The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-01-17

DEAR SIR Can you allow me a space in
your columns to reply to your correspondent
'Democracy?' | have been for some years
past well acquainted with many operatives in
factories and mills. Have known of their social
condition and rates of wages. And am con-
WINGED that in many cases the working classes
i'll manufactures are inadequately paid, and that
it is the true and only cause of the strikes and
general uneasincSs in those places. The cor
porations are growing rich at the rate of thou
sands upon thousands annually, and the owners
OF mills and their agents are revealing in lux
ury, while the average operative can only earn
enough to grind along, unable to indulge in any
means of social or mental Improvement. | do
not charge that all corporations are thus soul
less. There are some honorable exceptions,
thank Cod
TO THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: A lady
residing iii this place, native of your city, has
shown me copy of the journal of Jan. Sd, in
which ''practcal man" essays to cnghten
your readers on the subject which is sadly vex-
ing the minds of all who have at heart the true
prosperity of society. and believe in equal rights
and the rightful enjoyment of the fruits of ones
own labor or invention.
The ability to gain property to accumulate
wealth, TO ama>s colossal fortunes. is not al
ways, nor perhaps generally, the gift Of those
who possess a knowledge of the proper uses of
wealth. or if they do know how to use it. the
innate sefshneSs of the heart, which grows
and enlarges under the citation nurturel by
worldly prosperity, into haughtiness, arrogance
and contempt of the less fortunate in society.
blinds the eyes of the mind and closes the ave-
nues of the heart by which the impulses of
kindness and mercy are wont to issue for the
blessing and relief of the needy and comfort
less. Seli>hness is a sin against COO and human
ity, and that selfshness which seeks Sef-aggran-
dizement and the distinction which is gainedb
the possession Of riches, is an offence against
the holy commandments Of God, which is daily
finding its punishment in every community in
the hatred and revenge which ranke in the
hearts of the Woodworking poor men and wo-
men, who by days and nights of inccssant toll
OF muscle and brain, are he ping build up great
fortune, for few to whom some fay orable cir
cum>tanec las given the means and opportuni-
ty of adv aucing themselves and their fortunes
by the physical labor and the skill Of many.
The view given above of the social condition
and the relative pc sition Of the two classes rep
reScntiug labor and capital, sIbmit rs the true
one, sad as it may be- a> picture OF every day
life and the human motives which inspire most
of III, operations of The business world.
A business man. whether merchant, manu-
facurer, or any other employer Of labor. need
not BE- 4 ShNlock; be should not feel bound to
exact the flesh and hearts blood in addition to
the industry and watchfu care Of his employees
for Bis worldly interests. Yet it must be ad-
tbt,rn
plenty of Nhylocks who, as manufacturers, mer-
chants. bankers and monied monopolists are so
grasping in their greed and 50 grinding in their
management and treatment of the laborer de-
pendent on them for employment. or who owe
them for loal.s of money, that il is no wonder
the Nigilanl eyes of our social economists, the
sentuel> on the watch-towerS of human pro-
gre>s, cry out their words of warning against
the expressions of the few upon the mass who
constitute the foundations of all industrial and
social prosperity.
Your correspondent quotes from the n. y
Tim, which truly ,al> "the masses are poor
while their employers are rich. THE en-
rolers have grown rich; they have consumed
everything" says the correspondent of thai
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hearted and eose-iistcd as to be willing to pam
per himself and faten on the ili-paid labor ant
the painful necessities of the poory-fed anl
>cantly clad workers whose skill Yields to hin
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tho,v who move mas, of mind and materi,
for promoiino ttei,. OWN rerson,,I ends r.
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o,.ni,,, ma tha n,,ortnnitias to I'LL ,ho,.a ,r
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their liaht 10 onlrpss tI,n lal.ornr IN ,,r,so I'M
prodts Of nj. hd,,>tr, ANA IL nm. forn3 0af har,
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''N'H ~ I'"N' my "NHcitlol' pul venture Il
declare fhat me success and amusement O
wealth. III ou1 country, i. ,nor, th.. ,..,,,i+ +,