The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-09-29
LABoR's IMPROvIDENCE
Editor BIedIII. on the Cause of Operating
Against the wOrkmen.

Editor MedIII. on the Cause of Operating
Against the wOrkmen.
NEW YORK, September 26.-JOseph
MedilI, editor of the Chicago Tribune,
was witness to day before the United
States Senate subcommittee on educa-
ton and labor. He said he had been
connected with the press since 1S48.
The chief cause of the impecunlOus
condition of the masses of laDOrers OF
this country he attributed to their own
imprOvidence. The only way to i'm
prove them was to teach them to save.
Too much of the earnings of the labOrer
was spent in liquor and tobacco. 1t
has been calculated that the amount
annually spent by the labOring pOpula-
tiOn in drink was $400,OO0,0OO, and that
at least $20O,O0O,OOO more was spent In
cigars, tobacco, and other useless amuse-
ments. Healthy dwellings at low rent,
high license and personal temperance
would benefit working people. Witness
said he had very little faith in political
prohibition. Unhealthy tenement
houses should be torn down. SThe pres
ent tariff was fleecing farmers, and
they were beginning to understand it.
Cooperation could not be successfully
carried out under the present condition.
1t would only be possible when cO-Opera-
tors were better educated, as cO-Opera-
tlOn required high degree of intelli-
gence. What the country wanted was
more mechanics. Industrial schools
should be established in every large city,
where an education in the technical
arts could be obtained. In speaking of
the railroad question Mr.. Medill said
some means should be adopted for Sc
curing uniformity of rates. Railroads
should not be permitted to exercise the
"a nrsI nhnW fWr m
value of all products of the country.
Both state and federal legislation
should be employed to remedy this evil.
The capitalization of many railroads
was far in excess Of the cost of cOnStruc-
tiOn of the roads, and they were annu-
ally fleecing the people of the country
out of millions of dollars in profits.
at is a standard belief among the
trade unions that reduction in the
hours of labor would eventually prove
a remedy for all the ills to which the
labOring classes are now subjected.
They seem to overlook the fact that
were this plan adopted this country
would soon be flooded with horde of for
eign artisans, and that wages would
as the result fail so low that it would
be almost impossible to make a living.
Education might be made to remove
some of the difficulties, but not with
our present systems. High school and
colleges do not teach the pupil how to
double the value of his labor. They
bring up hundreds and thousands Of our
young to get their living by their wits.
Every institution should teach practi-
cal studies, such studies as will be of
use to the student in his after life"
"What is your opinion Of the work in
which this committee is engaged ?"
asked Senator Pugh.
"That is delicate question" said Mr..
Medill, with smile. However, l will
say that believe you will be able to re-
commend to congress the adoption of
such measures as will remove some of
the difficulties which now exist, or you
will be able to declare to the people of
the country such matters as are out
side the Jurisdiction Of legislation"