Daily Republican., 1882-06-27
The 4 aBOF Troubles.

The 4 aBOF Troubles.
In view of the many strikes that are
prevailing over the country, Congress
could not do a better thing than appoint
\ committee to investigate the causes
and il possible to adj ust and recommend
some scale of labor prices, which while
they would be productive to monopo-
lies and man cfactures, would at the
same time be sufficient to insure the la.
borer a sufficient income to keep him
from want. There is no Disgusting the
tsct that labor and capital are getting
farther apart in this country all the
time, and where it will stop at is one of
the things in the future rot yet re-
vealed. One thing is certain however;
we are travelling in direction whicA
cannot have profitable nor pleasant
ending if persevered in. We are no
communists nor do we have any sympa-
thy with such in the common accepta-
tion of the term, but we are amongst
those who believe that the struggle be-
tween labor and capital is becoming
very one.sided-so much so that it is
difficult to see how an equilibrium can
be much longer preserved. 1t does not
require much of a sounding of the pub
lie pulse, to SHOW that in the struggle
between the employees of the railroad
monopolies and the monopolies them.
selves, public eSmpsthy is on the side
of the employees. The public does not
take time to 60 into minute calcula-
tion to ascertain whether laboring
man, whether on railroad orin manu-.
factory can live, pay rent and maintain
a family of children on nine, ten or
twelve dollars week, but it wonders
why Railroad President should be
paid S25, 900 to $40, 900 year and a man
who turns the brakes, stops the trains
and places bis life between danger and
death, should only be paid $500 or 5000
year. The public cannot ace why
a railroad company should grow rich
and prosperous and entwine itself likean
anaconda around the prosperity of the
nation, sucking out its very life blood,
while there are thousands of their EN-.
ployees that are eking out miserable
starved existencies on starvation wa
ges. Here is something that needs
looking after by Congress and if the
greatest panics the country has ever
passed through would be avoided, the
sooner it is looked after the better. Con-
gress can do the people a real service
by averting an impending calamity, if
1t would only do so, instead of squab-
bling about who shall fill petty gov.
eminent office. or spending its time in
trying 10 lessen the price cf whiskey |
and tobacco. In the past if man made
100000 clear in life time he was con-
sidered lucky and was set down as one
of the rich men of the country. But
now a man who has hundred or
two of hands employed, expects to
make that much in five or ten years
some Of them in one year-and in order
to do so every lab ring man III his
employ must be put down to starvation
wages. A hundred men very nearly
starve that one or two may get rich.
This may be an extreme view of the case
but it about embodies the situation.
W ithout more equal distribution Of
the profits be, ween employer and EN-.
ployed, the most injurious results can
not help but follow. Such remarks
night be cut of place were it not for
the fact that hundred thousand la
borers are marching today under ban
ners, demanding more equal division
of the profits Ct their labor, and this
hundred thousand are liable atany time
to be doubled or quadrupled. There
IN ust be some cause for this. These
men would not leave the bellows, the
anvil, the rolls, the fornace, the cars
standing on the track, the pick and the
shovel, without a cause. Tines are
out OF joint. congress should let the
and tobacco question go long
enough to right things little. The la
Dor question demands their attention
more than the tariff and revenue ques-
tions.