The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-03-01
CAPITAL AND LABOR,

While we are amused at the absurd deca-
ration that the issue of our recent town cleo
ton was that of labor against capitol, it af-
iords US an opportunity to review the situa-
ton briefly. First, let us see where the divid-
ing line comes in between the capitalist and
the laboring man. 1t can he defined only in
one way, and that is that he who owns n COW
and takes care of hor ou his own premises,
and has no desire to let her run at large, is a
capitalist, willie he who wants to pasture his
cattle in his neighbors door yard is the labor
ing man. Thii is the inevitable conclusion of
their owu reasoning, for they claim victory
over capital because of the election of a
majority in the Town Council in favor of re
pealing the cattle ordinance.
This is all nonsense. The issue was no
more between capital and labor than it was
between Christian and Mohammedan. Nor
was it test Of popularity between candidates.
The issue made by the so-called labor party
was simply whether cattle should run at large,
and to this everything else was subordinated
Although this point was carried it is by no
means conclusive of n majority of voters ia
favor Of the repeal of the ordinance. There
are men in the town who have, perchance,
been arrested for some cause, by the Chief of
police, and ali these voted against the old
council which had put man in Office who
cared to do his duty. There are others who
wanted to work on the roads, and because
the street commissioner did not see fit to en-
loy them they too voted against the council
that appointed him. There are many more
who never did an honest days work in their
lives, but when the opportunity offers itself
are the loude,t in denunciation of the op.
preston Of the poor man BY the bloated
bond-hol,ler These of course all voted against
the party of progress, and one day in The
year they are laboring men, that is election
day, There are printers who call themselves
laboring men simply for the purpose of get
ting chance to do the town printing anC
while talking loudly about the poor man, de-
sire only to put money in their own pockets
These too, vote to let the cows run. AnC
there are men who ally themselves witt
this party to pull the wool over the eyes Of
the aboring man, in the hope that it may in
crease the chances of an appointment as pc
liceman, High constable, Town treasurer O.
Solicitor. Aud these ar, all precious friend
Of the poor men, who are being used as cat
paws without knowing it. Notwithstandin.
all these side issues and the ntrigues o
schemers who are looking only to self. the in
nocent COW has the whole burden thrown OF
her back, and she is made the pack horse oil
which the election is carried.
If there is struggle between labor ant
capital in this town, it is high time the so
called capitalists found it out. If it be tru
that each vote cast for Mr.. Herring was in
tended as blow at capital then it is tim
that those who furnish employment for tn
laboring class should stop putting bread il
the mouths Of the treacherous reptile whicl
stings the hand that feeds it. But as we sal,
in the beginning the proposition is an absur,
one, and the President of the council elect
will be the first to repudiate the statemen
that the issue was between capital and labor