People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-03-24
THE LABOR QUESTION.

+ In Une preceding NUMBER endeaV0red
to show that the continued reign and
pernicious effects of the iron law of
wages" were made possible only by the
fact that there were million more or
lessl of unemployed laborers in the
United States, which resulted in labor
competing with itself for employment
in order to avoid starvation, and that
the shortening of the days labor until
there were as many days labor to per-
form as there were laborers to perform
them, would emancipate labor from
slavery.
But if wage workers in all walks and
avocations of life are deeply concerned
in the eight-hour question, the general
public, including all classes of citizens,
as citizens, are vitality interested in this
momentous problem. The masses of
the common people, the 'laboring class"
so-called, are the bulwark of the ma
TONS liberty; the source of its prosper
ity; the citadel of its strength. A
happy, prosperous, contented nation of
freemen, earning decent, comfortable
living; owning their own fresides and
living law-abiding, honest God-fear-
ing life, will sacrifice their fortunes,
and, if need be, their lives in defense of
their country. Such was the condition
of the people of the northern states in
in 1S6O-l-2, and ages to come will al
ways point with wonder and pride to
the volunteer citizen soldiery which
composed the grand army of the repub-
lie, the union forces of the United
United States Then both millionaires
and paupers were unknown and all
were upon comparative level, neither
rich nor poor, but independent prosper
GUS freemen. Does anyone suppose
that were such crisis to arrive to-day in
the affairs of the United States that the
sturdy yeomanry and brawny laborers
of the nation would rally around the
flag" to preserve a government which
has degenerated from one OF, by and
for the people, to one of monopolistic
corporations by cooperative monopolists
and for privileged classes? But aside
from patriotic standpoint, the labor
problem is becoming burning issue in
political economy. l shall emphasize
this fact by quoting from "a Proposed
National Money System" by R. NJ.
Widney, L. L. D., president of the Uni
versity bank, of Los Angeles, Cal.
See 81 And be it further enacted: That as
the currency notes shall accumulate in the
treasury OF the government from revenue or
| otherwise, they shall be returned to circulation
among the people in addition to the ways here.
inbefOre specified, by paying the current ex.
penses OF the government by the purchase of
suitable grounds and the erection of suitable
buildings for post offices and other uses of the
government by the construction of such other
works as shall be deemed by congress for the
best interests of the public. The expenditures
shall be made annually, in each state territory
or district as nearly as may be. in proper
ton to the number Of inhabitants: provided
That states already supplied with public build
ings shall not receive additional expenditures
until the other states, territories or districts
shall have had their equal proportions All
public work shall be done BY days labor, at the
rate Of one dollar and fifty cents per dav of
eight hours for common labor A less rate shall
be paid where the laborer is not able to perform
a reasonable days work. The expenditures
hereunder shall be as directed from time to
time by congress.
In the course of his explanatory com
ments upon this section, Mr. Widney
says:
This section provides that in addi-
ton to the ways provided in section Z,
this money shall be spent for the usual
expenses of the government; and that
the government shall purchase suitable
grounds and erect thereon suitable
buildings for post offices and other pub
lie uses and that the expenditure shall
be made annually in each state or ter
ritory in proportion to its population.
Under this system national public i'm
provements, such as on the Mississippi
river or Nicaragua canal, or for irriga-
ton may be carried out ~ Nv.
"As our laws now are it is very diff.
cult to get any government buildings
erected except in certain political local
tiles. The money is drawn from the
people in every part of the country, and
should be re-expended proportionately
among them, as it came from them. 1t
is not charity for the government to
spend money in community. That is
where it should be spent. Every city
and village should have a respectable
and commodious post office building,
erected and owned by the government.
This section further provides that
this public work shall be done by days
labor, at say $3.50 per day for common
labor. The object is this. First-class
laborers always command higher wages
from private capital, and the next
grade of labor is left unemployed. 1t
is in this class that the suffering mostly
occurs. If the people of the United
States in public work give employment
to this class of people, they will be aid
ing citizens who should receive the care
of the stronger.
"Such laborers cannot, for various
reasons, perform as much work per day
as the best laborers. Public buildings
would cost just as much, or even more.
by employing this class than by en-
ploying the best class; but the object
OF any government should not be to get
the cheapest results in a specific case,
1t should be for the general good. This
class of laborers must live. If labor is
not furnished, they must beg or steal
In either of these cases the public must
bear the expense. 1t is far better to
keep up the tone of responsibility
among our people, by furnishing en-
ployment at what it is worth. Thus,
.