Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-10-12
LINCOLN ON LABOR.
of the Great Emancipator Toward
the Toiler.

Inc loller. |
There never lived a better friend of
the workingman than Abraham Lin |
As a child OF poverty, his SYM
pathies were all with those who toiled.
His hatred of human slavery was
founded not only on instructive de-
testation of the peculiar institution,"
but on the manifest injustice it in
fiicted on free labor wherever it pre-
vailed. With unerring logic and re-
morseless force he inveighed against a
system that, through ownership in
human flesh, placed men on a plane OF
palpable inequality. No weapon
forged in the fire of his matchless
genius served better the cause for
which he contended than hi~singenious
and illuminating comparison of the
disadvantages of the freeman when
brought into competition with the
advantages of the bondman and his
master. To what extent this com
parison aided him in the achievement
of the triumphs which crowned his
has abundantly testified. 1t con-
tributed TO the overthrow OF the re-
bellion. 1t FASTENED emancipation OF
the slave. 1t prompted the enfran-
chisement of a race. 1t cemented the
restored bonds of national unity. 1t
assisted in the extinguishment of sec
tional animosity. Above all, it vindi-
Gated and established, for all time,
the equality of every man with his
fellow man before the law. 1t did
more than affirm a principle. 1t vent
beyond maintenance of a sentiment.
1t communicated to the stern and
practical side OF human existence a
vital impetus and a healthful influence.
When the sum of his immortal SER
| vices to his country and mankind is
cast up a strong and enduring factor
will be reckoned his efforts in behalf
of the toiling masses. They were the
"plain people" whom he loved and on
whom he depended. Their fidelity to
him was amply compensated by his
helpfulness and usefulness to them.
Nothing could De more opposite, on
a holiday devoted to labor, than Mr..
Lincoln's view on what then, as now,
vas called "the labor question" As
between labor and capital he was the
friend OF both and the idolator OF
neither. Capital" he said, in his
first message to congress, has its
rights, which are as worthy of protec,
tIon as any other rights. Nor is il
denied that there is. and probably
always will be, u relation between cap.
ital and labor, producing mutual ben,
etits. The error Is In assuming thai
the whole labor OF u community ex'
lists within that relation. a few mer
own capital, and that few avoid Labor
themselves and with that capital buy
or hire another few to labor for them
A large majority belong to neither
~class-neither work for others mol
have others work for them" Thes,
are tine linen who work for themselve.
on their farms, In their houses and il
their shops, taking the whole produc'
to themselves and asking no favor o
capital on the one hand nor OF hire(
labor or slaves on the other" Mr.
Lincoln acclaimed against the idea O
the free hired laborer being fixed, o
necessity, in that position for life
"Many independent men," he said
everywhere in these states a few
years back in their lives were hiret
laborers. The prudent, penniIess be
ginner in the world labors for wages {
while, saves a surplus with which Il
buy tools or land for himself, thei
labors on his own account anothe
while, at length hires another new be
i ginner to help him. This is the jus
and generous and prosperous system
which opens the way to all, and con
sequent energy and progress and i'm
provement OF condition to all. NJ
men living are more worthy to b.
, trusted than those who toll upwart
: from poverty-none less inclined Il
touch or take aught which they hav,
. not honestly earned. Let them be
ware OF surrendering u political powe
they already possess, and which,
! surrendered, will surely be used t,
close the door OF advancement agains
such as they and to fix new dIsabilitie
and burdens upon them till all o
liberty shall he lost"
In all Mr.. Lincoln's friendship 70
labor there a no trace OF demagogy
/, Nothing could have been further from
his mind than to array, for partisan
purposes or personal advantage
P workingmen against capital or agains
each other. Addressing a deputatiol
t OF New York city w~orkingmen in 1856
/, he warned them to beware OF preiu
dices working division ard hostilit,
among themselves. 1.-THE stronges
bond" he added, ''of human sym
pathy, outside of the family relation
: should be one uniting all working PEG
pie OF all nations and tongues AM
kindreds. Nor should this lead to
war upon property or the owners O
property. Property is the fruit o
labor; property is desirable, is a posi-
tive good in the world. That som,
should be rich shows that others ma,
become rich, and hence it is just ell
couragement to industry and enter
prise. Let not him who is houselesa
pull down the house OF another, bu'
let him labor diligently and build on
for himself, thus by example assuring
that his own shall be safe from VIC
lence when built" These words o
the great emancipation embody, 81
Tar as laoor Is concerned, the gOSpei o
truth and justice. They supply no
only a text for the day, but a lessor
for all time to come. The more the,
are pondered, the more the spirit the,
seek to convey is inculcated, the bet
/ ter it will be for workIngmen every
: where. They come down to us NOR
with peculiar impr~essiveness from tn
leader who, when nominated Tor tn
highest Office within the gift of nations
told his biographer that he could SUI
ply him with little material save wha
was found in ''the brief and simpl
i. annals of the poor."-BrooklYn Engl.