The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-29
THE CRIME OF LABOR
How the Thinkers ar Beginning
to Study the Great
Problem.
Editor Labor ENQUIRER.


volving the humane aspect of the social
relations existing between the laborers
or wealth producers of the world and
those who hold and operate the produc.
tions of toll. None are more closely
allied with individual happiness or con.
tribute more to the general prosperity
when each is legitimately or justly ap.
piled. Misery and unrest on the one
hand, and idleness and profigate extrava.
gance on the other, give rise to jealousies
based in real or probable aggressions by
which labor is deprived of its just. share
in the division of profits or the increase
of wealth. AS countries grow older the
social conditions of men diverge and we
find caste introduced into society. The
settlers of new countries as a rule are
laboring men, hence all are nearly on
the same social plane. In time, however,
as the years go on, differences begin to
exist-social gatherings are had from
which few, of the poorer class perhaps
are boycotted. These changes are some
times instituted by the church erganiza-
tions, and frequently the kind of labor
in which men engage throw barriers
around them that neither they nor their
families can break over and they sensi-
lively remain a society to themselves.
1t makes no difference how intelligent
or virtuous a man may be, if he is a wood
saver or chopper, he must abandon all
associations with those for whom he tolls
and even seek his own road to heaven.
1t matters little that he is honest, kind
and obliging. 1t avails nothing that
even his scanty possessions surpass the
earthly accumulations of the great
Teacher of Judea; and for all his efforts
to provide the necessaries of life for his
wife and little ones, for the care he gives
his children to provide them useful In
struction and delivering them over to
the state upright, intelligent, useful
members of the commonwealth he re-
ceiyes no credit that amounts to hu-
name recognition among his fellow citi-
zens. -, - \ -.
Toll unremitting, at starvation wages
and the additional award of neglect and
scorn of his fellows is the reward he re.
ceives for his honest endeayor and hu-
name efforts to place his family in a
position of endurable comfort, This not
more the crime of poverty and destitu-
ton than that of labor. Take the man
of finest social qualities and
wealthy and place him in a position
where be must earn his bread by daily
toil-as wage worker, and the brainless
money worshipers of the community
will press him down to degradation by
cold neglect, and brand him and his
with disgrace for the only crime of
honest toll. The hypocrical priests will
no longer reward him with manly rec
ognition, and the members of the same
church will pass him by as they would a
sick and suffering stranger dying by the
roadside.
In view of such facts who wonders
that the accumulations of men are inse-
cure; who can deem it strange that the
torch of the incendiary so often lights
the fires of destruction; why affect
at the raids of the highway
man or denounce as inhuman the quick
desolation of dynamite.
They who cause wrong must not vince
when they in turn suffer wrong. 1t is no
injustice to compel man to lie in the
bed he makes, even though its torturous
folds were spread for another.
The greater number both of workers
and drones need to be educated as to the
proper relations of the two dominant
forces of our civilization; the causes that
have given rise to the prevailing injustice
on the one hand and the enforced suffer
ing and lack of social position on the
other. The idea that needed labor OF
any kind is degrading must be made in
operative in society, and the legitimate
earnings of each man and woman be held
as the property of the prod ducer. The
reform needed is great but it must be
accomplished or our sun of liberty. will
set in anarchy and blood.
If further subsidies are refused the
corporations, the land faithfully preserv-
ed for occupancy by those desiring it,
and Just monetary and commercial laws
enacted, there will be basis for en-
couragement. If on the contrary the
policy of the last two decades be con-
tinued. we shall certainly drift on to
fearful destiny. Wealth alone as stand.
ard of honorable distinction must be
discarded, and Sthe faithful, intelligent
toiler exalted. i --.
Let society and the state recognize as
the criminal class those who attempt to
obtain place by intrigue or seek to cor
rupt the minds of any portion of their fel
low citizens and brand them as enemies
of our common humanity and traitors TO
their country. and bestow emoluments
and positions of trust according to integ-
rity and capability.
If society, our legislative assemblies
and courts can be made to exercise
practical recognition of these truths
the grand causes of conflict between ont