Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-06-05
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
"CONPANY STORES" AND The
"CURRENT MONEY AOT."

Some men say no such right exists,
but they labor under confusion of
the understanding. They think the
Legislature cannot make laws inter-
fering with private contracts. That
is no doubt trueas applied to contracts
already made. But who will tell me
that the Legislature cannot make a
law defining that after certain day
such and such contracts shall not be
legal? The essence of this right is
in every law passed, in every amend
ment and every repeal of law,
Many things are legal in the ab-
sence oflaw. Years ago for this cause
it was legal for a man to whip his wife.
Not long ago it was legal for man
to swear in public, or get drunk, be-
cause there were no laws against these
vices, Some people in the olden
times used to think that what was
unforbidden in the Ten Command
ments was all right, but that impres-
sion has passed away, and many
things are wrong now which then were
not.s
In many regards I am not local
option man, but the measure has besn
put before the people in such way
that if it is decided that certain indi-
viduals shall no longer enter into
contracts with the State to sell rum, I
shall say it is right, and would be
one of the last to go to Hagerstown
to get the Court to say it was not.
The father of this writer was an
expert iron worker in one of the "old
countriea." The company store sys-
tenn was in vogue in his day in its
worst form, and I lave often heard
him and my mother speak of the af-
fictions put on their community. On
one side it was force; on the other ne
cfssity. So great was the first, owing
to the miseries of the last, that con-
tracts we're not needed to compel the
people to deal at the store. 1t was a
condition of employment and COM
mand. As the people advanced in
knowledge their necessities growed
lighter. 1t is not so bad now as then,
but the excuses are the same. 1t was
claimed that "the poor people had to
be taken care of. This is big job,
even for a government, and the more
of it that is done the more improvi
dence is encouraged. The worst tyr
annies in history are those which have
produced pauperism, by heavy taxa
tion of some kind in the name of "pro-
tectlon." 1t is not much show poor
man has to clay up something for a
rainy day" who is invited, encouraged,
or compelled to live extravagantly on
low wages. The wrong is doubled on
him who would live inside of his in
come, and to him who does not it is
no favor. A merchant told one of his
customers that "the company ators
saved some families money that would
be spent in drinking shops" True
enough, but he left out remark that
the system done this at the expense OF
the man who does not drink. The rule
which relieves one family from void
able destitution af1icts another with
poverty nearly as low down. And
whenever drinking people get along
quite as well as those who don't drink
the conclusion is not far off that it is
about all the same in the long run
whether man is drunkard or not.
Tt is q crime to drink to excess also
to be idle continually, notwithstand-
ing, how many people do both and
dress fine and live high. This is at
somebody's expense who works, but
the argument is that if one could not
do it the others could not.
Should the idle people, therefore,
be protected by rule, system, or law?
I think hear every industrious man
say-nol All right but tel me why
the welfare of the thriftless should be
especially looked after? and why the
welfare of people who want to rise
should be dragged and held down to
their level?
Fellow-workingmen, will tell you
why. The closer snd longer all your
noses can be kept to the grindstone
the more dependent and slavish you
will be the more poverty you can be
held in the less Independence you can
show, and the more you can be ruled
the more you will be expected to sub
NIT to. Under the sword of necessity
and the heel of despotism the inroads
on your business and liberty will grow