Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-10
The ''Rights and Wrongs Of Work.
inEmen.,,

Editor Star: somewhat extended acquain-
lance with artisans In this city particularly
with those connected with the building trades
leads me to believe that the letter Ia saturdays
STAR, headed complaint of LabOring Man, !"
ID just such statement OF the rights" and
tentbs OF that class In washington, except that
few frey ones would like some stronger lam
guage thrown In: Nevertheless, 1 dissent almost
sc. w. r." as propoundedi in the letter to which
you have (perhapS wisely and at all events
good-natuIedly) given room.
1t is not true that 1.-THE present condition OF
the working classes Is without parallel In the
history Of this country, as regards poverty and
SUFFERING" G. w. X. has read history to little
purpose II he SO soon forgets Its account OF the
after the close of the last war with Great
Britain, and again after the panic of 1887. Nor
can he be reading current news attentively II
ne has not found out ere this that the tales of
idleness and suffering among American work.
1ngmen during the past four years have been
grossly exaggerated, and that what has really
taken place Is change from the rush and in
war to the steadineSs and sOidity OF real, neces-
saIy and ''pay as you go' business, together
with an addition to our population OF many
thousands OF lazy, absolute and tramplng vaga-
by cheap, speedy and comfortable means OF
ocean transport and the proverbial wasteful-
abundance OF the American people.
Whom does g. w. X. mean by the phrases
society?" II any body, they must be the mem
ners OF Congress and OF state legislatures for
classes for the other. l can fancy the grim
smile on the c0untenance of any average Con-
gresham, legislator, lawyer, architect. artist
or merchant ON reading that he was never more
prosperous than he Is now. True, official
salaries have not declined or vanished, but
members OF the national and state legislatures
have not been accustomed to count their sala-
Iies as an important factor in their yearly in
come. a LAWYER no pt
In their ranks have found their professional and
business gains SO melted away as to make their
salaries their chief &C Guidance for livelihood
q. W. H. must De S., eyed indeed II he has
not been abe to look 10y, d his own class and
see the distress and ar among what he
calls the upper Case - ciety" during the
past three years.
ANY carpenter. mascn I,aSterer Of more
than 15 years experienced his tr de can rerute
tie assertion that ''const2 ut einp.Oymenup was
TO be had then any more tnan now Busy and
dull seasons are unchanging characteristics OF
all trades.
Where does G. w. X. suppose the government
gets its money from, that he lends his support
10 Congressman Wright's scheme to ADVANCE
$500 to every man that wants 1t to 90 west with?
Does he know OF any sources of public revenue
other than the earnings and savings of Indus.
tTlous and thrifty people? And does he think
1t right to take away those earnings and savings
to lavish them Ga men who admit that they de
neither earn nor save? Has q. w. X. ever giver
serious thought to the question where ane
great majority OF the American people were no
Industrious, persevering, self denying, and (oI
the whOle) successful WOrkers9 And does h,
think that this strong, hard-headed and aggres
sive body is going to permit itself to be plum
dered by the idle. weak and unfortunate classe
OF tie community?
In what way does G. w. X. imagine that
compulsory eight-hour law is going to help tn
Nottingham? Does he not see that ii, by shor
hours ard high prices he makes the cost of
given quantity OF work greater than 1t woul
otherwise be, those who employ labor canno
employ 1t so much or SO often? II have s., 90
70 spend On the building OF a house, canno
spend 8, 200 In order to get, upon an eight-hou
scale OF labor, as good house as could hav
gCI 1of the Is 900 upon ten-hour SCALE ReduC
ton OF Gours without reduction Of pay newt
ABLY makes all products Of labor dearer and tn
Let result would be that everybody would hav
to handle a dollar and quarter to DO the Wor
OF dollar. OF course, It Is to be found That te
hours labor Is too exhausting, and that NOR
work per year or month can be got out of ma
who only works eight hours the change to ei0h
hours would be demanded by the very econonI
| law that / am now citing against it; but there
no proof yet OF either bI anch of the Proposition
And now, a closing word, Mr.. Editor. Tn
workingmen that / know, and whose opinion
| are expressed In the letter OF G. w. K. are ma
| tive Americans, almost to man, and each wit