The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-09
,.oneI 70 ths riots. the grand

A rsGhcQY county entered
tjery a 49, sstion, $40 summaray
upon an investie ,dance of the Gov
demanded the stte. military Off
ernor and the civil an ,ar,meot /,
GERS of the Executive De, It ,bipI
testify before it As l did n .-tis
it the time or place for an impa.
investigation Of the troubles. or con-
cede the right of the courts to com
mand the attendance of coordinats
branch Of the government, | refused
to attend, and directed the civil and
military officials to refuse also. The
question was submitted to the Su-
preue Court, and It's decision accord
ing with the views of the Department,
all appearance of conflict between the
Judiciary and executive was happily
sverteG. Should the Legislators
deem it expedient 70 investigate the
subject. all Information in the posses
sion Of the Governor or the Depart
ment, if any, in addition to that
contained in the Adjutant Generals
report, and the appendix hereto, will
be promptly given.
Passing from these secondary mat
ters, to the broader and deeper lessons
of the strike, while there is much TO
cause solicltude, there is much, also,
TO awaken confidence in the final sol
ution of the problem. While capital
held labor in Ignorance and bondage,
strikes were rare. Their frequent
occurrence is proof that labor Is
growing, more aud more, to an eqaal-
ity in strength and imporssnce TO
capital Intelligence has spread
itself among the lsboring classes, they
have learned to read and write, and
to interchange their views, and form
ed associations, according tc- their
new lights. tor their protection and
advsncement. And if 10 this, as in
many other cases, "a little learning
is dangerous thing" il is yet better
than no learning at all, and is the
progressive step to higher intelli-
gence. On the other hand, under the
influence of fciyilizstion, wealth became
more and more diHused, corporations
grew up TO collect the large aud small
amounts of unemployed capital, to
build the gigantic works and conduct
the great Industries required By mod
ern society These two results are
the inevitable consequences ofincreas-
ed intelligence and civilization.
These great corporations. from the
character of the enterprises, are of
necessity, 10 most cases, monopilies.
As sacb, the people have q right to
demand that while the profits may
accrue to private individuals, their
management shall rise above merely
selfish aims, and consult also the
pubic utility aud welfare. IL has
come to pass that in the contliet
between capital and labor, the former
Is almost wholly represented by
corpora IONS aud the latter by various
organiza iJns.
Tue attitude of the people towards
these two forces during the great
strike has also deep Significance. 10
the general sympathy for the stri-
kers, dulled only by their unlawful
acts, the workmen have assurance
that in all right and lawful efforts to
better their condition they will have
the aid of nearly all classes of their
fellow citizens. And in the preju-
dices against the corporations, those
who coatrol them may realize that
the possession of great wealth and
the control Of great enterprises i'm
poses obligations to the public which
tney cannot afford 10 ignore. In
these facls, we can discern the two
roads that may eventually lead to
the final settlement Of the contest
the diffusion Of higher education
among the workingmen, aud the con-
vicIion, on the part of capital, that
il has now 10 deal with an equal
competitor, whose claims and rights,
together with its own, must be deci-
ded ana adjusted by arbitration. In
this contest, the primary duty of the
State is to keep the peace, and Sec
ondarily, 50 far as laws will avail, to
hasten the consumaIion of the re-
suit.
INDUSTRIAL AND SCIENTIFIC TRAIN
ING.
1t is impossible to read the indus
trial history of the country without
being struck with the decline of the
system OF apprenticeship, the deca-
dence of skilled labor, and the rapid
increase of common day laborers.
Many causes may be assigned for
these results. The invention of Ia
bor-savlng machines, the minute SUBJ
division Of labor, and the intense
competition among producers and
manufacturers have, no doubt SER
we'd TO lessen the pride Of the work
man in his work, and made it impos-
slble, in many instances, to give any
time or opportun. ties TO mere learn
ers. To counteract these Influences,
the assistance OF the State will be
required. But another cause, ari-
sing from the misdirected efforts of
The workingmen themselves, can on
ly be removed with their coopers-
lion. Trades unions and various IA
Dor organizations, which profess to
elevate the condition of laboriDg
classes, have, in reality, materially
contributed to impoverish and de-
grade them. Millions of dollars
have been collected from working
men and squandered in p-oftless
strikes, during which other millions
have been lost through enforced idle
ness, without even q transcient eff
feet upon the natural fluctuations of
wages. The independence of indi-
yiduals has been sacrificed to the
tyranny of class and they have
gradually learned to depend tor PROS
perity upon other agencies
than their own personal industry and
thrift. The regular education of
skilled mechanics has been restricted
by the same agencies. forcing the
growing generations into the undis-
mass of day laborers, the
lowest aud poorest paid of any class,
and reducing the nation to the ne
;esslty Of supplying its skilled labor
rom foreign countries. These things