The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-03-07
CharIeston News and Conrier.l

Charleston News and Courier1
The section of the Republican party
still represented in Congress, IL casting
about like a drowning man catching at
straws, for some way out OF the predica-
ment in which it finds itself by it's own
yolition. A fit Of pure desperation com
pels it to take up the Democratic de-
mand for reform in the civil service.
There is no evidence Of change of
heart. 1t is only change of chin. We
have had multitude Of promises in the
last fifteen years, but how much gcnu-
inc reformation have we got for our
money!
, THE GREAT CURSE or TWENTY YEARS
OF Republican reign has been class lepis-
lation. Class legislation is that intri.
cate system OF laws and the administra-
ton Of laws which have but one ten
dency-to make the rich richer and the
poor poorer-to create millionaires and
beggars When am told by an eminent
protectionist of Pennsylvania that it il
proposed TO establish protectionist
club in that legislative body known
as the American Congress, for the
purpose Of more completely furthering
this class legislation, am left to wonder
how much further such men dare 20 and
not bring laundering down upon them
the wrath and violence OF
THE PLUNDERED PEOPLE.
The mere brazen audacity Of the mon
eyed power often carried it over danger
Gus ground, whore to falter would be
to sink. can think Of no more brazen
impndence than that which claims spe-
cial legislation for millionaire manufac-
turers as protection to American labor.
When was ON political tour in Penn
sylvania, last summer, had occasion to
pass through the coal regions Of the
Northeastern section of the State. |
met very intelligent workman on the
cars one day who pointed out the objects
OF interest along the valley with which
he was familiar, He had lived among
the coal-miners of Pittston and Carbon
dale and among the iron-workers Of
Plttsburg for twenty years. The story
he accounted Of the gradual degradation
OF American labor during that time, was
something
PITfABLE AND ASTOUNDING.
He pointed out the Company stores"
that doomed up wherever we passed A
breaker, and described with the minute
distinctness born of personal and bitter |
experience, the indignities and hardships
10 which the laborers were subjected |
lie showed how the rich mine-owners.
with a quarter Of million in single |
shaft screwed down the miners year by |
year, lower and lower, and raked in their |
slender earnings by their "store-order"
system. asked him something about
the relative prosperity of owners and
workers. He replied bitterly that CAPT
tai was
ALWAYS sTONG ENOUGH
to take care Of itself, and no one over
dreamed OF legislation for labor went
down among the mines with this man
and saw that he had not overrated the
hardships of the miner or characterized |
too strongly their unfortunate condi- |
ton. 1t is the popular idea that Ameri-
can slavery was abolished with the nrnc-
lamation OF Abraham Lincoln. There
never was worse system of slavery than
that which prevails in Pennsylvania and
in the great manufacturing centres.
THESE ARE WHITE SLAVES,
Too, born to toll for millionaires and
to die in novels and warehouses. On
every hand in Pennsylvania, from Pitts
burg to Scranton. the palaces Of the BRO
tected rise grandly by the myriad tene-
ments Of pauperized labor. There Is no
theory, however, demonstrable On paper
that can refute the cold logic Of these
facts. Labor has been going down hill !
all over this country and
THE MILLIONAIRE MASTER
Lords it over race of white slayes
! thought Of this when beheld the mav-
nliicent residence Of Mr.. Henry Oliver.
near Plttsburg, and saw his iron-workers
gathered m00dily about the streets be.
cause their wages had been reduced be-
low the cost of decent living. Oliver
il the maker Of the tariff on metals. n
which he speculates Oliver grew rich.
with hundreds of other iron asters. on
Z. protective tariff, and his laborers. and
theirs have become poorer and poorer
until the old are
CARRIED 10 PAUPER's GRAVES.
And the young ill the dens az vice n
are dying by inches like their sires
There Is something horrible in All this. for
what ls " the futurei 1 shall never