Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-10-05
side and those seeking employment on

side and those seeking employment on
the other.
That the objects of the peoples party
| Is to reduce the pay of any useful la Dor
er in any of the avocations Of beneficial
/ industry, needs scarcely to be denied,
/ for the reason that the masses compos-
! ing its ranks belong To the laboring
t classes of our country, and that they
! should for a moment desire the CRYSTAL
( 1ization of policy into law that would
hinder or in any way cripple any one
! engaged in like useful aud necessary
branch of industry is too preposterous
/ to need argument for its refutation or
even denial to call it in question
But whatever may be the intention of
the party in promulgating that doctrine,
the question that most concerns the
employe is, would the adoption of such
policy injuriously affect his interests
and his wages or would it benefit him
and his interests?
Government ownership and control
of the means of Transports ton, would
give TO producers and manufacturers in
all branches of industry the means of
exchanging and transporting the prod
ucts OF their labCr at actual cost and
surely no one can fail to see that en-
ployes or wage earners must be among
the first and most certain beneficiaries
of such an arrangement. At least as
many employees would be required as
operatives under government owner
ship and control as under the present
system, and it seems quite safe to say
that vastly increased number of oper-
OF -1 l.
first, because of me United States
eight-hour law, and, second, because of
the fact that all public works and en-
terprises either under state or national
control are, as a rule, executed in the
fullest and best manner known to such
services.
This being true, it follows that road
beds, bridges and tracks would be put
and kept in the best condition possible
and constructed of the best material
obtainable, thus requiring more labor
ers and insuring greater safety to life.
limb and property, not only of the
travelling and shipping public but Of
employees as we'll
1t would also sec nat under such a
system the incenti TO honest and eff
cient work would take the place of
much of the ''devil-may-care" methods
of the present system, for then those
enlisted in the public service would be
fairly freed from the thought that to
day have work, tomorrow l may have,
nome" and an employee might safely
count that so long as he faithfully rem
dered services he could safely calculate
on employment. Strikes, for the rights
Of
wages, would become things. of the
past, and every honest, faithfui en-
ploye in such service, who Is willing for
sure and fair pay to give in return his
reasonable and full energies, could safe
ly count upon permanent employment
and upon such honorable promotion as
his efforts merited.
No worthy laborer need fear a r.
duction of wages under such an ar
rangement. Fair and sure pay wo MID
be guaranteed to every faithful en-
ploye.
1t means the overthr oyv of the system
by which the few mg4gnates are enabled
70 roll In luxury end ride in pamp and
splendor at the expense of honest toll
ers; 1t means the government meeting
and discharp tnr one of its NEST impor-
tant funct .ons and duties 70 the people;
III means increased prosperity to the
produ' >er, the mechanic, the nanufact-
ure-, the traveller and to the toilers of
Oar country.
Can any employe object to such a con-
summation as this? Come, then, men,
join your voices, your votes and your
influence with those whose purpose is
the elevation of laborers in every de-
partment of useful industry to that
station to which, by virtue of their in
dispe nsable Importance to society they
are entitled.-H. A. White, in Kansas
| Commoner.