The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-08-10
NOT A SOLUTION; But A ,sUGGEs-
TON.

The intelligent newspaper-reader ofthe
day is struck with amazement at the i'm
practicable and often silly solutions ofthe
labor problem, that are offered not alone
by newspaper men, but even by those
who are recognized as statesmen and
political solOns.
Judge West, the Republican candidate
for Governor OF Ohio, in recent bun
combe speech, declared that he would
have 1.-THE wages of railroad employees
fixed at a remunerative rate by law
without any reference to the ability OF
the railroad company to pay, or the en-
ploye to receive; and would compel the
railroad companies to share the net earn
ings with employees at the end OF every
tweive-month." This piece Of demagog-
ism thrown out as bait to the working
men Of Ohio, was SO palpably unfair and
impracticable that il met the appreciation
OF nobody and now, like Beecher, the
Republican candidate tor Governor OF
Ohio is INDUCING In very lame and I'M
satisfactory explanations.
Certain communistic speakers and Jour
mails would re-establish healthy labor
market, by interdicting the further use
OF labor.saving machinery-forgetting
that an abandonment OF the steam engine.
alone, would more than quadruple the
number OF unemployed men and women
in the country in single day; and
that the general adoption Of
such a theory would be
step in the direction Of barbarism that
the whole people, as with single will,
would quickly retrace.
Peter Cooper would establish poor
men in our western territories; plunge
the government into stupendous sys
TEN of public Improvements, restore sill
yer coinage, establish industrial schools
and so amend the tariff laws as to com
pletely cut off all foreign competition
with American manufacturers. Thes,
remedies involve questions upon which
neither laboring men nor capitalist
agree. Capitalists and rich manutact.
urers, like Peter Cooper, would fayol
the piohibitory tariff; the farmers ant
laDoring masses OF the West would
oppose 1t. All classes in the lower Mis-
sissippi valley would favor the construc
ton ofthe Southern Pacific railroad, the
New England states would oppose it
and SO with the silver question; i
would have its advocates and opponents
and of itself could have but little effec
upon the labor question, il everybod,
favored 1t, and the government shout,
hasten to act upon it.
Upon none Of these theories can thu
laboring man build hope of speedy re
lief. Such of them as are not impracti
cable and monstrous, are such as cal
not be adjusted to the present emer
gency, and the whole vi them, therefore
should be abandoned. But because theo
ries that could not be carried into imme
diate effect have been advanced, tn
cause OF the laboring man is by n
means hopeless. Great relief cat
come, and 1t is believed ,oi
come through cessation OF the throa
cutting business among competing line
of railway in the matter of carryin
freights and passengers. The produt
tive and shipping interests OF the countr
can stand. and are willing to pay TO III
different lines Of transportation a reason
able frelghtage and this would insure I
the employees Of our common carrier.
reasonable compensation for their ser
vices. Had our great lines of east-and
west railroads not INDUCED IN the toll
OF insane and rulnous competition. tn
country would not have been conyulse
by the recent strike.
And while the inconsiderate suyoc.
ton OF the well-to-do business man, I
Ego to farming" furnishes to the ten
ofthousands Of idle workingmen but
meager chance for escape from the panp
Of hunger, 1t is undoubtedly true that a
abandonment Of the fields for the de
perats chances Of the city, has added i
thousands to the idle men and womel
who are now at the point OF sufierln!
Its not difficult to see that the resu
Ofthis exodus of Iaborers from the farm