The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-06

growing less. Inc prOf1tS represent the re-
turns of capital, and all the rest, with the
exception of what goes to pay for raw ma
terials, is devoted to labor"
What do you think is the explanation of
! the present discontent?"
I'm my opinion there is a surplus of labor
In this country. There has been large
/ immigration, and recently railroad building
has been stopped and the market is over
crowded with laborers. In time these things
will adjust themselves. This surplus of
labor is placing itself in the West and
Northwest. Immigrants are rapidly occupy
ing the government and railroad lands in the
West"
Mr. Gould at this point stated that he did
not believe i'll the system of giving land
grants to railroads, and the government had
wisely reserved every alternate section. The
government lands were being occupied first
because it could be obtained cheaper. 1t
was for the interest of the railroads to get
small farmers to take these lands,
and this was being rapidly done
He did not know of any
lands being sold by railroads in large tracts
to private speculators. 1t would be con-
trary to their interests to do this. 1t was
not done by any of the roads controlled by
him.
Mr.. Gould thought that every man who
was sober and industrious would succeed
The majority of employees regarded their
employers with friendly feelings, and any
| animosities and grievances that might exist
had been fostered and exaggerated by the So
| cieties to which many of the laboring class
es belong.
LEGISLATION IN FAVOR OF THE LABoRER.
On the question of legislation Mr.. Gould
declared that the only safeguard to society
was education of the masses; anythin G
would be good which would tend to educat tie
and elevata +beir moral condition ua did
not know whether trades-unions and labor
! organizations were benefit or not; they
had legitimate field when they were
confined to mere benevolent institutions,
but when they rose beyond this they were
lost in great sea which they cannot control.
Labor, as everything else, was governed by
the law of supply and demand.
At this point Senator Blair said that he
! had finished his examination, and Senator
| Call asked leave to put before the witness a
| few questions which had been submitted by
some gentlemen in regard to the amassing
| of wealth by the course of corporate fran
chises.
Mr.. Gould, in answer to these questions,
| stated that he did not believe that there was
any such thing as any exclusive privilege in
this country-at least in those enterprises in
which he was engaged. He believed the
| pldle udu rlRnI TO uX CD6 limit OF rate
| charges and could exercise it, but natural
facilities would also create a limit Mr.
Gould also said that he thought
that it was not just to limit any mans
capacity to acquire wealth, and that it GER
tainly should not be limited by the amount
OF wealth to be acquired in the farming in
dustry. He had tried this himself at one
time, and, finding that he could not make it
pay, mad gone into the railroad business,
which he had found in the long run was
more profitable. A young man, he said,
should be educated in such a way that he
could turn his hand to more than one busi-
ness, SD that if he failed in one vocation he
could turn to another. Mr.. Goud's exami-
nation vas closed at this point, and the hear
! inG was adjourned.
Tomorrow a delegation from Pittsburg,
| headed by John Jarrett the president of the
Amalgamated Iron and Steel-workers of Penn
sylvania, will appear before the committee
Mr.. Jarrett will be the first witness.