The Irish standard., 1897-01-23
RIGHT FROM the SHOULDER 10
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nIQHt nun I'LL OtlVVlULNs
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any private enterprise, however great,
divided into warning factions and fought
for it's employments without regard to
a vast cooperative concern: in which all
are interested If the stockholders in
fitness; if they made a. pickleherringe
or ninny- hammer general manager and
in their counsels each opposed a bust
enss proposition for the simple reason
that it did not originate with his office
seeking SET the corporation would quick
ly become bankrupt. That government
is able to meet it's bills is due to the
fact that it is an assessment concern
is empowered to make it's stockholders
foot the losses occasioned by their own
egregious folly. Like the horse-leech's
daughters, it's continual cry is "more!"
and it saps the very life blood OF labor.
Instead of earnest, dignified discussions,
such as distinguishes the directors Of a
bank or other business, We hold political
p-dances-and it is bankrupting us
to pay the piper Imagine the board Of
control of great department store de-
termining business policy by means Of
band and torch-light procession!
Yet that is the way in which this Ma
ton, the greatest corporation on earth,
decides economic propositions. 1t might
be we'll to blow less brass and employ
more brains.
We are indeed !"beset with problems; -
but by far the most important-one
which may be said to embrace all others
is simply this. How can we secure a
more equitable division between labor
and capital of the annual increment of
wealth, and assure to every able-bodied
individual in this land an opportunity to
ed rn an honest living? This is prob
lem that is pressing upon us with ever
increasing power. It is the riddle which
the modern Sphinx propounds to the
American Thebes, and woe betide us if
we blunder in our answer! Upon it's
proper solution depends not only peace
and the perpetuity of representative gov
eminent, but perhaps our very civiliza-
ton itself. I am well aware that many
well-fed people consider" it a crime to
call attention to this fact; even deny the
proposition altogether, brand it as ''sen-
sationalism" their heads into tho
sand, and leave their tail-feathers tempt
| ingly exposed to the fury of the coming
cyclone. The French aristocrats declin-
ed to acknowledge the approach of the
Revolution; but, unfortunately, you
can't snub an earthquake nor induce an
| active buzz-saw to wait for an introduce
ton. There be people who curse the
weather clerk for predicting storms in
stead of halcyon days, forgetting that
but for his watchfulness picnic millenery
might get wet and proud ships be cast
away. It were foolish to shoot the sem
tinel for, sounding an alarm on the ap-
proach Of the enemy instead of making
the welkin ring. with the criminal cry
of "all*sis we'll" 1t were best that we
should all be honest with ourselves
that those people who live on easy
Street" occasionally look elsewhere than
into their own well-furnished back par
lors-to open their ears and consider
we'll whether the ,hoarse rumbling be but
the car rafting DER the stony street or
the lannon's opening roar. Labor being
the Atlas upholding our world, it were
the part of wisdom to enquire from time
to time how he comes on with his con-
tract-especially when he complains aud
IDLY that his burthen is too grieyous to
be borne, manifests a disposition to take
his pack for football and play game
scarce relished by the grand stand.
Concluded next week.