National Republican., 1878-08-08

me NOrtn has never expected nor asKeu
more than this, and these are what make
Tor peace and unity, and what must follow
before we can be q united, harmonious, and
happy nation.
GOVERNMENT AND LABoRERs.
In THE NArIoSAL REPUBLICAN of yes
tertlay we suggested the duties Of the
Government 70 the poorer classes Of fabor-
ing men," as an attractive theme in tho
bands Of some patriot capable of handling
ii In = non-partisan way. A correspondent
calls our attention, in this connection, 70 ths
following golden extracts from the powerful
speech Of Senator WINDOW, delivered in the
Senate on the 10th Of June, 1873, upon the
subject OF Our National Water Ways"
Never was q nation so richly endowed with
the materials Of wealth asd the facilities for
commerce! Nothing fs lacking, unless IL be
the statcsmanslip TO utilize them. It's in our
power to make such improvement Of these
natural advantages as wiz insure TO our people
cheap transportation at hume, and the pcrma-l
nent control OF tho food niarlets Of Europe.
Tho work can be done mora chesply now than
fbr many years past, and more cheaply, IL Is 10
be hoped, than for many years to como. Tho
benefits to commerce and agriculture that will
result will repay hundrcdfoh their cost,
while the expenditure necessary TO their COM
pletion will contributs towsrd the rehsf Of
much suffering, by giving work TO many thou.
sands Of people now In sore distress for lack Of
employment.
iknow we'll, Mr.. President, what the an
swer will bc to this last proposition. We have
often heard It during the last Ave years, and
II Is rs hcartloss a' it Is impolitic and un-
sound. shall bo told that this is not pa
ternsl Government" !" that ''it Is not O soup
house organized to feed those who cannot feed
themselves" and that at is no part of it's duty
to furnish employment for the people" The
argument couched in this or similar Language
Is 50 common, and expresses o principle In
craftsmanship so broad that am tempted 70
pause moment TO examine H. In one sense
10 Is doubtless sound, bot In another and
broader sense 1t is utterly false and pernicious.
1t Is true that no government Is under obliga-
tion to support the idle, but II Is also true that
ono Of the highest and most sacred obligations
Of ststesnIanship Is to 50 direct and shape the
public policy as, II possible, to furnish the op-
portunity for employment to all who desire
work. Especially Is this true IN Q govern
ment Of the people, for tho people, and by the
people"
The laborers of this country embrace very
large majority Of those who constitute "the
Government" and for whom IL was formed.
II Is Us much the duty Of tho State TO protect
and encourage labor Is to guarantee the safety
Of capital. Both capital and labor have their
appropriate spheres in which they are alike
Indispensable to the well-being of the State
But tho boarding capitalist and tho lazy Com
muuist are equally the enemies Of tho State
Both would exact living from the community
without rendering 1t an equivalent. Both
would blight the prosperity and destroy the
| happiness of the nation IL thoy could the one
| hy nj haldfnU fvnfn salfiah niotivaS ha uary
| lifc-blood Of its commerce and industry the
other by ovorturning the social fabric, In ordcl
that he may riot upon the accumulated saving
Of honest industry. For the one should lik,
to provide taxation, and for the other powder
and shot. But for the honest labor Of tn,
country wuuId DO glad to provide employ
ment and fair remuneration. and for its capita
safe and paying investments
Do you say that this Is difficult policy h
put into practical operutionr Iadmit It. Bu
there are two distinct lines OF legislation, on,
Of which leads in this direction and the Othe
away from 1t. ! would adopt the former. Lc
me illustrate my meaning. When tho pani
Of 1873 came, frightened capital cverywher
retired behind bolts and bars, and thereby de
MED employment to millions OF working peo
pie. Two lins, Of policy then presented them
selves to tho statesmen OF this country. On
WAS by the manifestation Of courage and con
fdencc, to inspire like confidence in other,
The other was to join the panic.stricken mul
tituds and vie with them In deploring tn
"hard times" aud In ioreboding individual AM
national bankruptcy. The one would encour
age private enterprise to renewed exertions
the other would intensity and prolong the gcil
ernf distress.
Tho latter policy was adopted by that elias
OF public men unfortunately too numerous
whose only idea of statcsmanship Is to locI
and double bolt tho National Treasury; to dis
miss every employee possible without regar
to the wants Of tho public service; to suspen
all public work and improvements, no matte
how necessary or important and under th
mock banner Of sham ECONOMY" 10 shou
themselves hoarse iu bewailing the hopeless
ness of tho times. The only result OF thi
policy Is TO recruit the ranks Of the unenl
ployed aud increase the universal distress.
This class of statesmen congratulated them
selves on the fruits Of their policy as they 81,
Government bonds advancing In the marke
They forgot that the enhanced value Of on
bonds at home did not mark an advance In tn
prosperity Of tho people, but rather that
measured the diminished uses Tor money an,
she increased paralysis of business. Capita
shrinking from Investment in private enter
prises, Is willing To accept the lower rate Of In
terest offered Oh Government bonds rathe
than remain wholly idle. Hence, while til
Government, as represented by It's bonds, Ia
apparently grown richer, the people hay
actually grown poorer.
= The men whoss capital consisted of none
IN hand hayO also grown richer by reason
) the stagnation In business. The general d,
! probation in values only measures the sppr,
citation of their money.
Ii instead OF acting in concert, through paui
the moueyed men oil tho country had delibe
/; ately Conspired together TO devise a plan
, add most rapidly Ia the value Of their mono,
they could not havo pursued u more successfl
, one than was adopted through financial di
/ trust In 1873. And IL tho Government ha
r been one OF the cOnspirator II could not ha,
. aided them more etGctually than 1t has dor
by its policy OF repression. Money loaned
) 10 per cent. iutorcst in l-73 would not ha,
paid its owners nearly SO well Us boarding h
done.
A dollar loaned at that rate five years a,
would bs worth only 10 per cent advant
4 now but the dollar boarded has SO depressC
tho value OF most other property that ii wi
now buy nearly double M much of many art
Clcs AS 1t would then. The public policy
. repression, misnamed "ecou0my," to which
: have referred, has been by far tho heavie
. contributor to this state Of things. 1t h,
added largely TO tho cnters of the "hoardiu
b capitalist" by aiding him TO enhance the Walt
[ OF the money locked up In his vault. It h,
. contributed immensely to tho power OF ii
lazy and vicious Communist, by the THOUSAND
4 OF honest men whom II has driven to desper
Z tiOn through enforced idlencs5 and consequeI
: want.
. yield to no ono my devotion to true ecoi
! Omy; but the bastard thing which deina gCgu
| laA hp tlt.t \