The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-09-24

thority and not unfrequently ne ls CaSC
adrift. while imported laoor@rs, aileuo
to his blood and country, are brought
forward to take his job and TO ca .ho
bread o. his children. DE sees tne
wealth of the country incre asing III
ratio almost appalling but ne also see
II concentrating in the hands or very
few and he knows there is something
essentially wrong in those laws "hicn
permit such a division of tie common
produce of capital and labor. what ne
wants principally is . free feld ano a IalI
one a repeal of the laws which clrcum
scribe him. with a careful revision ,tol-
lowed by a vigilaOt enforcement, oI
those which protect his life ana hea'Iu
while at work. and insure him the regu- /
lar psyment OF his earnings In honest /
cash.
Some time since 1 was appealed to oy /
miners in the Monongahela valley 10 alo
them in securing the appointment OF =
coal and iron policeman. w1o mignt uo
employed, in the interests OF the men 70
protect them against systematic sWlhu-
ling by false Weighing on the tippies.-
They said that piundering of the work
men was systematic and extensive, ana
was the main cause of the disastrous
strike then prevailing 10 that region
But when l came to examine the law,
! fnund that the Governor might appoint
| auy number of those peculiar coal ana
| and iron policemen, at the instance, III
| the pay. and for the exclusive purposes
I of the employers, but not one Tor tue
benefit of the men, however clear the
necessity, OF urgent the appeal. This IS
a practical illustration OF what mean
| when I say that the laborers' interests
have been studiously and cruelty suoor-
| diuated to the interests OF others.
During the past year Pennsy lvanla, IN
! common with many other states, mas IelU
! prOfoupdly. aud to her sore cost, the
throes of labor madly seeking the better
ment of its condition, with the redress
of wrongs known to exist. the remedies
for which are bat vaguely understood.
The losses inflicted by these recurring
struggles are simply tremendous ana IN
| calculable. They fall heavily upon all
| classes and upon none more heaVlly
than the wOrkingmen themselves. Must
thew 90 on forever? ? Such wide tumults
among men ordinarily sober and indus
trious, such vast sacrifices of bread ana
peace by multitudes of intelligent and
orderly citizens are not without grave
| cause. l believs they will cease, and
, cease only when the wage career Is
nl4ced upon the dead level of lega
]
stage and in every particular OF the sew
D erai transactions between them. Mer
t of conservative minds have witnessed
. the beneficial results of the progress
labor in seIf-OrganiZatiOn, with lntens'
satisfaction. Such organization, com
: pleted and perfected. promises apparent
s ly Justice, order and TepOse to al IN
A interests concerned. Why not give t
it the sanction Of the law and the pro
lection of the State
Incorporation may prove to be tn
IS simple but benefcent expedient of whic
It all modern society appears to be in com
mon search. The remedy fol all publ
and private wrong must be in the law
and industry organized under the Law
and with the protection Of the law ths
is given TO capital, would find its Ow
safety in the just T, straints of the Law
re- which makes the rights of person an
le property sacred under our free iustltu
d tiOns.
D. THE BURDENS ON REAL ESTATE.
Like the men who work for daily
r weekly wages, the agricultural peopl
with even less excuse for the GerelicJiOI
have neglected the care of their ow
ic interests and by reason of protractf
tO failure to employ the necessary instr
Dt representation in the government the
40 find the burdens of the State restir
,g more heavily upon their fields than upC
any other form of property OF equ
value While their lands are depreci
ted, and their produce undersold in the
own markets, in consequence OF discIir
Ill nations against local frPights. the rev
to nue. and tax laws are mada to bear upC
D. them with undue and excessive exactio
ms THE PROHIBITION ISSUE.
u There is, 1 believe, but one other di
'ie tinct question OF State policy invOlv
u in the election of this year. One of &
III political parties has ayOwed its puTpO
y / to pass through two successive legisl
III lures. and submJ to the people Co
u stitutional amendment fOrbIdding q
ue manufacture and sale of lntOxicati
;Is liquors in this Commonwealth. A thi
ISL party, constituting in themselves th
u ''respecta able portion of the peoDle'' !
20 ferred to by the others in their platforl
ie' insist upon immediate aud total prohi'
ne tion by legislative enactment, witho
- waiting upon the needless and tedio
so process of amendment. Neither Of the
ne parties looks toward decentralization
IL the large amounts of private proper
70 which must be measurabiy destroyed
ne the enactment of such a law, or
10 adoption Of such an amendment. ]
N Democratic party has, on the ott
ge hand, from its formation, consist en-
wn opposed sumptuary laws, (Which v
ms the citizen and interfere with iDdividl
-oI liberty"
IT'S But this denial of the right OF pro
al bition implies the duty of regulati1
ee- and though the just power of the St
IN does not extend to the prescription
4 ,F 4 ha - a a
1rd man, it does extend to the prevention
hts any abuse of his private right affect
oss his neighbor or society at large an,
lou favor the enactment of any laws, hC
Is ever stringent, which may be necess
auu to that purpose, and, in any event,
ne rigid enforcement of those now IN ex
= ence. Conscious of the terrible evil:
hey excessive indulgence, we do not after
hey to eradicate them by a species of legi
On tion which has never failed to incre
yer them. but which inevitably brings
OF the desperate resistance of the clti;
. who feels himself deprived of a natl
De- tight, aud with it a train of Illicit eri
Ana and ruinOus disorders. 1 cannot be
'ery conclude this paragraph than by
a.es following passage from the hand of
'lVn illustrious Tiden -
y OF such legislation springs from mis-
OF caption of the proper sphere of 0overnm
pro- 1t is DO part of the duty of the State to
erce the Individual man so far as his
duct may affect others, not remotely
consequentially, bus by violating RI
the which legislation can recognize ard vi
ele- take to protect. The opposite pril
ford leaves no room for individual reason
uct- conscience, trusts hoInl3R 10 SeI-c9l
~ aud Assembly for the plan of moral COS
DuI ment ordained by Providence. The y
They progress of society consists in learning
N--F Fto I'D. aar,s