Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-12-13


But whence this demoralizing spir-
it.! In my judgment it arises largely
from three things: l. The oppression
that in too many instances is prac-
tlced by powerful corporations, and
the general disregard of the Lords
day. Men who are required to break
Gods commandments in the interests
of their employers, will soon think it
no greater wrong to break his COM
maDdments in their own interests.
2. Drink. The greatest curse of la
boring men in this land to-day, is
drink, but when did they strike
against the saloon? The saloon not
only absorbs their hard earned wages
and robs them of their manhood, but
Is to them a veritable school of in
4Aity. The nnion stockyards is sur
rounded by wall of saloons. Yes
terday [ went out and counted the
saloons on the three sides of the
yards IN the town of Lake, and they
numbered one hundred and fifteen.
I doubt not that two hundred and
fifty saloons are supported by the
wage-workers of the union stock
yards. 3. The deIusive teaching of
anarchists and socialists in the guise
of laboring men: and the corrupt ma
nipulations of self-seeking politicians.
Our free institutions are not under
stood or appreciated by those who
have been the lifelong subjects of
monarchlcal governments. The first
conception of liberty frequently seems
to be the overthrow of the very prln-
ciples by which our liberties are Sc
cured. Thus fact is taken advantage
of by designing men and their pas
sions are famed into a flame by
appeals to prejudice and poverty.
In The scramble for Office, votes are
more highly priced than voters. The
laborer wears a coat that was made,
or imported, under the protection of
an high tariff, but he pays for it with
money earned in the race of free la
Dor. The business of his employer
is protected against undue competi-
titlon, while his muscle must compete
with the underbid of the half-starved
of all nations. Soulless corporations,
that regard neither God nor man,
ssgrind the faces of the poor,' or re-
uuire them ''to make bricks without
straw" Monopoly against monopo-
ly. Labor organizes to secure just
protection, not afforded by law, and
schemers make of it the monster mo-
nopoly, the tyrant of tyrants, and
| hurl it with indiscalminate rage
against all capital ana against all un-
organized labor. And the remedy is
worse than the disease. Its method
is to kill the goose that lays the gold
en- egg. 1t would improve the con-
dition of laborers by denying the
rights of others; put down monopoly
by organizing a greater monopoly !;
protest against injustice by the prac-
tice of still greater injustice, and
bind the men with shackles of iron.
No matter what may be the condition
of the laborers Or of their families !;
no matter what may be the Judgment
of the majority or where justice and
right may lie, if one self-seeking
man, who calls himself a laborer,
can secure from the Master, a thous-
and miles away, IAN order for strike,
every man must lay down his tools
and walk out, and those who walk
out must say to every poor man with
starving family, "You must not take
up the work that | have voluntarily
quit. Any stroke you may do will
be at your peril" Yet the leaders
of this great wrong are for right and
justice.
But what will the end be? Who
can say? 1t is my judgment that wis
er counsels will yet prevail. This is
foreign plant that connot long live
and grow in our soil. Some needed
legislation will be granted, and the
reign of passion and blindness will
give place to better spirit. Organ.
lied labor can win only when it &C
cords justice to all other laborars
and abandons the method of destluc
tion of property and business. The
recent strike cost the laborers more
than half million dollars in casl
wages, and the packers several times
that sum. Many men have bee,
thrown out of employment by the di
version and crlppling of buiness.
But the greatest good will come t.
laborers with the destruction of th
liquor traffic. There is something
to strike against with ample caus
for strike. About the only in
stance in which the boycott could b.
justified would be in declaring agains
the saloon. Capital must obey tn
fourth commandment, if it would Sc
labor obey the truth.
Sobriety, observance of the Sab
bath, recognition of justice hetwee
man and man, and the practice o
the golden rule, will heal, to larg
extent, the open sores that to-day S
affect the people of our beloved land
w. III. HOLMES.
! WALKING SKELETON.
! Mr.. E. Springer, of Mechanicsburg, Pa, write
oLo