The news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1882-1891, 1882-03-23

1 ~ -RtNe ~ - ocA@ -
manufacturers and those who employ
wcrkingmen can be expected to do t.
attend 10 their Sown legitimate bust
ness; but snpposing q case, that il
were possible for them to devote al
much attention to the keeping down
Of tie prices of labor, the latter would
be involved in and achieved through
the former. This, Of course, is hypo
thetical, and may be by no means
practicable. Yet there is a grain O
gumption in the idea that any one and
every one outside of mere employers
and employees, and these too, as well
who really feel an interest in the vel
fare Of the working million, should ap-
ply tosthe case in point.
The Indications point to the fact
that laborers are becoming FESTIVE,
in some cases on account Of proposed
or enforced reduction Of wages, IN
others because of required increase,
and in both, in many instances, with
fair reason. Still, it is not so much
question as to what is received as
the imperative demand Of what must
be disbursed by the wage worker.
When panics Of depression come,
down goes wages; and, what makes
this Of little account, the prices Of
most commodities fall with them. But
when a boom Of prosperity strikes the
country prices at once 90 up, and
what is ofvast account, wages do not
60 up with them until demands that
can no longer be resisted are made for
an increase. Strikes are always 10 be
deplored, yet none Of our social sci
entists or political economists tell us
how protection is to be afforded to
workingmen without combination and
desperation upon their part. If there
could be some sort Of sliding scale
that would apply the law Of supply
and demand to rent and victuals, as
well Is wages, that is, schedule that
would graduate one in proportion to
the o.her, fruitful source Of disquiet
and discomfort would be removed.
But the greater the population and
consequent glut Of labor and there
fore lower rate Of wages 10 a given
locality, the higher the rent, and fire.
quently, as now, the other necessaries
Pof life. 20 ben 4d
This being the case, is il any won
der that with less public notice a lar
ger audience ofquiet, intelligent work.
ingmen, assembled in and around
Horticultural Hall than have ever
been drawnthither through the blare
of trumpet and most impassioned par
tisan appeals on the eve of political
crisis 7 These men feel that some
thing is wrong that could and should
be righted, and without venturiug
upon any communistic, socialistic, Nj
hilistic, or any other frightful expert
emit, they discussed the situation and
suggested rather than demanded re-
dress Of grievances.
There, is perhaps, nothing especial
ly new in this agitation, save and ex-
ceptiDg this most important consider
alton: Instead Of being led by demo-
gogues, more intelligent and reason
able men are coming to The front, and
when they with backing Of like char
acter take hold Of any movement il
behooves the press and people, instead
Of snesring at them, to take heed Of
the signs ofthe times, look beyond their
conservative moses, and see what may
be done to insure the reign Of justice
and tranquility. France, far less fav-
ored than this better than Canaan
flowing with milk and honey, long ago
found it necessary to regulate the
price Of bread, and the strong arm Of
governmental Intervention may Jet be
invoked to prevent speculative ecorn-
ers" in the necessaries oflite, in which
effort individual States have failed
Camden Post.