Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-07
The Labor Question.
To tie Edllnr nflLe NL.uL.-l

! "'i u --lut III anu tAtlI proposed ItiNc-
dies have not received from the press Of
the State the attention their importance
demands. 4 hlland free discussion and
ventilation of the troubles between en-
I ployer and employee would tend, J
think, to make both sides more just
and considgratc. If an employer was
urroasonably eXacting or oppressive 1t
/ would tend to bring him to terms It he
/ knew that his conduct would be sub
| iccted to the fierce light Of public
opinion: and on the other hand, free
discussion would educate the laboring-
man to see that the remedies 20 which
he may resort for the redress Of his
grievances may lie unwise and unreal
sonable, and such as must IN the emf
result in his injury.
see no safer remedy for or ,rou-
bles than in the cultivation and acgc'1p-
ment Of a healthy public sentiment on
this question. On the one hand, c1pi-
tai will learn that labor has rights that
must lie respected and protected anil
on the other hand. the iahor.ny-mll
will learn that there are certain IuaI,n-
able rights and privileges which belong
to a brave and independent people
which neither the hope of gain nor the
ear Of los, will make them surrender.
[ think that the first step toward, the
oiuton of our difficulties is 90 Icc0g-
ME the fact that they can be and ought
20 be olycl-tn3t there Is no separa-
uonctu'ere,ts between the two classes,
employers and employees. They aye
brought very near together by the COM
5'tiols of our political aud ~oc.a, i''c.
They are mutually dependent the one
upon the other. Hcreno such aim.,t'm-
uas,ale barriers separate them A. I'D
some a. the older couutuef. Here
wealth rapidly changes hands, and the
laborirg.man Of to-day may become
tie employer Of tomorrow. AMI r's
r,iso.
Here capital is not m'rea.heI bee
bind unjust laws and ancient privileges.
am for from aging thar the re1'i0"-
between labor and capita, aye, even .g
our favored land. sd iarlvaiW-,al tsl,
tLIc are no wrong To- be iiyh'e. and
uo injustice to he rene lied. There
NAV In Individual cases be ln.Is.c. %
the laboruc class. and % meet ami pg'-
tett elf against such cases labor may
prOptf'r organize. Trade unions. labor
uu.cns, and guilds OF one sort AMI am
other oio almost as old a. written hl,-
tory.
The danger is that the organizations
may 20 beyond the legitimate ends OF
her creation; that they may be con-
uon,d by designing men who lind
tlcr profit in sowing the seeds 70. dis
content among the l40ori"g ch,F, 0
cNaegcratiug their wrongs. and 10 .n-
citing them to unjust, unreasonable. auI
ymdctiye remedies
Without charging that the Knights Of
Labor Of this city are controlled by
cyi..disUo,ed and designing men, and
without intending to impute any ma,tsu
purposes to them, would respectful.
ask them to consider whether their IT.
tempt to control the judgments ami
conscieuces Of innocent people. AMI %
force them to take part m ..7rrels
that are rot their own and aJ0., the
merits Of which thew may be Ignorant,
is not violation Of inherent
riclt,: whether sush an attemp.
must not necessarily result m
at1ayjrg class against class whether.
indeed. their hope Of success is not
rr,JicateG on their belief that this CONF
nuritv will sacrifice It's sp,r.tor Justice
and i1lcrendence rather than incur
threatened ueruniar. loss. would
ask Them. f,rther. 10 consider what a..
,,mote cain will result 10 them by de-
.tro,irg confidence between employer
and eupIoyee. VIII the cause of the
laLorir,.man BE- promoted If condi-
ton of hostility between labor and capt.
yaI IS established:
Isl, ro, .elCevidert that on li5sr
,ro,tlss have ALREADY IN some a. .e,t
nara,,led Our industries and made II
more JiHcult for alaboring-maa 30 earn
Nj, bread Fit is to be established
and accented a. A fact that there j,