The morning call., 1894-04-19
THE POLITICS OF THE UNEM-
PLOYED.

Washington seems to be IN tremOr at
the approach of the Industrial Army, ana
nervous Congressman are counting tne
military force upon which they can rely
for protection. They may possess their
souls In patience. Neither General Coxey
nor the other generals are in condition 10
besiege the Federal capital. The ordinary
police of Washington will probably prove
amply sufficient to preserve the peace. IL
is quite likely that the Industrial Army
will pick up on its march recruits from the
idle men of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
so that by the time it reaches the Potomac
it may number 10000 or more; but this
will only increase the difficulty of the ques-
ton of commissariat, and OF subsequent
maintenance. 1t is easier to feed and find
work for 1000 men than for 10000.
An unpleasant feature of the case is the
delusion which the iDdustrials seem TO
harbor that it is the duty OF the authorl-
ties to provide them with support. The
banners carried by the industriais here
bore inscriptions Implying that the Govern
ment at Washington was bound to find
work for the unemp loyed, and similar
views were expressed by the speakers
who addressed the body. There could not
be grosser mistake. 1t is no part of the
business of the Federal Government to
find any man work, or to supply any man
with food. That Government was estab-
lished for specific purposes. which are set
forth In the constitution, and eleemosy
nary work is not among them. 1t has no
power to go beyond the duties laid upon
1t by the organic instrument. If Congress
should vote sum of money to relieve
paupers, because they are paupers, it
would exceed its powers. and the
appropriation would be unconstitu-
tional, though for sweet charity's
sake. it might happen that no one insisted
on its being so declared and Old the appro-
priatioD being declared void. In the Gov
ernments Of Europe. which are not tied
hand and foot by cast-ilon constitutions,
the sovereign may do many things. even
pay away the money of one class Of citi-
Z-ns to relieve another class BUTT is not
so with the Government of the United
States. What the Government can do is
to enact such legislation, economic and
financial, as will encourage homo industry
and make work for workers. 1t can
also refuse to enact laws to disturb pre-
viously existing prosperity. Whether the
advance of the Commonweal Army on
Washington will do anything to that cad
remains to be seen.
There is no other reason why the unem-
ployed should flock to Washington rather
than any other place. II Is not stirring
place, and the demand for raw labor there
is light. 1t would be far more sensible
for the unemployed TO go 10 some point
where they might produce something, and
thus obtain employment There is at this
moment a demand for labor In the
orchards Of this State. and Japanese con-
tract labor is being imported to meet it.
By splitting up into small bands these
unemployed. who are now being boxed up
for shipment to Chicago. might get work
10 fifty different fruit districts; why do
they not try the experiment? Again.
several hundred of them, by splitting up
into small bands as before. could make an
average of dollar or more day on the
did half-exhausted placers; surely this
would be better than going on tools en-
rand 10 Washington, or thronging into
labor markets which are already con-
gssted
L he Door creatures WHO are now ueStl-
tute must not make their fate harder than
it is by imagining themselves victims OF
the injustice of others. The notion that
the Government owes every man a living
has no foundation in fact. The man who
loses his job and goes hungry is to be
pited, and 1t is the duty of the humane to
succor him. But the Federal Government
has no concern in the matter.
Nearly fifty years ago the newly formed
republican Government of France found
itself confronted with the identical prob
lem which we have to solve here. Revo-
luton and civil war had dislocated the
frame of business. Thousands upon
Unhappily the Government was in the
hands of theorists who were not practical
statesmen. They undertook TO feed the
hungry, and as preteDse for an eQuiva-
lent they enrolled them in a body called
the Garde Mobile There was no call for
any such garde. There was nothing to
guard no enemy at home or abroad. But
the garde drew its rations regularly, and
when there was talk of disbanding 1t it
rebelled. 1t was put down with artillery,
but i would not stay down. The end was
that the arch conspirator Louis Napoleon
found 1t an instrument which was cor
rupt. unprincipled and prepared to do his
work. By its aid he made himself first
President and then Emperor. The history
is not devoid of instruction.