Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-09
CITY AND DISTRICT.
TIE LABOR QUESTION.
fir. Hopkins She:sid Inquire Further.

To the Editor of TIE EVENING STAR:
While the Hon. Mr.. Hopkins is investigating
''the labor question" in Congress- would it not
be well for him to extend his investigations so
far a. to ascertain legally what a surgeon should
Charge for amputating limb, or what drug
gist should charge for glass of soda water or
8 farmer for hIISbp! of wheat? These subjects
Gould claim his attention with Just much pro-
lricty "a the labor question. for like wheat or
any other article of trade labor is worth
just what il Will bring in the open market sup
ply and demand being the great regulator
If desire post hole dug. will not have to
extend my Inquiries very far, perhaps. before l
viii ind man possessed OF sufficient intellI-
gence and skill To- enable him to do the work
for but little Of either is requisite TO enable him
to perform simple task. But if 7 desire to
have wagon or steam engine built. would
ind but few men, comparatively who were cap
atle Of performing the labor, and. as matter
OF course. the services of these skilled laborers
would command a higher price than those
where but little knowledge and skill are requis-
lie In other words, the scarcer the article the
higher the price
One farm hand may be worth twice as much
as another 10 his employer, lust as one horse
may be- worth twice much a. another A
may agree to work for for two cents a day If
lie chooses or may pay him - day if he is
SO disposed and it appears to me that it is no
ones business but their own. A may also agree
proper to do So and in most cases perhaps he
would be glad fthe opportunity if he is paid
accordingly. but TO suppose, for a moment
That any enc will pay the same for eight hours
labor that he will for ten or twelve ia absurd:
and besides, it would be absolutely unjust for
certainly one who labors ten or twelve hours a
day Il entitled to more compensation
than one who works but eight hours
Again think, every one will admit that far
greater evils are likely to result both to indvd-
uals and TO communities through idleness than
from employment. Statistics show. beyond
question, that large per cent of the in
mates of penitentaries are those who were in
the habit OF spending most of their time in idle
ness, for it is said that the mind of an idle man
Is the devils work shop. which I am in
ciined to think Is pretty generally true
IL the Hon. Mr.. Hopkins and others who
think as he does on ''the labor question" and
who think are doing great injury to those
whom they profess to befriend. will review
their early lessons in political economy, they
will be forced to the conclusion that have come
TO, after forty years of study and observation
and that is, we cannot define by law as to the
value OF bushel of wheat the price Of an
acre of land, or the value of a days labor
Legislators seem frequently to lose sight
OF their legitimate duties by making an
effort TO legislate for the benefit of some partic-
uar portion of the community, to the great dis
TO the employer. you shall not require more
than eight hours services per day from the one
you employ, it seems to me that you have an
equal right to say to the latter that you shall
not demand more than a certain sum for your
services Ii you can fix the time you can fix the
price. JSH
MONTGOMERY Co., MD.