The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-10-07
Pertinent Truths.

cernlng those all important topics.
A clergyman named Heber New
ton has thus far made what many
people think are the most sensible
remarks. He. goes on to show
that according TO the census of
1880 the average income of wage
makers in this country was only
s400. This is pittance not suf-
ficient to support a family. La
Dor is itself partly responsible. 1t
is frequently inefficient, as every
body finds who tries to employ
those out Of work. The laborer is
not enough interested in his work.
He is too apt to be thriftless and
ignorant of that economy which
gets dollars worth of value for
every dollar. Too much money
is wasted in drink. There is a
reckless increase Of child
ren. Strikes, justifable when nee
essary, are conducted at an enor-
nous loss and friction. Arbltra-
ton should be organized and re-
sorted to. Trades unions are ius-
ti6able and Indispensable, but in
their methods are often blind and
stupid. Corporations, if earnest
ly developed, would be an efficient
help. But if labor would better
itself it must recognize Its difficult
ties and faults. The first step up
ward is to face the facts.
On the other hand, labor is not
wholly responsible for its faults.
Tenement houses and poor food
account for much of the lack OF
energy. Since the disappearance
of the apprentice system there has
been lack of training. Our
common school system is develop
ing the purely intellectual and
bookish qualities of the mind at
the expense of the powers of OBJ
sevation and the discipline of 9TH
er mental and physical forces
There should be less elaborate.
more practical and usefnl studies.
Superintendents and bosses, he
said, come too much between en-
ployer and employed. Employers
do not sufficiently identify the in
terests of the employed with their
own interests. "The house for
each and all for the house." was
an inscription carved by French
firm over their factory door.
In twenty-one years prices
have increased over the increase
of wages. For this the tariff is
partly responsible. 50 is lhe ir-
responsible taxation of great cor
porations. Gambling in bread
stuffs increases their price. Pat
ents tax the people heavily, but
inventors seldom reap the benefit.
In Europe the impatience OF the
laboring men are tempting them
Ia violence. There Is the same
tendency here. He would try to
avert it by reclaiming all forfeited
land grants, organizing colonies
for the relief of crowded cities.
reserve all mineral sources to be
opened as public property, the
proceeds to form a national edu.
cational fund, and the government
ought to find a better way of rails.
ing money than by tariff.
The palace, he thought, does
more harm than the tenement
house. "Laboring men feel that
there Is a wrong somewhere when
Mr.. Vanderbilt can build palace,
while they can only look at it, and
60 back to n home where Mr.
Vanderbilt would not stable his
horses. From this feeling
comes revolution, and efforts
to right wrongs may rur
into anarchy. Big mel
are alway the first to be struck il
revolution. On the other hand
workingmen do not envy wealthy
people who make a good use o
their money. Peter Cooper nigh
have built a palace and the
people would not have lost regard
for him.
"There are more than enough
churches in cities. They are no
filed. In the churches enthusiasm
for social raforro hoe daol;noJ ~,