The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-06

Let Labor Speak.
The congressional labor committee has
been listening for some days to the state
ments of different representatives of the
labor party. The committee are wise in
taking such course, and should give am
pie opportunity to the laboring and indus
trial classes through their representatives
to make a full expression of what they
deem necessary and important to their
we'll being and happiness.
Necessarily there is much crudity of
thought and LONELINESS of expression, but
that does not do away with the fact that
there are grievances to be complained OF
and remedies to be sought out and applied.
That congress should appoint such COM
mittee is an admission that in the opinion
of the national legislature an investigation
was needed, that deplorable condition of
affairs existed among the laboring people
of the country, and that it was proper to
inquire as to the causes in special manner,
and by special means. The committee
have begun their labors by inquiries among
the classes who are represented as suffer
ing most and as being in greatest danger
OF injustice and wrong at the hands of
their more favored or fortunate fellow
citizens. The statements made by the
various persons called as representatives
OF this class are many of them
ludicrous, or made up of half Apprehended
truths,a and their suggestions as to the best
methods to be pursued to remove the evils
complained OF are not of a character in
most cases to meet the approval, or likely
to be adopted by men Of large experience
or better information upon topics Of a
financial or national character. The main
characteristics developed in the examina-
ton OF these men are that each has some
special grievance which it is the duty OF
government at once to remedy. To most
cases they specify particulars enough to
indicate individual hardship, and to some
extent perhaps, severe depression in GER
tain classes ofindustrics, still the burden OF
their complaints is little more than pre-
sentation of the contrast between wages of
few years ago and present rates, and the
difference constitutes the gist of the
grievance. When students of political
economy and men of liberal education and
long experience in public affairs have
failed toagree, except upon few principles
OF an extremely general nature, and for the
most part are widely at variance in their
conclusions both as to causes and remedies,
ltcan scarcely be expected that others whose
opportunities have been less favorable, and
whose conditions OF life have imposed
manual labor in the place of leisure and
study, should be more united in their views
OF the causes of existing evils, or more
ready aud clear 10 pointing out what would
be the best aud readiest solution of the
difficulties under which they feel weighed
down. But their right to be heard is in
disputable; and it is not only proper, but
1t is rigidly necessary to full and ade-
quate understanding of the labor problem,
that they should state their grievances In
their own way, as fully as they feel or un
derstand them to be, and even to suggest
what in their opinion would abate or re-
move the grievances.
Unless the committee pursued course
such as they have taken it would be like
one sided examination. The laboriup
classes are ae deeply interested in the re-
VlVal OF business and the return of good
times" as any other portion of the people;
their wishes and views are not to be ip
Dored nor their expressions taken for
naught,as being of no special consequence;
let the committee derive information from
every possible source let all fair and
reasonable opinions coming from whatever
source have patient and careful considera-
tiou. The committee was originated and
appointed because it was we'll
known IN the halls of congress as
well as out among the people, that
a considerable portion of the citizens of
tie country were complaining of an unfair
advantage against them in favor OF spe.
clal few, and that such a condition of.
affairs was brought about and continued by
improper legislation and the undue infiu-
ence Of aggregated or incorporated capi-I
tai. Whether such complaint be true or
false, or what in fact might be the causes.
1t was delegated to the committee to make
inquiry and to report. The nonsense and
rawlings of foreign-born meddlers who pro-
pose to turn all society and all government
upside down, in order to inaugurate their
visionary and impracticable plans are de-
serving OF but little respect and need but
little attention at the committees hands.
but when workingmen and artizaps. or
laborers who are honestly and truly such.
appear before the committee, the opinions
they express and the suggestions thew