The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-12-05
TFrom the N. Y. Times
Blind Leaders of the Blind.


into localities where the laboring men
could be met face to face, the real wants
of labor could be more satisfactorily as
certained. In the City. it might very
properly be argued, there is always a
multitude of ward politicians who are
ready TO make political capital of the
grievances of working men. No class of
people are more readily discontented
with their lot than the shifting throng
which in every city is conspicuous in the
train of every selfstyled "friend of the
working man" 1t is discouraging how
ever, to find the time of the Congression-
al committee taken up at Scran ton,
Penn, by one of the arrant political ad
venturers whose antics have so often dis
gusted honest working men and alienated
those who desire to see the ills of the
poor ameliorated. The committee went
to the coal producing regions of Pennsyl
vania to listen to the grievances of the
miners. 1t is notorious that these men
have real grievances; and it is misior-
tune that no way of removing them has
been found Their poverty is great, and
they labor under many privatious. The
man who assumed to speak for them was
one Cornelius Smith, small lawyer, an
aspiring Greenback politician This per-
knowledge of the working OF the present
system of mining management so far as
that system affects the men who do the
work in the mines. And it is depressing g
to find a garrulous demagogue put for
ward to represent working men.
Is there something inherently false in
the cause of the working men, that it
must needs be always represented by
shysters and blatherskites In New
York, for example, one of the most con
spicuous leaders of the Labor Party is a
beer seller Nobody pretends that beer
selling is productive industry it is not
accounted as one of the useful vocations
of lite. Yet this man, who makes his
living by vending what is at least lux
ury, pretends to be friend of the work
ing man. He is their fluent and ready
spokesman on all possible occasions His
daily labor is to take the honest nickels
OF. his customers in exchange for bever,
ages without which they would be better
off Denis KearnPy is more conspicu
Gus leader than Justus Schwab He at
least made some pretense of being a
working man. He said he was dray.
man, and though he was a capitalist to
the extent of owning several drays and
employing other men to drive them, his
the laboring class might be allowed
Here, at last, men said, was a champion
who represented the class from which he
sprung. Kearney ought to have been
able to command attention as an inteIli-
gent laboring man, who not only knew
the burdens of his class, but could sug
gest some practicable means for their re-
moval. But this man not only proved to
be windy demagogue, a noisy, foul
mouthed blackguard, but it is evident
that he worked merely for hire. He
pretended to be working for Butler in
Massachusetts, but his Secretary"
smart newspaper reporter, who wrote the
decent part of his speeches, charges that
he was purposely working against Butler
1t is said and believed that Kearney took
Buffers money, while he tried to defeat
him. Besides this, the fellow never
spoke anywhere without passing around
the hat; and it was notorious that he
picked up good deal of money in this
way. And this charlatan was the spokes
man of the honest, decent. and hard
men who ask that Congress
shall legislate for their relief
1t can hardly be expected that laboring
men shall develop leaders who shall have,
without much education, the graces OF
anu tuo ldlcDCS VI
To be sure, there have been men, like
Elihu Burritt, or William Cobbett, who
have risen from the ranks of manual la
Dor to be economists and teachers of
men; but, somehow, the needs and griefs
IF the working men oftenest find express
'ion in the voices of those who are sell !
seekers, rather than single hearted cham |
Dions of any cause. One would suppose
hat the rank and file of the laboring |
people would after awhile, learn to dis
rust such men as Cohen, Cornelius Smith |
md B F. Butler. Yet, although little
ef-ction ought to show them that these
'thcIous persons can have no real SYM
,athy with the cause they pretend to ad
'ocate, each newly volunteered leader is
AIKEN up with enthusiasm. TO those
Who wish that something might be done
o alleviate the real or imaginary woes of |
he dlscontented. it is exceedingly dis
oura ging to see what manner of men are
,ut forward as champions OF the distress
d.
Another mischievous feature Of the
ase is the eagerness with which these
alse leaders attempt to array capital
.gdinst labor. the rich against the poor.
f there were no real antagonIsm between
he two economic Interests the dema
With violent threats and appeals to the
laser passions, they contrive to make
me class defiant and the other aggres
i've The lawyer OF the coal miners said
hat contraction was making the rich
Icher and the poor poorer There must
,e imitation before the laborer could
prosper And one Hickey, another
scranton politician, lately an unSuccess
al candidate tor State Senator CHARGED |
hat rich Republicans. and Democrats
combined on all questions of humanity
nd wages" and that the poor OF New
ork were taxed to maintain a Police. to
prevent those living in tenement houses
rom killing and robbing those who We're
'etter off These are specimens OF the
lap trap by which the demagogues be
uile working men. Is it any wonder
hat the poor eventually learn to believe
hat they are the victims of heartless op.
ression? Is it any wonder that, with
uch unprincipled and selfish leaders.
1orking men are taught to consider all
mployers as tyrants? We cannot hope
Or better state OF things until it is i'm
ossible for the Cohens and Kearneys to
lake a livelihood by misleading men
Tho work for their living
"Oh, don't punish me-" said aged Ann
turns to the court magistrate And
'hy notY' I've got the rheumatics,
our Honor, and the dropsy, and liver
and touch OF consumption.
Ii not last long" Il guess you'll come
ut all right at the end of three months
What? Did l hear you say three
lonths? Oh ! but it's dead I'll be when
step ont of the place "