The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-06-24
Labor Troubles, Modern and
Ancient.

Labor Troubles, Modern and
Ancient.
Mr.. EDITOR: Had the Romans, at
the time of the Gracchi, when the dis
putes about the redistribution and
of property were most
violent, and when the strength of the
parties was most evenly matched, pos
sessed newspapers, and daily reports
of everything said and done on the
streets and in their assemblies in their
various cities, and preserved the rec
ords, files and kilograms of their con-
tentious, partisan life, we could now
know and realize more completely how
nearly we Americans resemble the
Romans of 1000 years ago. and what
small progress has been made in set
tling human rights, regarding proper
ty and earnings, land and food, the
3" meum and tuum" of thugs.
Most readers think there never were
such labor troubles and questions as
now threaten the peace, when, in fact
the greatest political fabric ever con
structed was so weakened by them
that it easily passed into the hands Of
barbarians. Powderlys and Mosts, ag
rarians, socialists, anarchists and com-
munists, were as plenty before the
Christian era as they have been since.
We fail to derive the benefit of their
discussions because of the scantiness
of their history. The New Testament
briefly states how some of the churches
adopted communism-andp perhaps all
of tn EN- did-and it ssems that dis
honesty and lying were then as fatal
to all equalizing schemes as they are
now.
But the careful reader will learn that
these labor disputes and land questions
were older than Rome or Italy and
that they have mixed more or less
with every form of government and
religion of which there is any trace
There is no doubt that just such con-
ventions of knights of Labor, and
knights of Divinity and Mythology
gathered in Italy, and farther East,
thousands of years ago, AS met last
week in the city of Cleveland, with
substantially the same purposes and
moives-to secure greater or less
equality in toll and earnings-to limit
wealth and franchises, or increase and
perpetuate them.
The oldest philosophers and poets
were bothered with aspirations of hope
for all humanity. and f1attered them
selves that justice could be dispensed
in some way among men this side OF
elysium. 1t is modern theology that
has abandoned this idea entirely, and
teaches its believers to hope for little
here below, but to expect rewards
hereafter, about in proportion to the
injustice done and miseries inflicted,
during their earthly existence. Hence
ministers lately do not go in for much
equality, er for new adjustments and
are as willing to take the widows mite
on religious grounds, as the million
aires donation or endowment. They
are even willing to keep people ''peor'
since by so doing greater anxiety will
be felt in religious observances ani
paying church dues, and in ultimately
securing a homestead, title clear
up in the skies, where all the robes
and harps shine and ring alike.
When is it going to be settled wht
must work and who need not work
For, it is not possible to answer tn,
question of how many hours shoulC
be worked until the number of idi,
parasites (call them Generals, Mem
bers of the Government, Officers O.
Courts, Professors of Law, Medicine
or Divinity, or what you please) i.
first determined, 1t is no use to fi1
eight or ten hours as limit of one
mans labor In a day, until it is deter
mined how many tramps that labol
will have to provide for. They always
have been a ravenous and clamorous
horde, and litter faster than one car
count. They neither toll nor spin
are fond of costly raiment, yet will ac
cept rags if necessary to easy and wei
fed beggary along the highways. They
will inf1ict themselves with wound:
and complaints for the sake of pen
sions, Fraud aud perjury with then
become successful virtues. They bur
den labor until it becomes discouraged
and fails. Then comes the end, anG
thus highly cultivated countries have
perished, and the gardens and valleys
of the old world have become desolatt
and waste.
Governments and religions have
been vast ipfirmaries that cry "Give
Give" until there is no more to give
and none are found willing to carr
their bread by the sweat of their brow
All have become gentlemen and ladies
and want to go to sleep in mummy
cloths in scuIptured catacombs, where
they will wait for Gabriels trumpet
longer than Adam, or the first immor.
tai soul, has already waited.
The age of monuments has returned
We build the tallest shafts to those
who learned to escape labor mOst
adroitly, and earned the least. The
scnmps that cost the most will soon be
awarded pyramid like Cheops; and
we shall cheerfully become like
the nation it commentaries. 'Tis 8
grand ambition. This lis certainly
some improvement on the mound
builders, and promises to equal some
Of the glories OF the old Eastern world
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