Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27

Office OF the nation is rapidly becoming
n position that only the successful cap.
italist can attain, and our popular elect.
ions have become to a great deoree sub.
lect TO the baleiul control of capital, re.
gardless OF the merits of men and meas.
ures. lhe struggle for that absolute
equality OF legislation for all classes,
rich and poor, great and small. that is
demanded by the Government has been
going on actively during the last score of
years, and the growing power of the
prohtlng classes over the industrial class
cs Is creating profound fretfulness. as is
now visible in every section Of land. |
am not here to reflect in the least de
gree the views of the aggrieved.
The honest industry Of the country
rejects and abhors the destructive doc.
trnes OF the commune, but it does de.
mahd even-handed justice, absolute
equality in the laws which impose the
burdens OF government and the bill
before the House is shamefully defect.
i've in its refusal OF relief to the produc.
ing classes. 1t is a false pretense Of les.
senlng the eXactions upon one industry :;
it will be accepted as another step in
special legislation for the benefit OF the
privileged class that represents capital,
and it must provoke deeper unrest and
intensified opposition from the now Sc
| verely suffering labor Of the land. Look
out over the nation and learn what the
gradual growth and almost insensibe
acceptance OF this policy Of legislation
| has produced, and you will not be amaz.
ed to hear the murmurs OF the people
coming up from every centre OF indus
! try. Never before in the more than
hundred years of the Republic has
wealth been 50 vastly centralized as it is
now.
! We can all remember when the mill
/ iOBaire was one of the rarest creations Of
our free Institutions; now they are coun.
| ted by scores in all our great financial
circles, and private fortunes are counted
not merely by millions, but by tens and
scores, sand even by hundreds of millions.
This rapid aud general centIallzation OF
wealth has not been created by product.
! i've industry. 1t Is very largely the crea-
| ton ui reckless and unscrupulouo Gun.
ming alike in business and politics 4:
alike IN demoralzug legitimate bus.
iness and demoralIzingpub legislation
To serve the ends OF neaTtless speCuIa.
ton. Ine whole market values OF the
country are to-day at the mercy OF cen.
tra!i2cd wealth: il can enlarge or re-
duce values at pleasure, and it does so
by sudden commissions IN the channels
OF speculation as often a it can profit
thereby. Let Us not forget that here,
as elsewhere, wherelwealth accumulates
men decay, and the decay OF industry
must date the decline of all the power
and grandeur of the Republic
lust LAWS FOR LABOR AND CAPITAL
There must be Just laws for labor aud
capital, and my earnest rrotest against
this bill, s founded on it. fai ure to reduce
the revenues enough, anu ITS almost ut.
ter failure to relieve industry with cap.
ital. And this disappointment is
thrown uPon our industrial people at
"A time when the harmony between la.
b0r and capital that is absolutely essen.
tiaI to the prosperity of both Is sadl IN.
terruUted 10y strikes and estrauCments
in many sections of the land. Labor
la as "a rule been obeuIcnt 10 law in It's
contest tor increased compensation to
meet the increased cost of living. and IT
respects and ohcys the law because it
looks for just laws affecting its interests.
II dem tnds no fayor,tism, no class leg.
islatiou, no special privileges, but 1t
wants the neccssares Of life first reliov,
ed of oppressive taxation and luxuries
afterwards.