very
easy to conceive of O state of affairs in
which, if the right Of the Government to
fix the price OF labor was recognized, the
power might, through political corruption
or the unscrupulous usurpation Of rulers,
be greatly abused. Even in tho most ty-
r,nnical Governments of the world the right
Of persons TO sell their labor for the best
prices they cln get for il Is recognized. II
is well enough 10 remember that regulation
Of wages Is u two-edged sword and cuts
both ways
Judge WEST recognizes the right Of capi-
tai to fix its own prices ioi labor. lie de-
nies that labor has any right To demand a
higher rate than capital chooses to nay
lnlsniuch, however, as differences OF opinion
are likely 10 continually arise between
laborers and capitalists, he thinks that a
voluntary arrangement should be made by
which justice may be done to the interests
OF both.
lie, therefore, proposes that the capitalist
, shall prescribe u reasonable minimum rate
, of compensation to be paid at all events
. and IN addition thereto shall assume to dis
+ tribute among his la'oreIs al the end Of
stated periods an agreed or specified per.
\ ccDtage oi his net earnings for the same
! time. This equitable plan has been adopted
with gIeat su,ess both in Europe aud
America. IL has the advantage Of giving
the laborer personal interest in the sue
, cess OF hrs employer, because the more h,
9 makes the better will he the wages of the
luborer. The employer always gets NOR,
Z work out OF his hands when they have TIN,
4 personal Interest Ia the prosperity OF hi,
business Of course, II he makes no money
y they are willing to I've content with tn,
t minimum wages, as they could not well asl
d ioi wages it would then clearly appear they
i had not earned. ii the employer was pros
= porous he would. OF coarse, gladly pay la
d bOrers then percentage Of the gains.
e lu regard TO resumption Judge YVES
It thinks IL will be impossible to resume OF
e the LIST oI January, 1872 because the las
e Congress neglected to provide the mean
y Tor dong 10, and the next Is likely to reius
t, its aid. He Is not in favor of violent o
e sudden contraction, but thinks that w
d must ultimately return to n specie basis
G and that measures should be adopted t,
K bring about that result. He denies tn
O constitutional power OF the Government I
~ make u further Issue OF greenbacks, an,
~ thinks national bank bills redeemable i
u coin would make the best currency in tn
d world, MS under the operation Of the trr
d banking law the national currency woul
1 expand and contract to meet the demand
k ui trade.
s. Judge VESTS opening speech has raise
y, HIM very greatly in the estimation of I'll
10 county. IL Is now seen that the meanin
ie 0i the three. minute speech, IN which i
accepted the uUininaiion, was greatly mi
,c understood IN his liclleiontaine speech !
II takes nolhnI back which he said al Clev
al land lie iuriely explains and elaborate
u The ideas he tlirn only hunted ut. His pla
n iOr dealing with the labor troubles
1t lUgiad, conservative aud practical v
h doubt whether ANY better scheme conld
he devised by the mnsL Learned labor commi
To sion ior the settlement of the ditIiculti
e which the country Is uuw suffering fro
,,u than that winch Is M clraIly and phi
\ sUphuuliy set forth by Judge WEsT ia b
I,- Brllrluutaiue speech.
tu MASS pofS'Ius ara suxioIs Ia know whrth
,1l SH I"iHiy SIHuh Intends Ia rOutinI