Wichita eagle., 1888-03-07
THE LABOR PROBLEM.
LECTURE OF THE HON. Z. G. H0RR
LAST NIGHT.
An Entertaining Speaker Dealing Out Facts
Concerning Employer and Employees.

Ex-Congressman p. G. Horr, of Michi-
| gan, was given rather small house last
! night at the Presbyterian chnrch but GER
! tainly a very appreciative one. The fact is
attributed to some other meetings Of a
similar character and full line of amuse-
ments The distinguished gentleman
however was given good sized audience
considering the circumstances. His lecture
| was a well rounded two hour effort, and
| those present were given what many
choosed to term it, an intellectual feast.
| The effort at clearness was certainly sue
cessful as no one was compelled to lean
forward, think for moment, loose part of
the following, and then ask a neighbor
what was meant by so and so. 1t was no
parable effort but plain, every day facts,
but not plain, every day speech, decid-
eddy above this showing satisfactorily how
it comes that the gentleman has won such
a reputation as lecturer.
The speaker was introduced by the
Hon. Geo. w. Clement, who congratulated
the audience on their good fortune in hav-
ing an opportunity to hear Mr.. Horn, and
predicted that the audience would know
more on leaving than on entering.
Mr.. Horn said: II come here this even
ing purposely to talk over question that
interests our nation very much, and in
fact the entire civilized world. 1t is COM
monty known as the labor question, and
has to do with political economy, with the
relations of capital and labor. 1t is a
question of civilization itself"
in my reading little aid is given; at
least little compared with what expected
to meet, SO finally decided to discuss this
question from a simple business stand
point. / shall tonight appeal not to his
tory but to experience. don't claim to be
able to lay down any rules which if fol-
lowed will do away with all the misery in
the world Many advance theories which
is claimed if adopted would bring mil
leniam. Some say women voting would
right all wrongs, but, personally, l fear
not"
In my experience have not found how
all can live and do nothing. If l did
might not tell it to you. Would we not
be miserable SET to have nothing to do?
l don't look upon labor as being a bad
thing, but good thing, that we are COM
PEELED to labor"
IL shall first say that the people Of the
United States are enjoying the highest
type of civilization known among men,
The highest that ever yet blessed the world
Our government and institutions are
worth preserving. l care not what your.
taking in the Darwinians and all, you will
admit that in the beginning there were
very few people, and land was quite plen-
tiful. You can't doubt it. At first it may
have been owned in common. The very
moment a man caught an animal it be-
came his, or, in other words, he had sue
ceeded in earning for himself an ownership
of that animal"
Now, then we hear about this free as
air theory. In those early days when
grazing along rivers was scarce and man
goes twenty miles to
herd, and further for a good well and
gets water for stock. That water certainly
belonged to the man doing the labor and
devising the scheme, and the others had
the right to benefit by his success and sink
another we'll for themselves.
Every early one man got to doing one
thing better than another. From the earl
lest We see men awarding merit Some
want US to pay not according to what is
"
pended.
Here the speaker illustrated by different
kinds of labor that the plan suggested
would not be wise one.
There are certain rules among all civ
ilized people for protecting property. Prop
erty don't come by chance. We have
class of men who don't favor economy and
frugallty. There is, however, something
in the old fashioned frugality. This means
to live within limits of earnings Take the
very common illustration of two men
One is lucky, and gets a position of $500
per year, and the other has hard luck and
gets 500 per year. The first makes his
expenses more than his income and is in
trouble at the end Of the year. The sec
ond has 800 saved at the end of the first
year. Follow them thirty wears and the
first is always in debt and trouble, while |
he second has home with plenty. He |
mas saved competency and has right to |
LII of it. The first may want to divide |
Up, but think he should not be allowed |
% do it.
However, have volumes saying the !
second should divide up with the first i
The Crime of the Nineteenth Century d !
ate production, claims that it is wrong to |
'wn property. The authors name sounds |
oreign like, but claims to have come over /
N the Mayfower. but as a rule those May
lower people don't write such books.
Henry George says that we are
worse off now than forty
ears ago and are continually getting in a
worse condition He says wedge is be-
weeu the high and low classes, and each
ap is separating them, the better class
.oinS up and lower class going lower. As
result he calls our government failure
his figure of his troubled me considera-
ly. thought some time about it and de-
ided that the difficulty about it is that 1t
int true. To prove this refer It TO the
lder heads. We got about 80 per month
Then We were boys aad now our young
aen get much more. We buy cheaper to-
sy than we did when we got $40 per
aonth. But here is just the trouble, there
re so many more things to buy now, and
expenses are made greater when they could
e made less ~
This labor saving machinery is CUES
on that many like to discuss They think
his thing of saving human drudgerv is
'rong. Had this inventive power been
ed civilization would not have adj
anced near so rapidly. The men put out
employment by aninvention can always I
ct work at something else. Some of the
lumber will be turned loose TO get up !
Mother invention. thus increasing the
ore of information. II inventions are l
rong let us do away with the grlst mill
I'd half the world will be pestling grain
IT the other half This shows the posi- !
on ridiculous and Mr.. Georges figure
it'll the wedge should have the wedge
lder the strata of society and each tan | ]