The Portland daily press., 1886-08-14
MR.. BopWELL's LETTER.
A Clear and Forcibie Expression of
the Candidates Views
Legislation Demanded in the Interest
of Labor.
The Tendency of the Third Party
Movement
A liberal Policy Toward the Soldiers
Advocated.

your nomination as the RepuDllcan canal
date for Governor at the election in Septem-
ber next, and to request your acceptance Of
the same. We have the honor and pleasure
to hereby discharge that duty, to submit
herewith for your information and approval
a copy of the resolutions proposed by the
convention, and to request reply.
With great respect, yours,
GEORGE c. WING,
S. w. MATTHEWS,
LEWIS A. BARKER, Committee.
HI. II. BURBANK,
JAMES MORRISON,
HALLowELL, August II, 1856.
Hon. George c. Wing, S. W. Matthews, ESQ.,
L. a. Barker, Esq, Col. II. IL. Burbank,
Jas. Morrison, Esq:
Gentlemen-I acknowledge the receipt of
your communication officially advising me
that ON the 9th day of June was nominated
by the Republican State Convention as a
candidate for governor of Maine
Coming to me without solicitation, and
can truly add, without personal desire, es-
TEEN this mark of confidence on the part OF
my fellow Republicans as the chief honor OF
my life. Sincerely attached as l have al
ways been to the principles of the Republican
party, and earnestly as have sought to pro-
mote the adoption of those principles, it has
not been my habit to participate in political
discussion or in the active work of party or
ganization. My opinions and conclusions
are those of a man devoted during his whole
life to business affairs interested in public
measures and in political struggles only as
they tend to promote the welfare of the
country and the prosperity of the people. l
appreciate therefore all the more deeply the
distinguished mark of favor and confidence
conferred upon me by large convention,
composed of prominent citizens and repre-
senting the character and worth of the Re-
publican party of the State.
Unaccustomed as 1 am to public speech,
and not intending therefore to make can
vass of the State, may be pardoned hope,
for expressing my views on political issues at
greater length than is usual in letter of ac-
ceptance. / feel that candidate for public
Office has no right to withhold his views on
any question of policy that is engaging the
attention of the people. l should be unwill-
ing to receive the vote of any man in the
State by an evasion on my part of any public
issue, or by reason of misapprehension on
his part which perfect frankness from me
might remove. / shall, therefore. speak
without reserve.
For some time past the country has been
agitated in many sections by questions re-
lating to the rights and interests of labor.
The desire of the working man to receive
the highest price for his labor is not only
natural but commendable. Labor is the
commodity which he has to sell, and his
comforts in life depend upon the amount he
may receive in exchange for it. He has the
same right to combine with his fellows to
promote their common interest that capital
lists have to combine for their common inter
strained only by their own Judgmerfr ana Dy
the imperative obligation not to interfere
with the just and legal rights of Others
1 have heretofore taken occasion to ex-
press my opinion that popular misjudg
ment arises from the error of treating the
laborer and the capitalist as belonging to
fixed and.permanent classes. The laborer of
to-day by industry and economy may become
the capitalist of few years hence; and the
capitalist of to-day by extravaganza and
mismanagement may become the day labor
er in an equally short period. Thus the per-
sons who represent labor and capital are
continually changing and interchanging. A
permanent consolidation of the persons of
one class against the persons of the other
class is therefore as impossible as it is un-
desirable, and the country stands in no dan
ger of the manifold evils which such con-
dition might entail.
1t must always be borne in mind that
prosperity cannot exist in any community
yhnr 1ahn md FOL - aah
has the power to inf1ict great evil on the 9TH
er, and each will suffer while causing dam
age to the other. 1t is, therefore, the duty
OF patriotic men, of all men who wish well
20 the community and desire prosperity
ameng the people, to harmonize the interests
of employers and employees and make the in
terest of each the interest of both. In this
work of friendly cooperation the legislative
power of the State can aid by providing an
impartial system of arbitration of all disputes
Neither can command the other by force, and
each will find in the end that justice, deter
mined by an impartial standard, must govern
the actions of all
Preliminary to a general adjustment, Maine
should lead in correcting some inequalities
and removing some burdens, The hours of
labor in all branches of industry should be
equaliZed by making the existing statute,
which defines ten hours as days work, alb
sOlute and mandatory in so far as to declare
limit of time. From long experience, both
as employer and employe, | am satisfied that
for given period a man will do more work
in ten hours per day than he will do in eleven
or twelve. Whoever begins the work of to-
day burdened with the fatigue of yesterday
is necessarily impaired in his skill and eff
cheney.
The legislature should in my Judgment
change two other provisions of law. First:
In no instance should Imprisonment for debt
be allowed. If man has no property and
can pay his debt only by the avails of his
up In Jail where he is not only incapable of
earning anything, but where his support
necessarily becomes charge upon the tax
payers OF the community. Second: Trustee
process should be abolished in so far as it
may be applicable to the wages of the labor
ing man. The result of repeating these two
laws would undoubtedly be to curtail the
credit system and assure the laboring men the
prompt and regular payment of their wages
viii folowamong the bestf Sff rssAlss Is Hits
the expenses of living to the laboring man
and his family will be reduced from five to
eight per cent, thus enabling him to add that
amount to his savings for "a rainy day"
Still another evil in our labor system should
be corrected. Children are now permitted to
work in the factory at too tender an age.
This evil is caused rather by the desire of a
certain class of parents to have their children
earning wages than by the desire of those
managing the factories. The law should pro-
hibit children engaging in factory work at an
age so tender as to undermine health and
strength and at the same time deprive them
of the opportunity to attend school. II the
age for factory labor were fixed at fifteen
years both evils, physical and mental, would
be avoided.
have for long period in private, and a
few months since in public, advocated these
reforms My experience has suggested their
value, and | think in addition to the points
presented, it would prove advantageous to
arrange system of weekly payments OF
wages. Every change in our labor system
that gives to the laborer prompt control OF
his earnings in cash will prove helpful and
profitable to him, and regulation directing
the weekly payments would, l am sure,
prove beneficial.
1t will, however, be found, in the end that
the principal influence upon the wages OF the
laboring man comes from the tariff system OF
the national government. A protective tariff
means good wages, while free trade or mere
revenue tariff means poor wages to the labor
of the United States. 1t has been the steady
aim of the Republican party to maintain pro-
lection, and it has been the steady aim OF the
Democratic party to enforce free trade: On
this direct issue lies the whole question to
the laboring man. If he fails to consider II
and to act upon it he fails at the point which
vitally affects his own personal interests.
No citizen of Maine should fail TO see that
the Morrison tariff bill supported at the pres
ent session of Congress by the mass OF the
Democratic representatives, struck deadly
blows at every material interest OF Maine.
If oova to tho farmerS and umDermen OF