The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-02-25
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER
PHILADELPHIA Pa, Feb. %, 'sS


The large building at the corner of Broad
and Chestnut streets, are being torn down
making way for a larger and more modern
building. Since these operations have COM
menced it is no unusual thing to see from
fifty to two hundred and fifty men, scantily
clad, cluster around the corner in the bleak
cold mornings with the hope of securing a
job, menial laboring work, at $1.25 per day.
They are strong, hearty men, willing to do
any kind of work, in order to keep body
and soul together; time and again they are
turned away with "We have all the men
we can possibly use." This is enacted not
only at this corner but all oyer the city,
aye, all over the country. Yet in view of
all this evidence there are sage men, erudite
editors, possessing more erudition than
wisdom and interest in the amelioration of
their fellow men, and so-called wise states
men, who declare that there is nothing
wrong with our industrial, economic and
social system and condition; that he who
wants to work can get employment in
abundance; and such as are not incapaci-
tated either by disease or physical cause to
work are bummers, too lazy to work, DEM
agogues, mendicarts, &c. These asser-
tions are made, as the evidence to the con-
trary proves, in bod defiance of the real
condition of the many suffering and power
ishing human beings s-created by the Gre
ator of all-for want of employment. This
is sad condition of things; it is condi-
tion that must cause reflection, attract at
tention and receive the careful considera-
ton of our rulers, to devise laws and means
to obYiate such shameful suffering and want
in the midst of plenty, if the even tenor of
and continued. A modern reformer has
been dubbed a crank and demagogue for
publicly saying that in the poverty and
want in the midst of wealth and plenty
stalked belly full of "French Revolu-
TONS" But is not this man, if the ten
dency 10 the two extremes, wealth and
poverty, ARE taken into consideration, more
of prophet than mischief worker. Does
want and hunger have no restraints, that
nothing is so bloodtnirsty and maddening
| as an empty stomach and suffering depend
ents. Did not these two extremes in France
| lead on those terrible scenes, so terribly
enacted throughout France, during that
revolution. Does not the column of the
l4th of July, on the site of the kingly per-
son "La Ba5tile" in Paris, commemorating
the work of the guilotire, admonish al.
such as have the interest and welfare of
all at heart to make common cause TO
change that industrial, economic and social
condition that leads to such horrid and
awful eXcIessences and extremes as are
recorded in historical instances. "History
repeats ITSELF" but if prudence, wisdom
and the more equitable distribution OF
wealth Is arranged by the mem who rule,
not in accordance with anarchistic OF CON-
munistic theories but according to equality
of opportunity or natural opportunity, nc
such repetition will be necessary to right
wrong. God forbid such repetition.
According to some New York professor
ideas, Blaine's letter-Don't present my
name-is a cryptogram. According to this
calculation Jingo Jimmy does not mean
what his letter would convey, but ins cad
means "State TO the masses, election with-
out me disastrous" or state to the Repub.
licans OF the country '"That my name will
be presented" &c. This no doubt Il
Blaine's and his friends idea but they may
have reckoned without their host, for If the
Republican party is wise 1t will take the
matchless and peerless statesman of Maine
at his word. He is weak man and as
against CLEVELAND or any other Democrat
he would be nowhere. His party desires
nothing so much as success, and not being
able to attain IL with the "Plumed Knight
they will haye some other emergency man,
Notwithstanding the crYptogram.
The congressional committee examining
into the cause of the Reading railroad and
miners strike has been holding session.
during the week at the Continental Hotel
Tbs examination 50 far has proved good
deal Of the rottenness Of this corporation,