Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-12-11

its share of Government favor, but for
the further and not less important
reason that the laboring man, sur
rounded by his family in his humble
home as a consumer, is vitality inter
ested in all that cheapens the cost of
living and enables hin to bring with
in his domettic circle additional COM
forts and advantages. This relation
of the workingman to the revenue
laws of the country, and the manner
in which its palpable influences, the
question of wages should not be for
gotten in the justifiable prominence
given to the proper maintenance of
the supply and protection of well-paid
labor, and these considerations sug-
gest such an arrangement of Govern
ment revenues as shall reduce the ex-
pense of living while it does not cur
tail the opportunity for work nor re-
duce the compensation of American
labor and injuriously affects the con-
dition and the dignified place it holds
in the estimation of our people. But
our farmers and agriculturists, those
who from the soil produce the things
consumed by all are, perhaps, more
directly and plainly concerned than
any other of our citizens in a just and
careful system of Federal taxation.
Those actually engaged in and more
remotely connected with this kind of
work, number nearly one-half of our
population. None labor harder or
more continuously than they. No en-
actment limits their hours of toll and
no interposition of the Government
enhances, to any great extent, the
value of their product, and yet, for
many of the necessaries and comforts
of life, which the most scrupuious
economy enables them to bring into
their homes and for their implements
of husbandry they are obliged to pay
a price largely increased by an un-
natural profit, which, by the action
of the Government, is given to the
more favored manufacturer. 1 rec
ommend that, keeping in view all
these considerations, the increasing
and unnecessary surplus of national
income annually accommodating be re-
leased to the people by an amend
f ment to our revenue laws, which
shall cheaper the price of the neces-
saries of life and give freer entrance
to such imported materials as by
American labor may be manufacture
ed into marketable commodities.
Nothing can be accomplished, how
ever, in the direction of this much
needed reform unless the subject is
, approached in a patriotic spirit of de-
, votion to the interest of the entire
, country, and with a willingness tc
yield something for the public good
LABOR AND CAPITAL.
f The relations of labor to capital anG
= of laboring men to their employers
/, are of the utmost concern to every
Y patriotic citizen. When these are
n strained and distorted unjustitiablt
n claims are apt to be insisted upon by
e both interests, and in the controversy
i which results the welfare of all ant
y the prosperity of the country art
e jeopardized. Any intervention o
It the General Government within tn,
y limits of its constitutional authority
n to avert such a condition should b,
s. willingly accorded. In a specia
r message transmitted to the Congress
n at its last session, l suggested the EN-
If largement of our present Labor Blu
o reau and adding to its present func
i tons the power of arbitration in case
u WllClO lllC ulliClCllCC dlloCo D6tWcCI
y employer and employed. Whel
e these differences reach such q stage a
t. to result in the interruption of com
Il merce between the States the applica
: ton of the remedy by the Genera
Is Government might be regarded a
l. entirely within its constitutional
5, powers and think we might reason
If ably hope that such arbitrator, i
% carefully selected, and if entitled t.
l. the confidence of the parties to be al
% fected, would be voluntarily called t
h the settlement Of controversies of les
d extent and not necessarily within tn
lie domain of Federal regulation. ! ar
E. of the opinion that this suggestion
t. worthy the attention Of Congress, bu
y after all has been done by the passag
ID of laws, either Federal or State, to re
s. lieve situation full of solicitudt
a much more remains to be accomplish
Is ed by the reinstatement and tn
le cultivation Of true American sent