The state journal., 1884-05-10
WoyEmen and WORK Shops, Per-
/ .Sscnale, etp.. from the Lumber
CITY.
Williarnsport.

Mrs. Rachael Goodln formerly OF
this city now located in Elmira, N.
Y, was in the city last week visit'n
friends.
Mr.. Enoch Emroy has gone to the
fishing camp up the river where he
expects to remain this summer
The Lumber City base ball club
have reorganized for the season with
a strong team, and will be ready to
meet engagements soon.
Go to Hicks 6 Burnley's book
store for your base balls and bats. A
good stock always on hand. Also,
get copy of the JOURNAL.
AS your correspondent was passing
up Walnut street he overheard one
of our fair young ladies singing, "If
thou couldst only know" Yes, if
she only knew the number of old
socks and coats that her gentleman
friend has laid away for her to mend
when they tie that fatal knot, then
she would only know.
John Alexander came down from
Altoona last week to visit his brother
Andrew, and spent a few days in our
city. He returned home well pleased
with the lumber city people. Come
again, John.
Years ago slavery of the Southern
negro was an all sorbing topic, at fret
among few, then gradually grow
ing and spreading, until the abolition
of slavery was accomplished. Yet it
took rivers of blood and millions of
dollars to accomplish it. Ever since
freedom is supposed TO exist in every
part of the United States, and it is
worth considerable pride that We
speak Of our great freedom. Especially
has and does Pennsylvania boast OF
the greatness of her wealth, and the
freedom of her people, yet there is not
a State in the Union which is more
or ever was worse slave State than
Pennsylvania. If you want proof OF
this assertion 90 to the mills, factories
and mines of the State and examine
the true condition of affairs; as rule
1t will be found that the propfietors
have everything their own way, and
take advantage OF those opportunities
to grind their employees down to the
lowest notch. We do not say this of
all mill owners or miners, for there
are many who treat their employees
as fellow men. Give them fair wages,
and in every way strive to minister to
their welfare and comfort. But there
are those, and they are in the majority
too, who pay their employees the
very lowest wages; they build small,
inconvenient tenement houses and
compel their workmen to live in them
at high rents; they have store con-
nected with their works, and are sub
ject to discharge if they purchase else
where. The poor employee must
pay at their store and at their figures.
When election day comes, instead OF
exercising the right we so boastingly
speak of, they are marched to the
polls, and the fatal sword of discharge
is suspended over their heads and will
surely fall if they dare TO disobey. In
some cases even large mill owners are
known TO have every ticket contain a
private mark and to have spies and
guards at the very polls to see that
the tickets are voted all right. Where
is slavery worse than this7 But, is
there no remedy? Yes, there are
remedies, no doubt; but, it may be
puzzling to define any special or the
best remedy; however, it is for the
laboring men to band together, not
for strikes, but for their own good.
Strikes as a rule, are productive of
much more evil than good. Co-opera-
ton among laboring men is their only
remedy. Let each man try and save
some of his wages that he has earned
by hard labor, even if it is only a few
cents a week, and become capitalists
themselves by creating funds and in
vesting them in variouz enterprises,
L
thereby securing profits they give to
others. Let laboring men establish
banks, where the poor man as well as
the rich can have credit. Oh, think
you that these are but the fancies of
a moment? Do you laugh at the
idea and call it absurd? If so, re-
member that in like manner did tyr
amy of old laugh in the face of its
subjects. But, the doom came all the
same; sudden, startling, but none the
less complete and severe. 1t is time
for the people of Pennsylvania to be-
come alive to the fact that the great
question of labor is likely to bring