The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-10
W0RRlNGMEN.

don't find any answer 70 the questions which
I asked in my first article; probably because it
is not easy to solve problems as it is to give
| advice. Certainly my questions were pertinent
ard important. 1t think Mary wrote this last
article with Borrowed pen,r as it has differ
ent TONE Half the article does not require a
reply, as did that in my other article, but
there are a few points which I will examine.
She says it is possible for workingmen in our
country, beginning with small wages, to accu
mulate money, or even great riches
And that some of them become
influential men, manufacturers, merchants, etc.
That's all true; know of hundreds of such men.
There is no better place to train young man
for active business life than on the farm in the
workshop. or among the house-builders and
street-makers, where brain and muscle have
full play, and where he is taught to earn the
bread that he eats, and to earn it before he eats
it. And if all our law makers and all who are
called upon to execute the laws were taken from
this class of citizens, our society would make
very different show from what it does now
Look at this: Extravaganza is usually the
cause of the worklngman's poverty" 1t is pos
sible that in some cases this may be true. but
to assert this to be the usual cause is making a
very absurd statement. How is it possible to
raise family in an extravagant style, when the
income is barely sufficient to provide the simplest
fare?
In my first article asked Mary to inform me
how family can live present earnings of
workingmep, and still save something for future
need. She pays attention to that request,
but Still repeats the charge of extravaganza.
This charge IS entirely out of place until my
questions answered.
Again: 'Workngmen of this country spend
more money for whisky and tobacco than they
do for bread" don't think that statistics will
warrant that statement by many millions of dol
lars. Ii 1t be an accurate statement. am very
sorry; but it is subject am not discussing.
think 1t unwlse and entirely useless to use
either, yet don't think that there's more money
paid for tobacco and liquors by workingmen
than by men who do not work, in proportion to
mum ers.
Here is something worth reading. If it serves
no other purpose, it will show with what logical
acumen some persons discuss the subject of
capital and labor. She says: "a most vivid
contrast to the improvident mechanic is offered
by class of men whom he voluntarily or invo-
unfairly recognizes as belonging to higher
station; professional men, ministers
with small salaries. teachers, doctors and law
yers. To all of these men, financial prosperity,
If 1t comes at all, comes late. Yet they and
their families are usually able to present re-
spectacle appearances; they educate their chill
their daughters, till they are grown"
Now, if there any design at all in placing
that paragraph there. it must have been to show
in raising families respectfully on their aeeus
toned incomes, therefore workingmen do
the same on their accustomed incomes: and if
they fail to do it. they must be ''improvident"
Or 'extravagant," and therefore responsible for
their poverty" I don't know just what Mary
would call small salary for minister, but we
can guess at what is an average among them.
In this city think that they range from 81, 900
| to 81, 600, and upwards. Probably 81, 500 would
be called quite moderate. Most every man with
family knows something about doc
tors bills. AS for lawyers, they get
all that they can. In criminal cases they are
not satisfied with less than $50 or 500 per day,
while workinsmen get not more than So per day,
| as an average Now, that argument is so over
whelmingly conclusive 30 the wicked extrav
agance of workingmen that it is pity to spoil
it by adverse criticism l will let it stand as
a specimen Of New Albany logic.
Again: 1.-THE trouble Is this: Their position
does not give them sufficient uneasiness to spur
| them to better things" This is another evidence
that Mary has struck out on new theme, and
| Is giving lessons upon subject that she has not
a family, where each days earnings were
| required for that days expense and
where the next days work was likely to bring
nothing would be of immense value to her in
the discussion of this subject If there be a
purgatory anywhere inside or outside of this
world, that is more tormenting than the respon-
sibility of feeding family from an empty
pocket earnestly wish that no poor man may
ever EnQ III. IL any one must ever enter that
horrible pit. let it be some rich Dives, from
whose well-6lled table Lazarus could obtain
nothing but crumbs.
Whoever wishes to discuss this subject intelIi-
gently must bear in mind constantly this fact:
| That the men who control the capital of q
| country control the business of the country.
| They make prosperous times and they create
panics. So long as capitalist can use his funds
| to bring in satisfactory profits, he will push
| business, but soon as his income begins to
| fall off he shuts down, and business stops.
| The mere wage-worker has nothing
| to do with either the rise OF the
fall Of business. The responsibility for business
| fluctuations rests entirely with the capitalist
| While working men have good wages and steady
| work they are contented and happy, but when
they are thrown out of work, they are helpless
| and miserable They have nothing to sell but
| their work, and when they can find no market
for that. they, of necessity are without means of
| support This class of workers is as useful as
| any other portion of citizens. Indeed. it would
be difficult to keep up organized society with
out them. They worthy of better fate. If
| they could be- assured steady employment, or
wages high enough to give them a surplus they
| could care for themselves. But, as business is
| now conducted, there is not more than three or
| four years in each decade when all hands have
! full work, and then wages are put down to the
| lowest living point Here is where the injustice
| lies TRUMAN BEEMAN.
| INDIANAPOLIS, Sept g.