Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-24

wise and blessed thing that was boned tor
it. Ithas put the farmhouses in he cen. an.
ter OF wide tracts, put the neiphbor half
mile away, and left the young peonIe of the
farm to brood over the loneliness of he farm
mouse. speak from personal experience.
and know that this one thing. as we'll as the
waning fortunes of the farm in esrn;no
power OF income, is doing much to send the
young people into town or city to hunt for a
life with more enjoyment in it. But Iegisla-
tion Of any kind that will ameliorate the
condition Of the farmer, give to his hard
labor larger return of profit or to his fami-
ly larger measure Of happiness, ought to
be sought for and speedily enacted from
every consideration of American interest
THE AMERICAN LABoRER.
"The farmer and the laborer are the true
Americans, and all legislation should be
terms comprehend nearly all of our popula-
ton, in fact, for America il a nation Of la
borers. All the people who are not working
for their own bread, or did not earn their
own money, are living on two or three
streets in America. All others are either
working for their own living or have
earned their competence by their own
labor. I believe that America will settle
the labor problem of the world first. be-
lieve this, because almost every American,
or 80 out OF 100, has had actual personal ac-
quaintance with the hardship OF actual work.
Therefore the American people know what
labor is, and what the laborer ought to have.
! make bold to say that in the present con-
ditiou the American laborer is not having
his share. We began as nation with all of
our people as laborers. The condition of the
laboring man has rapidly improved, but pot
nearly as rapidly as the man who has earned
wealth, and gained with it luxury. The
times now are nervous with deep feeling of
approaching settlement of this question. 1t
cannot be done speedily, but it is in process
of adjustment. Laboring men must be pa
tient, and not spoil by haste or violence the
blessing that is coming. believe that we
are within sight, and that the time has come
in civilization for shorter day of labor.
THE GOOD TIME COMING.
'The eight-hour day is not far of. In
deed, IL ought to be here now. Not only
this will come, but fve-and-a-half-day
week eventually will follow, unless a new
basis of compensation and mutual interest
shall be established. There is no reason
why laboring man should not have hours
for leisure and improvement, and for enjoy
ment with his family, as we'll as a
business man or a capitalist. If the
laboring man wants to eat his din
ner at O'Clock, and have a social
evening with his friends, he is as much enti-
tied to them both as the capitalist The set
Element will come in some large way. For
my own part, believe it will come by some
system of profit sharing. Capital may get
its or or 10 per cent, according to safety
or peril OF investment, and the laboring
men ought to get share of the profit be-
yond that. The best sign of the times is that
the laboring man is showing such an inter-
est in himself, and is striving by every
means within his power honc-ably to better
the condition of his family. 1t is good for
the Republic. The family of the laboring
man is the unit of our national welfare. AS
it is improved in condition the Republic
will be improved and strengthened. AS the
man of labor gains share or has stake in
the property of the nation, the nation itself
gains greatly increased support and strength
from such a man. A blessing to all Ameri-
cans, and to the Republic itself. is coming
with the settlement of the labor question; SO
let US hope it will not come too rapidly, but
come wisely and permanently.
ABOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE.
"In these millions of little Offices, and in
the contests over them, wherein all public
questions are argued and the public interest
discussed, is largely kept alive that health
full interest which Is the salvation of the
Government The political campaign is the
real lyceum of American statesmen and the
open academy of the great mass of the Amer
ican people. As the State seeks through
the county and township thus to instruct its
people in public affairs through its Offices,
and as it changes them frequently, both to
preserve constant honesty in Office and to in
struct the largest possible number of men in
official affairs, SO, believe, should the ma
tion follow in the same course. 1t was in
tended by the fathers of the Republic that
Office holding should be honorable. 1t was
intended that an American family should
find pride in seeing one or more of its own
number enjoying the honors of official place
and the higher honors of public confidence.
This feeling has been found to render the
State good service. 1t has ennobled citizen
ship. lifted up human ambition, and kept
the public service pure by frequent changes,
just as the tides purify the salt oceans. De-
falcations in any Office occur almost invari-
ably in an office held too long by one man.
The idea OF Office holding for life was the
very idea the American Republic was
created to resist"