The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-10

restrictions or not. In one way or the
other we must act upon this question:
It is evident that the indirect tax and
contraction of currency is the great
question of the immediate future. For
more than a generation the slavery
agitation, the war to which it led and
the problems growing out of that war
have absorbed political attention in the
United States, but that era has passed
and a new one is at hand in which i'm
partial legislation must force itself to
the front. This is the question which
is drawn between capital and labor
and political discussions will rage. It
behooves not merely those who aspire
for leadership politically, but those
who conscientiousiy use their influence
and their votes for the better cause OF
for reform. One thing or the other
must be true, that we have been labor
ing under unfair legislation since 1865,
and who feel that labor has not had its
rightful opportunities and does not get
its fair wages, should unite and undo
the things so hurting to us. But the
next thing to knowing how it can be
done is to know how it cannot be done.
I differ with those who say the rate of
wages the State has no concern in. |
hold with those who deem the increase
Of wages Legitimate purpose of public
policy. Raise and maintain wages Is
the great object those who live by
wages ought to seek, and workingmen
are right in supporting any measure
that will attain that object, nor in this
are they acting selfshly, for while the
question of wages is the most impor-
tant of questions to laborers it is also
the most important of questions to So
ciety at large. Whatever improves
the condition of the lowest and broad
est social stratum must promote the
true interest of all. Where the wages
of common labor are high and employ
ment easy to obtain, prosperity will be
general. Where wages are highest there
will be the largest promotion and the
most equitable distribution of wealth;
there will inventions be most active
and the brain best guide the hand;
there will be the greatest comfort, the
widest diffusion of knowledge, the
purest morals and the truest patriot
ism. If we would have a healthy, a
happy, an enlightened and a virtuous
people; if we would have q pure gov
eminent firmly based on the popular
will of the people, we must strive to
encourage agriculture, which is the
great wheel Of any nation. To do this
We must have legislation favorable to
all classes. Far different, however, it
is with matters which relate to the
production and distribution of wealth,
which directly affects the comfort and
livelihood of men. The intelligence
which a alone safely guide in these
matters must be the intelligence of the
masses, for as to such things il is the
common opinion and not the opinion
of the learned few that find expression
in legislation. The danger of our pub
lie don't depend on foreign nations
Waging war against US. What menaces
her safety is her w people, for no ma
tion can come to our soil and reign mon
arch until the crop of men is a failure.
The danger of her own people is what
we should dread. Against such dan
gers forts will not guard us, ironclads
will not protect US and standing armies
will prove of no avail. They come
from our failure to be true to that
spirit of liberty which was unveiled at
the formation of the Republic, formed
by our fo~refathers. They are only to
be avoided by conforming our institu-
ton to the principle of freedom. For
it is true, as was declared by the first
national assembly of France, that
ignorance, neglect or contempt of hu,
man rights are the sole causes of pub
lie misfortune and corruption Of gov
eminent.
Here is the conclusion of the whole
matter, that we should do unto others
as we would have others do unto us,
that we should respect the rights of
others as s~crupulously as we would
have own rights respected, is not a
mere council of perfection to individ-
uals but it is the law to which we must
conform, social institutions and ma
tional policy, if we would secure the
blessings of abundance and peace.
J. L. MATTHEWS,
Craven County, N. @.
NOTICE.