The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-24
THE LABOR QuESrIoN.
The Views or Yale College Professor
Nome Very sensible sugEestions--A Tenn
pcranee Advocate Blanes Liquor ~ One
ofthc Causes OF Hard Times Among La

Nome Very Sensibie sugEestions--A Tenn
'peranee Advocate Blanes Liquor ~ One
ofthe Causes OF Hard Times Among La
boring Men. .... ..Isl..t-
New YoRE, August 22.-The Hewitt
Committee on the Labor Question contin-
ued, its session this morning. Professor
Sumner was the tirst witness. He saidhe
was Professor OF Political and Social Science
in Yale College. lie directed attention to
the fact that within few years means OF
transportation and communication had
become greater, and by these means he
thought over production was the conse-
Quence, and had made u complete revOlu-
ton over the whole world. lie said that
when the Suez Canal was iirst opened
goods came much quicker, and caused a
glut in the English market, new goods nc
cumulated on top Of the old; but this glut
had not been overcome. Within the last
quarter OF a century there had been
great improvements in machinery Of
all kinds, and taking, the accumulated
effect OF all these machines, they must
accumulate and produce temporary
setback, and was another factor in causing
this depression in labor circles. This effect
would reach everybody for the effect OF ma.
chinery would be to cheaper luxuri cs and
bring things down to the poorer classes
which,a century ago they never, thought
OF. Machinery had been OF great good TO
the masses, though in cases OF individuals
and classes it had worked them evil. II
the United States had been free in 1872,
she might have been able TO compete with
England when the coal and iron trade was
being carried on to great extent. The
laborer OF the United States at the present
time il not having rs good time and as
good subsistence US the laborer in Eng
land. In this country there are one hun-
dred and twelve people to the mile; in
Belgium, there were four hundred and
sixty persons TO the mile, and the latter
lived very fairly. He didnot think arev0lu-
ton would cause any changein thisrespect.
The people OF the whole country since 1879
had been trying to solidify and settle up
their accounts. During the last, five years
many persons had accumulated capital by
reducing expenditures. He thought lcgis-
lation could do nothing for this stagnation
in labor. Every person must work along
the best way he could. We had heard q
great deal lately about ,over-producton.
He Classcd Il as disproportionatc produc.
ton. When there was this disproportion-
ate production, witness thought II was due
to: the protective system. The tariff was
greatly to blame for. our production OF
every year being greatly in excess OF the
demand. The tariff congcstcd the pOpu-
lation in some districts TO where it would
not otherwise have been attracted. The
only way TO remedy this was redstribu-
ton OF the people among the Industries OF
the country. This redistribution was going
on under fts natural laws. lie was not in
favor of the Government colOnizing lands,
but found no fault with private orglniAl.
tiOns doing 80 from a spirit OF benevOlencc.
The only remedy for the depression OF
labor was the application OF sound doc.
trincs TO the case in point. The only way
the Government could nssist non.capital-
ist in the accumulation OF capital was to
give the greatest amount OF privileges in
using lis liberties and energies for prOduc-
tion, and by removing restrictions on
trade, and leave him free to profit by the
fruits Of his industry. a- -sr-. ~
Prof. Sumner spoke for long time, and
was listened to attentively. Many OF his
points, however, have been indicated in
his previous lectures and papers.
After u recess Wm. +. Dodge, an iron
merchant, appeared in his official capacity
as President Of the National Temperance
Society, and claimed that the ise OF intON-
ieating Liquors was one OF the causes OF the
present condition Of the lRboring classeS.
This distress in labor might be relieved 10
some extent by n modification OF the tariff
and action OF the government In the mat.
tor OF resumption OF specie payments. lie
mover know capital to be so abundant us
now; but there was great difficulty In using
it in business. Another faCtOr in allcviat-
ing this distress would be legislation in the
matter OF the liquor tariff.
Other officers Of the National Temper.
ance Society appeared, and the committee
adjourned till tomorrow.
Yesterdays SESSION or IToR.
ACE WHITE, LATE EDITOR OF TIE CHICAGO
TRIBUNE.
NEw YoRK, August 23-Tho Labor In
vcstigating Committee resumed its session
this morning. Horace White was called
by tho committee, and stated that he had
studied the financial question, and had
paid great deal Of attention to itwhen he
was journalist and since he retired from
journalism. lie thought the present COM
mercial crisis was one Of the scarcS tha,
have occurred among the nations for the
past 200 years, and they have been pre-
ceded by rampant speculations, us in 1873,
He thought that speculations in railroads
had great deal to do with causing the
depression which existed, There was
enormous speculation In land all over the
country, Prices OF real estate were multi
piled beyOnN anything In the rcColleC.
ton OF witness. Obligations were In
Vurrpd by the building ot these railroads,
and purchase OF real estate caused many
parties to become lnSOlyent. The cOndi'
tion OF currency had not increased this state
Of things, Witness thought he found
these periods oiCrlses came upon nations
no matter whether currency was gold Ol
silver. Tho speculative enl which existed
from 1880 to 1879 witness thought haC
something to do with the condition o.
affairs. The accumulation OF capital actinC
on the Sangulna .temperaments 0i o certain
trace oipeople would producea speculative