National Republican., 1877-08-08
JUDGE WEST.

A great deal of unfavorable comment has
been made upon the speech which Judge
VEST delivered at Cleveland in accepting
lie nomination for Governor. In the course
O, that address he said
desire to say, my fellowcit to you word
bn.y upon subject which know Is uppermost In
the minds aud In the hearts OF most OF you. II IL
that the Industry Of our country shall be so re-
arded as that labor shall at least receive that com
sensation which shall be tho support aud susten'
hnce Of the laborer AppauseJ ! do not know
Nv . may certainty hc brought about | know
the difficulties; know the emharrnssmcnts, know
w insur rGonntable arc the distinctions In the
way Of any lual or proper adjustment nf the ren'
ions between th,se who lairir and thoSc who fur.
lish the me MS and opportunities to labor. But IL
had the puwer would try one experiment at
east wouid prohibit ne great ra,sSs S1tPS tp.c
rom 50 reducing their rates by rulnols competi.
ION IS to disable Themselves from paying Just
tnTnpplause.l would 20 further, and tIy the
sxperiment-but do not know that 1t would sue,
,eed-I would arrange and Rx minimum OF
'rices for all who labor in the mines AMI upon the
ailruads, and then require that all tho net receipts
aud proceeds OF the capital invested, the iaborer a,
me end OF the year should, In addition to his liked
compensation, receive certain per cent of The
rrodts. Applause and cries Of That's the man.
hen, II the profits were insufficient to compensate
,'ou as literally as you could otherwise desire bear
With your employers a portion OF the loss 4
"oice: "Cerainly' But u their receipts be snili,
yicnt to make II division, we would in God name
Let the laborer who is worthy OF his hire share u
portion Of the profits.
Z must be confessed that the foregoing
remarks contain some very startling pr0pO-
sitions, and that very few public men in
either party would as yet lie willing tC
adopt the doctrines which Judge WEST an
nounces himself to be in favor oil 1t must
he observed, however, that he regards hi
proposals as mere experiments II must
moreover, be considered that he did not o
course in his speech, which was only fv,
minutes in length, elaborate and qualify
his propositions We therefore confidently
,redict that when Judge WEST makes Al
elaborate speech upon these topics he will
preat them In such a clear and philosophical
manner as to show that he has very cleai
apprehension, not only Of the needs of Ia
Soring men, but of the rights oil capital.
Judge WEST is q man of the people, an
fully sympathizes with laborers for lie In
not forgotten the day when he himsel
welded the sledge hammer. II was YER
natural therefore, that man possess'n
his sensitive and generous traits Of cha'
ncter should personally feel very keenl
4or the sufferers of the laborers. But moth
ing is more foreign from his nature tina
any sympathy with that bold and shame
less system Of robbery known M Con
nunism. He looks ut the question fror
the standpoint Of IN honest, industriou
laborer, who merely seeks to he protecte
from the effects OF au artificial and unnatr
rsl system which gives capital undue at
vantages.
If the remarks of Judge WEST are rea
with q knowledge Of the man and h
history, and considered as but the impe
fexf outlines of q plan to be more con
pIetely explained hereafter, they will
found not 10 be at all dangerous or revolt
tionary. For example, he has been ioun
fhuIt with because he said that industI
should receive compensation sufficient
sustain the laborer. This has been distorte
into declaration In fivor. OF fixing an arb
trary price for labor, whereas II cannot
properly taken to mean anything mo
fhan that the legislation Of the COUNT
should be so modified rs to establish such
condition Of prosperity ~ would ="