Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-04-22
MINING JOURNAL.
FROsTBURG, MD, APRIL 90, 1882.


The Grafton of Judge Black at the
"Grattan Centenary, held in Baltl-
mora Tuesday evening, was full Of
plthy points touching the rights Of
labor. One thought applies with
great force just now to the proposal
to change our population under GER
tain contingencies-to force the peo-
pie to labor at given price or leav,
and, if necessary, to employ the civil
power to carry out the ccercive pro-
gramme; this failing, to call the mill
tary arm in requisition. Judge Black
says:
You may say what you will about til
sacred right of property-nobody believes
1t more devoutly than l do. Gomez dc
that these landlords have title which
cannot now be questioned. Assume til
an owner of property may rent it on the
hardest terms he Can exact-sull the e.
istence of that gigantic monopoly, clothed
with the privilege OF desolating country
and starving the industry OF people,
is the saddest fact in the history OF the
human race.
This is almost precisely our argn.
ment Of last week-concede the
power; but deny the moral right OF
monopolies to use law as an engine Of
coercion.
Judge Black. did not, however, I'm
like another speaker at the same
meeting, advocate American inter-
ference in Irish troubles. He appsal
ed rather to that innate justice which
pervades and animates civilized man
kind to condemn oppression Of labor
In whatever summary way it is ex-
erted.
A suggestive application is made
In the words below:
In all countries and in every age some
persons have sought not only 10 live, bal
to flourish and tatten upon the indus
tries of Others Various methods of ef.
fecting their objects have been introduced
by force or fraud, and carried on under
legal regulations In feudal times The
plan OF those who he'd power was uni
form and simple; it consisted merely i.
extorting rents from the cultyators of thu
soil, and taxes from those who WORKED
at the mechanic arts. In modern day
other inventions for the same purpose
have been sought after and found out
Land and labor are the sources of al
wealth now as much as ever, and thC
legaliZed schemes are innumerable TO
draining it away from those who creat
it. Some of these devices Lave beer
brought TO as much perfection in thi
country as in any other. Here, rs else
where, unjust legislation and cunning ar
engagements Of business grind the work
lngman to swell the colossal fortunes o
The upstalt adyenturer. Here, as else
where, the fastening evil is u9on us, OF
community "where wealth accumulate
and men decay"
The struggle TO be free, which lant
and labor are making in Ireland, is no
exclusively an Irish affair. We makoit ;
common cause, not merely because The
love of justice and the sense OF right i'm
pei rs, but because this is an united efior
to deliver ourselves as well as them from
the hand of the spoier. If We assist
Ireland to win the victory she hoped fol
we expand our own principles, perfect
our own practice and strengthen our
own courage for a contest, perhaps more
arduous, which we may have TO wage on
our own account.
The contest waging in this region
though hut drop in the bucket COM
pared with the uplifting eholt making
in the world of labor, will result in
precedent one way CT another ioi
future guidance. Tt will be well ii
our people be "wise as sorpents and
harmless as doves" to the end that
no violation Of their rights be earned
or invited. 1t is sometimes better to
suffer than inAlct punishment, and TO
postpone a vindication of a coed
cause to the judgment and redress
Ct rirer era, assured that at laet tho