The Wilmingtonian., 1886-05-15
PRICE TWO CENTS.


brinm is maintained that permits the most
rapid and healthful development Of individ-
ual power OF all kinds, intellectual mechan-
ical, political and moral. No interference
with growth of any kind is tolerated for one
moment after it is recognized and understood.
| And under the laws Of evolution, we take
our proper and natural place at the head Of
the race, the pioneer nation in the on-mov-
ing ranks Of civilization. The nation has
dealt successfully with all the great problems
that have presented themselves, and it will
solve this one. as sure as the sun shines.
cannot say how, but know it will solve it,
It will settle all this tumult, and it will es-
tablish the new way upon the firm and en-
during foundation Of eternal right and JUS
tice to all.
So far | have not alluded to the disturb
auces which have 50 recently occurred in tie
labor districts and elsewhere about the
country. As rule they have been badly
managed, ill-advised, and in many If not in
most cases ineffective. Their leaders have
not gone to the root of The matter, their
troubles have originated too many times in
desire for revenge, rather than desire to
benefit the working classes. They have
sometimes been made against the advice of
those best qualified to give it, among their
own chosen leaders. The impression seems
to have been suddenly created that the only
function of organized labor was TO precipi-
tate strike" Or establish "boycott."
The slightest pretexts have sutiiced to pro-
duce the one or the other, the wounded van
ity of leader endowed with little brief
authority has suffieed to entail an enor.
nous loss and sacrifice to y large class of
wage earners and wage payers, and the con-
sequent injury to the whole class of workers
in the community. Unwise and unjust in
reference with the healthy channels of trade
have marked this the eruptive stage of this
disease, These hasty and unwise actions
must be stopped Or the cause of labor will
be wounded in the bouse Of its friends, and
many who would be its friends and who
would stand by it in contest when It had
right on its side, will grow more ard more
to distrust its impulses and question its abil-
ity to govern itself Reforms of such mag
nitude as the one under discussion, cannot be
established in haste and never by such means
as has recently been employed. Men cannot
be driven even to do justice by threats and
intimidation, nor is tyranny any the less tyr
amy, when practiced by men who are them
selves oppressed. The great class of Ameri-
can citizens, who are neither wage earners
OF wage payers will not tamely cons mt to
be punished by either class, FOR what they
aie in no wise responsible, aud that is what
this difficulty is doing now. The case must
be made up, and the issue presented, in the
American way, not after the manner neces-
slry, possibly. in absolute monarchtes The
people rule in this nation and they will new
er submit to DEGREES issued from secret
chambers, by self constituted legislatures,
no matter how just their cause, or how
holy they consider their interests. What.
ever is done i'll the way OF establishing laws
for the government Of society in this nation,
must be done in broad and open day, and by
the common consent of the whole people.
This nation is not, and never can be govern
ed by wage earners or wage payers. We
know no classes, The ballot box is the
place to go for power, that is what the ballot
box is for, just that and nothing more. If
the wage ear er and wage payer have auy
contest that calls for law to settle, the ballet
box is e place to carry it. The grand jury
of the nation will sit on any question, that is
p op sed to be settled by law. The law be 'ougs
to the whole people, and not to one class
Of citizens. All the public functions Of gov
ernment are the property Of society as unit
1t therefore follows that when the public
peace is broken and law deti.d, the whole
force of the nation should be at once invoked
to put down the rebellion, which is right
may be settled afterwards, but no cause can
bo sustained at the expense Of public peace
a a safety, and in defiance Of public law,
without the end Of all government, and the
direlu consequences that are sure to follow
anarchy. Therefore let this movement, like
all other efforts for the bettermcut of classes
of men confue itself within its proper limits
An honest. sincere and wise effort on the
part of the wage earners for advancement.
will always demand and receive the respect
aud assistance of the best men in public
and private life. rhey have much to com
plain Of, and wioug to right, they always
did have, aud are likely to have for many
years, aud they need the help OF the great
middle class to obtain what they want, and
rhey can have it from wage payers, as well
as others when they make demand that is
| reasonable and nna that pau he mot vyithnut