Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-05-12

ployed on and about the railroads Of
the country. Every one of them and
the families of such as have fave fami-
lies, are consumers of farm products in
proportion to the means they have to
spend in that line. The official labor
reports show that million men or
more are usually idle; and, unable to
earn wages through want Of employ
ment they pay for nothing, while they
suffer and drift into crime on their
way to the grave.
Now it is only expressing a we'll
known truism to state that it is to the
interest of every farmer that his Gus
toners be multiplied and enriched, so
as to create larger and better mar
ket for his commodities Hence, the,
more men there are employed on the
railroads, in the mines, shops and fac
tories, in all the professions, in every,
line of business and in all the nom
farming industries, the larger market
the farmer has for his products. The
employment of more men means short
er hours for wage laborerS in the nom
agricultural industries 1t is better
for the farmers of America that wage,
workers haYe short time-that three
men be employed eight hours per day.
instead Of two men twelve hours. It.
is better for the farmers, that, in all
the industries where furnaces must be
kept hot and machinery in motion
night and day that three sets of men
be employed eight hours each, rather
than two sets twelve hours each. It
is, also, to the interest Of farmers that
the laboring mon, agents and clerks
in all the non-agricultural employ
ments receive good wages. All wages
thus paid to the workers and opera
tiVes in the mines, shops and factories,
and, on the railroads, enrich the farm.
erS customers and improve his markets
for all the products of the farm.
In order to show the unity Of inter
ests in every normal community 1t
may be added that short hours and
numerous well paid employees increase
the business of merchants and benefit
every line of trade and every mechani.
cal employment, because we are the
consumers of each others wares. No
sensible business or professional man,
nor intelligent farmer can conceive
himself benefited by the oppression
of labor through long hours and small
pay. But, on the contrary, the more
men there are employed Chat means
shorter hours) and the better the
wages, the better it is for the farmers
and for all professional and business
men who have laboring men for Gus.
toners.
This view OF the case is plain and
self evident. But there is another
phase OF alleged antagontsms which
must have further attention. 1t ID
claimed by the railroad corporations
that farmers, on one side, and railway
employees on the other, have antagon-
isms towards each other that can never
be reconciled. They justly state that
the farmers desire lower freights and
fares ON the railroads, while the men
operating tho roads as employees are
demanding higher wages and shorter
hours. These demands, it Is claimed
by the corporations, are on each side
earnest and persistent, and at the same
time incompatible. This alleged sir
repressible conflict will be fully dis
cussed in future paper. In my next,
by special request of correspondent,
will discuss the subject of U. s.
bonds. That is one of the danger
points now threatening us and il
should be thoroughly understood
JOHN DAVIS.