The Portland daily press., 1878-07-09
consider their rights, and destroy the instru
ments OF TYRANNY,

consider their rights, and destroy the instru-
ments OF tyranny.
A few years ago one who predicted that
the American laborer would ever engage in
outbreaks against property like those which
have dlsgraced the West during the past two
weeks would have been laughed to scorn. 1t
was our boast that our people were intelli-
gent, industrious, law-abidng and absolutely
free from the ignorant frenzy which led the
brutalized English laborer to oppose with
force the introduction of the spinning jenny
and the steam engine. But times and manners
have changed. European agitators and dema-
gogues, invited to our shores by the llberaity
of our laws, given the privilege of SHAKING
in the making or unmaking of those laws,
afforded an opportunity which they never
could have won at home to gain competence
and position, put on an equality at once with
our industrious and intelligent people, have
abused our lavish hospitality, and taking ad-
vantage of the discomfort caused by most
unfortunate economic condition and the pov-
erty brought about by a costly and exhaust.
ing war. are preaching the widest theories
of European socialism and communism.
How widely their destructive doctrines have
spread is illustrated by the fact that in con-
servative community like that of Maine ora
tors who shout "bread or blood" are ap-
plauded to the echo by political convention
made up in the main of well-fed and fairly
prosperous men, and that paper in this
State published in section of farmers is Sec
onded in its shout for the Commune. The
farmers of Maine will wisely be on their
guard against the utterances of those men,
or else they will find their own fields overrun
by desperate and lawless vagabonds. The
agitators of course have right to say what
they please. But they will be held to
strict accountability for the result of their
teachings. If they instigate murder and
riot they must suffer the consequences of
their crime.
1t is we of the East who are suffering most
severely from this Western outbreak. Every
machine that is destroyed on Western farms
raises the price of food. The farmers have
planted far greater crops than they can har-
vest by hand. If their machinery is des-
troyed the larger part of the crops must be
lost. The consequence is greatly diminished
supply and very high prices. As farther
consequence the Western farmer receiving
much less than usual for his crops is unable
10 make his usual purchases of clothing and
other articles in the Eastern markets, and
our manufacturing population is thrown into
deeper distress. The trouble of course comes
most heavily on the POOR. The rich can
afford to pay higher price for their food.
The poor cannot. The mill-owners and rail-
road shareholders can live for time without
their dividends. The poor men who are
employed in mills or workshops or in the
hundred branches of transportation, must
starve. In all outbreaks like this those who
can least afford it are made to bear the great
er cost.
We in the East are vitally interested in
this matter. We see to what lengths
the spirit of discomfort has carried portion
of our people and we must be careful how we
encourage it. We will do well to ask our
selves if we would not be happier were we
back on the old sound specie basis when Ia
bor had ample employment, when most of us
were comfortable if not rich, ,and when wide
spread discomfort was unknown.