Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-12-26

every remedy that may hereafter be pro-
posed. And here | would observe that
though the measures that may next men,
ton, may be said to call for action solely on
! the part of the legislative bodies yet II
would be well to profit by former experience,
and to remember that in nine cases out of
ten our Representatives have proved them
selves very backward in bringing forward
any measure for the benefit Of the masses
until actually forced to do so by the plain
expression of public sentiment. Let us not,
therefore, passively await action on their
part, but by our wishes and convictions,
well and clearly expressed, awake to some
decisive step those who are supposed TO rep
resent the public voice, and whose duty
clearly is to be the means of carrying it into
effect.
First, then, | conceive that the chief of
those matters directly affecting o ur subject,
needing public attention are those monster
corporations of railroad and telegraph com.
panies, which, by the formation of pools
and gambling rings, constitute imme nse and
unjustitiabc monopoles. The railroad COM
binations, for instance, can and do, by the
adjustment of their freight tariff, ra Use the
price of the breadstuffs of the whole coun
try II is marvel that millions of enlight-
ened people should suffer themsel yes TO be
annually cheated and depressed by few
men greedy for spoil, and caring II OF jot
that it should be wrung from the hand of
the hard. working laboring class. Yet an
other branch of this crying outrage on tn
public is what is called specializing in mar
gins, but what in plain terms is simply bet
ting on the future price of staples and ne
cessaries of life, OF course every exer ton
is made by the men engaged in the nefarious
Cuisines" to either raise or depress the mar
kpt "A il "a ppr nd with THAR haia
TO this the masses submit, and permit the
accumulation of wealth by these human
kites, who, by their depradations, cause mil |
lions Of dollars more To be annually paid |
for necessities than otherwise need be. The |
remedy is very clear, Gambling in any of |
the great staples and articles of commerce |
must be made penal offence, and the mum.
erous corporations which by their union can
so successfully control the prices of the var
ious markets should be secured and con-
trolled by the peoples government and ad-
ministered for the public benefit.
But the chief direction in which a rem
edy against the monopoly Of wealth shou Id
be sought is in matters affecting individuals,
and in which the interference Of legislation
cannot be wished for. Wages, or tho re-
Enumeration OF labor can never be materially
increased while regulated, as they now are,
by competitions The adjustment of wages
is not the point under discussion, but it is
quite clear that the present system will never
admit of the elevation Of the lower classes
in the social scale. Under this system while
population INCREASES, the rate of wages, by
reason of competition, must decrease Theo-
relcdlly, therefore, Remedy exists in check
ing the increase Of population This, how.
ever, being impossible beyond those natural
checks such rs epdemics, DEATH etc, the
,tl a. ,tra NuIi nl, s,sN
elevation ol the lower classes Is an arrange.
ment which will make the Interests of en-
ployer and employed identical and mutual.
Tnis again must be brought about by the
demands OF the majority, for employers, as
a body, will never OF their own accord in
troduce such "A measure What is needed Is
an industrial partnership" between capital
and labor, by which each man secures
4 Xed and proportiOnate share in the profits
OF thatiwhich he has aided in procuring.
In removal Of the antag lnism between
capital and labor will be found the only
true solution of the problem regarding the
equitable distribution OF wealth. In one or
two instances such partnership" has been
tried in England with success. Each aborer
received a certain percentage of the profits
10 correspond with the value of his labor.
Herein exists Il motive for extra exertion on
the part Of the operative and this, which
resulting to the advantage Of the employer,
is materially beneficial To the employed, his
remuneration haiug prolorti0R0te u the !
profits. Hence the efficiency OF laDUr u
much increased, and an increase in the pro-
ducion of wealth takes place. 1t is at once .
evident, that, by providing an incentive to
labor, and increased prosperity for the
laborer, an improvement must take place
in his moral surroundings, which will at
G.. l. &, n;al
This matter requires vast thought and in
ierchange Of IDEAS, and the subject has
scarcely been touched upon here But in
conclusion it may well he asked, what can
be more noble than for Il man 10 make it
the aim Of his life TO assist in raising his
fellow man both materially and morally in
the social scaleY
j. ii. W. PEPLoE.
Germantown, Md, Dec. 20, 1884