The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-02
CAPITAL AND LABOR--HOw
STRIk BRS AFFECT BOTH AND
DEVELOP MILITARY GENIUS.

Governors OF three st ltes have called
on the Federal executive for troops to
suppress instructions, too powerful to
be subdued with home organizations.
The very martial State of Pennsyl-
vania, with its warlike governor, who
was ready at a moments notice, a few
months ago, to send forty or fifty
thousand troops into the South to sup
press what he termed ''the new rebel
lion," is now driven to the most des-
perate straits within her own border,
The very men whom he had in view,
with which to place the South under
another "healthy regime, have turned
against him and Cameron, and the
Pennsylvania money gods, and no
strong arm is found to oppose them.
His vanguard, the gallant Sixth, uu-
der the great Col. Peters, went, saw
and was conquered, absolutely ''peter-
ing out" in less than twelve hours, and
in citizens dress found their way
back to Philadelphia. Even the
invincible Col. Thomas Scott,
who commands the sentiment
Of legislatures, and controls States,
and who claims to hold all power
at Washington, Is q cipher when
confronted by strikers, before whom
he and his mighty Centred bow sub
missively. But we were telling of ap-
peals made to the Federal government,
and since Uncle Sam has about as much
on hand just now as he can well at
tend to along the border and in boil
stenng up Howard before Chief Jo-
seph's lines, it is hardly probable that
Hartranft or any other governor will
receive any very material aid from this
quarter. This inadequacy may lead,
however, to the introduction of q sup
Elemental bill to the Atkins bill in the
next Congress, raising the standing army
Of the I 'ited States to a number suffi-
cient in the future to relieve Col. Pc
ters from all embarrassments, and to
hold railroad employees in proper sub
lection. Anyone who knows much
about the conduct of railroad officials
has become acquainted with their AFRO
gance and their dOmincering spirit.
These make themselves felt upon all
occasions, nor do these arrogantes hes
itate at any demands, from these made
upon governments to duties imposed
upon. the meanest employee. 1t is rev.
olution against this tyranny, the sp.r,t
that leads to imperiousness in every
quarter, that has produced the wide
spread disorder at the North, while the
South remains quiet, except where the
same agencies control here as do
in Pennsylvania, and probably else
where. This strike has been denomi
mated struggle between capital and
labor, when it is only an appeal TO
right and the imperative demands of
humanity. Capital is not independent
of labor, since it is only labor that |
makes it productive; nor is labor inde-
pendent of capital, since from the lat
ter the former derives its subsistence.
And here Is the great question. Oapi- |
tai that does not maintain labor is
either improperly invested and is a
fraud upon labor, or it Is subject to |
improper management. The one owes
life to the other and the exchange
should be one of the immutable laws
of society. War between capital for
the mastery of highways has been a
fruitful source OF the evil that
now gives rise to wholesale disor-
der. This war between rival roads,
by which the rule of ''cutting" finds
relief in a reduction of the wages Of
labor. should cease. Capital and la
Dor should combine, as far as lies in
the power of the two, to prevent this
suicidal course in the fnture. Uniform
and paying rates should be established
and maintained, and then the employee
will feed the hungry ones at home and
keep them we'll clothed and warm,
and railroad dignitaries will have nei
ther right nor excuse for demanding
that nation be heavily taxed for their
purposes. There will be less corrup-
tion among governors and legislatures,
and General Hartranft will no more be
called upon to lay bare his empty
boasts, or to soil the plume of his gal
liant Col. Peters.