Daily Republican., 1883-08-22
WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST22, 1883.
Labor smd the Right iO hold Prop.
eFtys


erfy.
In these days of labor revusions,
strikes and trades unions, the genera
drift Vi argument is in the direction of
the H.. hi of man to capita and proper
ty more Than his wants require. Yearly
the .ines seem to be more distinctly and
harsAl, drawn between capital and
labor, and yearly the gap between the
two becomes wider. The tyranny Of
capital is reflected in the tyranny of
traces unions and bOt| lead gradually
to more insecure right 10 property and
capital. Two reasons may be given for
this undesirable state of afiairs--a want
of kuuwles, sc Of the principles which
sLoaa govern capital and labor, and
graspine avaricr.
We have 10 more sympathy with
corners in laboi, than we have with
corners III grain. stocks, beef and lard.
Both serve to unsettle trade and com
merce ana to undermine and weaken
the true relationship that should al
ways exist between capital and labor,
and both should he frowned upon rs in
jurious, not only to the individual
rights Of man, but to society at large.
Whatever may be the doubts that
may be brown around the right to hold
prup,rty, there can be none whatever
as to the right and duty of man to labor
since labor was the first condition upon
which MAI was allowed to live after he
was driven forth from the garden OF
Eden, and ever since the normal state
Of socie,y,by an unerring and wise law
Dor.
Wild nature may suffice for the mis-.
cradle existence of some savage tribes
it cannot suffice fer the existence of
civilized nations. In order that the
earth may enable nations TO live, man
must moisten it with his sw eat and fer.
tilizc it by means of his intelligence.
Soci,. ) is possible only through a law
of L, t.re ; whence it follows that labor
is ID, necessary fulfilling of this law.
Ca,l your eyes upon desert countries
the arth there produces nothing but
dall .ores1 it is the resort and home OF
wild. beasts and venomous reptiles the
air !, N healthy and vegetation is sup
porttu by corruption and decomposition
which are destructive to man. You SET
on'y stagnant waters, or rivers unre
strained in their course and without
banks ; coarse fruits, hard and thornS
herbs, an exuberance Of vegetati Oh
which prevents fertility, a stupendou'
nature which astonishes, but which is
on,y solitude, war and death. A mag
nihcent creation, the domain of animals
but nor Of man, and which awaits his
hari 20 bee ne his property, in becom
in. his work.
THIS the physical mission Of ma,
here below is to reOrganize the eartl
which lie inhabits, the air which h
brtatLes, and even the vegetable, fru
ard rain productions which are to shel
ter, c.Jrhr and nourish him Tie ea
of corn is filled only by his hand tn
fru:,s of the tree are Sweetenrd only b,
his cultivation ; he chooses for hmsel
conf nions from amongst animals AM
MAJ. them work with him and tU
him. FL goes to seek iron and gold il
The bowels of the earth and makes us
OF them to embellish and fertlize il
At Lis command forests disappear
rivers are confined TO their beds, eli
ma,es are changed, the air is purified
flowers are multiplied the rank an
sterile grass Of the savannas give wa
TO vrrdant meadows, the vine grows j
festoons amongst the hills and ric
crOps resent them selves to view %
every side. Thus rude nature become
oLiiterat,d, and the gardens of Eide
are realized by his labor.
Il is by labor that Europe has bee
rec,.imed, it is by labor thai Amerir
las become the competitor Of Europe il
a.. that tends to clvilization, happiness
prosperity, intelligence and ali that &
to add strength TO a nation. This is tn
ynant.r ii, q, Li,h lul riy.u f., ,
the hatirn 10 the property Of the coui
try and tile 20, Individuals 10 the sol
for iabor not only constitutes the ell
meus of so"irfy but establishes ri Il
the right to bod property. The cart
has been given to all but the fruits
labor ar" given to individuals.
THIS Is something which sophiSjs vi
not under ,tanI who attribute proper
to force and who seek its origin in Il
right Of IL first occupant a7 if violen
were anything else than a fact, or con
constitute right. Property has
root in man himself 1t is the prOdU
Of his Intelligence, the link Of societ
the righr Of labor. Those vino talk
annihlIallng It and Of establishing u r
publican and monkish commune
which all goods would BE- IN conlno
prove only one thing, and that is t
cOmpit :" ignorance in which they n
groveltng respecting the faculties
man and The law of nature. To Il
stroy tue right to property is, thoul
under an"'i her name, to destroy societ
Man AZ has birth j. naked and pt
sesse' no hing. Later in life by his
dustry ii" acquires clothing, a home,
garden thus it l. that be takes pOsS,
sion Of The earth, changes its aspect a,
makes il his urnpprty by the riJht