Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-11-19
....November 10, 1886.
TheLabor Question in Politics.

1he~LabOr question In POlltlcS.
The unexpected strength developed by
Henry George, the laboring mans candi-
date for Mayor of New York city, in the
recent contest, has given rise to much
speculation as to the future status of the
organized labor element in the politics of
the country. The $4,000 voters who raj
lied around Mr.. George iu the mayoralty
contest, in New York city alone, may be
fairly considered, in view of the closely
matched strength of the two great parties
in that State, as the balance of power in
the i'm mportant State of New York. 1t
seems fairly probable that the Empire
State will again be the pivot upon which
the presidential contest will turn again in
1888, and hence the importance which is
attached to the recent demonstration in
support of the laboring mems candidate.
The effort to unite the anarchist and the
organized labor element of the country
into faction which should constitute the
balance of political power in the country,
which under the management of the So
called "Greenback Labor party" proved
unsuccessful, it is thought may meet with
better success under the leadership of
strong man like Mr.. George, backed by
the united labor organizations under the
present control of Mr.. Powderly. Should
Mr.. George become a presidential candi-
date in 1888, the opinion is entertained in
some quarters that the diversion of suffi-
cient strength from the Democrats in New
York and other close States to give the
Republicans the electoral votes of such
States, which Ben Buffers candidacy in
1884 failed to accomplish, might in the
next contest he effected.
In view of the potentialities of the in
dependent candidacy of Mr.. George, it has
been charged that Mr. Blaine was the in
stigator of his recent entrance into the
mayoralty contest, but no proof at all has
been adduced in support of the charge.
The personal character of Henry George
seems to be a sufficient refutation of any
such combination on his part. Though
the legitimate consequences of the extrav-
agant social and economic theories which
he has sought to inculcate, through his
books and on the hustings, would una
voidably lead any community in which
they prevailed to anarchy, pure and sim
pie, and while Mr.. George cannot there
fore escape the imputation of being first
class fanatic; yet there seems to be no
doubt that all his thoughts and labors and
theories and doctrines have been born Of
an honest purpose to ameliorate the condi
tion of the laboring man and promote the
general happiness of mankind.
1t is not fair, therefore, to compare this
honest, earnest man with an empty dema-
gogue like Ben Butler, and all political
forecasts based upon their equal capacity
for intrigues and deception will be neces-
sarily defective. Mr.. George is an earnest
advocate of absolute free trade. He utter
ly repudiates the fallacy that the laboring
man is benefited by the protective policy
and demonstrates the faisity of the propo-
sition in his books with great force and
vigor. Upon this point, as upon Others,
he takes much more advanced ground
than the Democratic party. Assuming his
honesty, it would be a manifestly false
presumption to place this leading advo-
cate of free trade in the attitude of an in,
triguer for the elevation to power of the
leading advocate of the onerous protective
policy.
The real meaning Of the formidable in
dependent attitude thus assumed by the
labor element under its bold and aggres-
sive leader, will probably be found to be
demand upon the Democratic party to
make better haste and take more effective
action toward the redemption of the fair
promises of its platforms. The cardinal
doctrines of the Democratic party and the
teachings of Mr.. George take common
ground against monopolies and the large
accumulation of the wealth of the country
in the hands of few, which first origina-
ted under the policy of the Republican
party when in power and is now rapidly
increasing under the operation of the un
repealed legislation of that party. AS the
means of staying the rapid progress of
this growing oppression Mr.. George advo
1f o.
free trade and the distribution of all lands
as common property; while the Democra-
tic party maintains the more conservative
policy of a strictly revenue tariff and the
preservation of the remaining public lands
of the country from the grasping greed of
m onopolistsand: corporations, for the ben
eft of actual agricultural settlers. While
the means to which the leader of the la
boring men would resort are extreme, i'm
practicable and in conflict, on the one part
with the recognized Interpretation of the
Federal constitution and, on the other,
with the fundamental principles of natur-
al and municipal law the means advocat
ed by the Democratic party are conserva-
tive, practicable and within the bounds
of law. Yet both are directed TO the same
end.
It is apparent, therefore, that there is
no valid reason why the labor element
should part comany with the Democra-
tic party, If that party carry out the
pledges of its platforms upon these lead
ing questions If it do this in the next
Congress by the enactment of practical
and effective tariff reform, legislation and
the measures already inaugurated for the
protection and reclamation of the public
lands, and adopt also proper measures for
the regulation of the relations between