The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-04
WORK OR TROUBLE T!
The Congressional Labor Committee
Hears Some Curious Theories.
NEW GOLDEN AGE.
Something Must Be Done for
the People.
SUPPRESSION OF MONOPOLlES,
A Flood of Paper Money the Cure for the
Existing StagnatiOn.
NEW GOLDEN AGE.
SUPPRESSION OF MoNoPoLIEs,

The Congressional Labor Committee returned yes
terday morning from their excursion to Coney Island
with renewed visor. The attendance OF green6acS
reformers quite numerous, but tho "socialistic
Iabor' movement was represented by lever working
men than heretofore. Among those who awaited the
opening OF the session with anxiety was Mrs s. Myra
Hail blooming middle aged a ", tho secretary oil
the Congress OF Humanity Charles Sother an,
chairman OF the lecture committee OF the Liberal
Club; Professor Rotnery Hume, cx-cdor OF Woodruff
o. Clafin's Weekly and Messrs. Winter and Bruner,
OF the German branch OF The socialist labor party.
After waiting Twenty-Five minutes Tor Mr. Hewitt
MIR. Boyd nnounced that the chairman, owing to in
disposition would not be present. Mr.. Rice, OF Mas
sachusetts acted as chairman In the absence OF Mr.
levitt.
Mr.. William A. Csrssy was the first witness He
said he the secretary OF the greea6ack-labor
party. Two years ago he had the honor OF being
elected the president of the Trades and Labor unions
He also officer OF The Ericklayers' Union. He
was questioned by Mr. Thompson
BRIcKLAYER EDITOR
Q. In which of these quahties do you appear heref
A. l am here a representative worKingman belong
ing to all these three bodice. l am brcklayer by
trade (arter a pauseL and sometimes an editor.
t.aughter)
Mr. Carscy said he appeared to argue the causes OF
the great distress now prevailing among the working
families through hall the ysar. "Thats The reason
why am not a bricklayer all the time, !" he drily
exclaimed; "that's why | TAN an editor" loud
laughter and protestatons OF some OF Inc reporters
Mr.. Carsey examined at length as 10 the causes
OF distress and the remedies proposed by him.
Mr. Thompson--what are Tho causes OF the gen.
eraI distress? A. Legislation class Interest," Tor
railroad watering and land grabbing iutorestG The
railroads, for instance, owned by two or three
VINO employ hundreds OF thousands or discharge
them at pleasure Then the manufactures are owned
by few aud capital 10 SO concentrated that a
man now born without capital and finding NO employ
ment must starve. We ask for Legislation which
should give tins man Chance 1.-Two n he cannot
employment The first measure we propose is tho
Homestead act and that the government should lend
The settlers seed, tools, &c, SO that they could
make their own homes and earn their own living
We believe that the government should employ che
people by n system OF great public Improvements,
such as the Hudson Tunnel, the Mississippi River I'm
provements the Florida Ship Cansi, the Texas
Pacific Railroad. Let The employed on these
works be citizens OF tue United States; let them be
PAID IN currency or in the silver and COLO which IS
now lying idle in your Treasury vaults. THIS would
bring money into circulation, II would initiate prices
and general prosperity would revive.
Mr. Carsey then spoke Of the numoer Of fail
uros caused by the present money labor system.
THE HERALp's BUSINESS NEWS.
O. Hasn't the repeal OF the Bankrupt law increased
failr-es? A. 1t has; for the honest men who were
doubtful of their position rushed in to take aavan-
tagc OF the Bankrupt law and by doing so helped to
destroy credit.
O. Do YOU mean to say that failures are still in
creasipcY A. Ihave here tho HERALD OF Thursday.
1t is not paper in interest, but gives the BUSH
ness news.
Mr. Carsey then read some figures from the HERALD
on the increase of failures during July.
.srhere will be no prosperity again until initiate
prices because now the depreciation Of prices SO
great that If builds house or starts any bus-
moss prices deprecated by the time he
gets fairly started that no must become bankrupt
Prosperity never will until currency and price:
are ipfaieu."
o. What other causes OF distress are there1 A.
We'll wo should have industrial instead oil CONNER
ciaI cd ucaIion. Our people being educated
Tor lawyers clerks ministers and doctors, instead Of
being eo ucated Tor farmers ana mechanics Thus VIC
have thousands OF people who only Know 10 make
their living by their WIS
O. But is surplus OF mechanics, too
A. Yes there rs; but not OF so many there are
VINO stand on Broadway ~ noon ana know no way o.
bureau OF industry To cHect all the facts necessary
for understanding Of the condition oil workngmen.
We want contract system OF government works
abolished. The system. OF contracts awarded u
the lowest bidder Is one which always leads Ia
speak by the card. Laughter) IL brings about
system OF estimates which must be based
upon the lowest class oil material ana the
lowest class of labor In the END contractor who
Of must have MIS- profit must either cheat the
Tunnel W hch is a she'll IN some points take the
ekensack Bridge, oil winch one oil The piers has
,ov me cseapest cass of iabor-ChIn.ss ana taisns
Here In New York We Americans only form seven per
cent OF the worsing popu.l'0n, ana ~ .De empioy.
c0mpe,ition. he Pacfc railroads were puiit
by cheap Chinese labor aud tncfe has never
been any prosperity on tue racine slope since they
were prosperous before then. and was over there a
snort ago, nov they are even worss of than
The people The East Another measure 1 would
recommend Is TO prom bit the expora;ion III tho
materials we produce aud which We can make up our
selves into manclactured goods apd thereby employ
our starving worgmcn, AMI to prohibls at the same
time the importation oil foreign manufactured goods.
believe that tuis country produces everything
ccssary Tor our needs snoulu people 10
work by producing aGd Manufacturing these articles.
There IS no sense In exporting $500 600 900 worth
raw cotton ana importing $685. ovo worm man
ulactured cotton GOODS IL Is not wise system to
export our raw materials anu 10 let our work IN q
people starve.
DIRECT TAXATION PROPOSED.
O. How wouid you RAISE the revenues Ut the govern.
ment2 A. by direct taxation; by direct TAX on no
Income OF every body. Ii u man Is allowed, by the
protection OF the governneEt, to accumulate mill
Ion should pay handsomely for the supper; oil that
government Earnestly want very much to :
press upon This committee tho necessity oil Congress
dong some ing lately ana passing rcxi
next winter 70 give the people food, otncr
Wise we shan Eave trouble.
Dir Rice suggested mat as 10 the Labor Bureau tbe
Commissioner OF Agriculture fulfilled Its duties al
ready.
Mr. Carsoy (smilinglyl-You mean your Potato Beg
COMMISSIONER WY 4 ~ Leavenworth, Kan.
whcn the nrst grassDoppers maoe their appearances,
anu II an efficient governmenn ohcsr had taken the
matter N hand--ii such matters we're under proper
government supervlsiun-the plague could have been
prevented by the expenditure OF $4,000
Mr. Rice asked u strong central government dc
not tend toward monarchicai form OF soverDmcn
and Dir Carscy replied that the worknsmsn dssireu
strong Genital government
a. n
would build 200 vessels, 10 be used Tor the merchan
service times OF peace anu as cruisers 10 Times o.
war then would have our soldiers ana SAILORS Work
ing the puDiic lands ~ times OIL peace, maklbI
homes Tor themselves. instead OF being used 10 keel
down tue people, as they are nov.
o. 10 you think the government do worI
better than private corporations oanf Yes, sir io
the COVER save the pronts OF the contrac
tors aud iniddlemen, take this building which cos
$40 00J OU0 II cost the government nothing;