The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-22
BETTER DAYS FoRLAnoR.

A Bright Essay on one of the Live Topics Of
the Times,
Rad BY Mas BlaHche Pollock at The Commencement
Of the RhesliNO Female College, JuHs Q, 1885.
We have fallen upon strange times, Is
one Of the current remarks OF the day,
The newspapers TEEN with editorials and
dlspatchesabout strlkes and labor troubles;
discussions at home and among our 40.
quaintanCes embrace these difficulties, and
our own city Of Wheeling has long pre-.
sented a surplus OF this kind OF local news,
II may seem presumptious to choose such
theme for q Commencement essay after
its exhaustive treatment by the press, but
invited by our teachers to study living
topics in preference, to older themes upon
the subject, which during the last year OF
our school course has challenged universal
attention here and elsewhere.
Has the inquiry, naturally arising, az to
the cause and meaning Of the present labor
troubles ELECTED satisfactory explanation
worthy Of the enlightened comprehension
Of our period2 All ages and all countries
have presented labor troubles. In early
Bible times the children Of Israel suffered
grlevious burdens and their Egyptian
taskmasters, after being visited by plaques
and slaughter ceased to be their oppres.
sors. What Is said OF the poor and their
wrongs in the Bible demonstrates that
human nature has been but little changed
by ages, and that man, as an employer Of
labor, had always to be restrained from
taking advantage Of those in his power.
1t Is said that the curse for the sin Of
our first parents consigned the human
race to labor and the history oil our race,
from the Garden OF Eden to our own
times, portrays q struggle OF most people
for food, clothing and shelter, 80 constant
and so weary that the curse seems not
only practically confirmed, but that Those
elements OF the human race, which are its
constant victims, might better never have
been born.
Yet labor is claimed TO be healthiul for
body and mind. We know also that with.
out II the worlds civilization would be.
come paralyZed. All that makes life
worth living Is wholly dependent upon
labor, in fact, we could not live at all with.
out the products Of labor. Why, then, Ia
1t that the toiling millions Of the world
should present such q cad history? Has
honeat labor, however humble, not always
been worthy Of a comfortable existence?
The great Creator OF the universe, called
the Master Workman, never intended that
his children should perform the hard work
OF the world and then have neither enough
10 eat nor TO wear, nor proper shelter. The
kings, the princes, the lords and the fortu.
nate people born rich, In the countries Of
the old world, live in luxury, and their
toiling and fighting subjects and depend.
ents remain estranged to the most modest
comforts OF life.
What has been the cause Of this dlspar.
lily and wrongP The chief cause furnished
BY the history Of the world has been IL.
norance. The most ignorant countries,
while refusing to honor or reward labor,
incline 10 promote slavery. The Condi.
ton OF the iaboring classesin Egypt, India
and other AsiatiC countries is almost that
imposed upon the Colored people OF
America before their emancipation. Ages
have passed, and the toiling masses Of
Asia remain ignorant and superstitious
seris, as poor and thriitless as their ances.
tors, while European labor, gradually rls-
ing from the lower levels oil suffering, has
yainly aspired 10 the condition Of comfort
and happiness. The scenes on the Irish,
German and Russian field OF labor are
narrowing enough. The idleness, luxury
and ponp Of the rich, the maintenance Of
armies TO perpetuate Conquests and des.
potism, involved the toiling masses In
burdens, taxes and misery. This state Of
things has lasted 30 long that change and
relief seem objects Of despair.
The news from some OF these countries,
however, encourages the hope OF better
days for labor. There the claims OF labor
are espoused by able leaders and newspa.
pers. Governments and the people have
been aroused by peaceful agitation, but In
some instances rendered violent and des.
perate by long suffering and wanton
spirit Of recklessness. While deploring
violence under any circumstances, we are
told, that the Egyptian oppression was
lifted by ten dreadful plaques and we do
know that four years OF war and Thousands
Of lives atoned for slavery In America
Sooner or later the oppressor must con.
front the wrath OF God and man. Justice,
as has been well said, travels with leaden
heel, but strikes at last with an iron hand.
Alter dragging too slowly through the
ages Of the past and their long reign Of In.
Justice TO the toillng masses the heel seems
AZ last planted firmly on o new era and the
iron hand 10 uplilted 10 strike. Why the
all.wise Creator permitted the long ages Of
suffering 10 not known, but In the Ian.
guage oil the battle hymn Of the Republic
'tiO has founded forth his trumpet
That shall never call retreat,
lie Is sitting tue hearts men