The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-07
HEWITT's COMMITTEE AND THE so
0TATTSTH

At the last session Of Congress q commit
tie was appointed by the House to examine
into and report the causes of depression and
dissatisfaction among the Industrial Glasses
of the country This committee, of which
Mr. Hewitt is chairman, has been in session
for several days past In Now York city. SO
far the committee has taken no testimony
or, rather, has elected no opinions which
amount to much 1t has been listening to
the silly vaghries Of such volunteer theorists
as chose to come before them. Certainly none
of these people, who, for the most part. are
Socialists, National Greenbackcrs, etc, have
advanced any very novel or profound propo-
sitons Of social or political economy. In
deed, in almost every instance they have
proven mountcbanks and mouthing dema-
gogues, without even the slightest suspicion
of the causes Of depression and trouble from
which they certainly suffer. Their oxamina-
ton by the committee, however, will not be
without beneficial results, in that it will
make apparent to the world the emptiness
and absurdity Of the wild and Wis.,
iOnary projects with which these So
called labor refOrmers have been dcl,lding the
workingmen Of the country. Not one of these
blatant Communists who have gone before
the committee to air his crazy theories, has
been able to withstand the test of 8 half-hour
of practical cross-questioning. They came
to the stand big with plan of salvation, and
invariably left 1t plucked OF all their conceit.
This exposure will go far towards convincing
the thinking men among the employed classes
that these are not the sort of men to compre-
bend the causes Of their troubles, and to probe
them to their true source; that they are not
capable of prescribing the true remedies for
the disorders that affect society, or of re-
storing the relations of labor and capital to
their true and healthy relations towards each
other. In the hands of men of learning and
powerful brains occasionally the most vicious
theories have been made seductive and logical
at least. and have thus been instruments of
great wrong and suffering. But we cannot
apprehend that bubbles so easily punctured
as these-theories and doctrines that will not
stand an hours examination, can ever do
much harm in a country like this where the
safety of society depends more upon the in
telligence of the workingmen than upon any
Other class. Yet we should not forget that
the Lord Gordon riots were led by a man
who was barely degree removed from idiocy
The testimony before this committee shows
that there is great need for agitation, and we
may rest assured that this disturbance will
not cease, and it should not, until the causes
Of it are removed and a thorough readjust-
ment of all our economies has taken place.
But this is not to be brought about by con-
vulsing society to its foundations, nor by any
of the startling methods proposed by these
Missionaries, whose theories amount to nothir g
beyond g. senseiess rebellion against the natu-
raj order of society, which relegates them to
condition of life with which they are dissat-
isfed, but from which they have not the Ca
pacity to rise by lawful and just means. The
discovery and application Of the proper meas
ures for the relief of our decaying commerce,
OF trade and all our Industrial interests, be-
long to a great and profound science-the
most comprehensive that human thong and