Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-15
THE HONEST LABoRING TAN.

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We have no animosity, against the
wealthy man. He is citizen, and should
be protected in his property and person.
He should be allowed to enjoy his gains,
in such manner as may be to him most
desirable, so long as he does not interfere
with the rights and interests of labor.
moral, intellectual and remunerative. In
other words, the poor man, the hard
working laborer, should not become a
mere machine, and be used and abused,
at pleasure, by the wealthy, who employ
him.
The farmer, rising with the sun plant
ing, blowing, reaping, ceaselessly toiling
and tilling; the mechanic, bending over
the machine or bench, putting his lfe's
energy into his work; the miner, digging
and living in the bowels OF the earth, and
turning day into night; the teacher, hear
ing the self. same lessons, day in and day
out, and worrying with untold vexations;
the begrimed and heated engineer, with
his hand on the throttle and treasures of
life and property in his keeping; the fire.
man, toiling and exposing his person to
death; the clerk, bending over the coun-
ter, clipping and figuring, walking in his
prison span behind the counter, with pale
face and nervous form; the professional
man, with the cares and dissentions, the
disputes and destinies Of the world, to
weigh, adjust and decide--these men, the
most of whom are poor, or it may be, in
fair circumstances, have right to be
heard, remunerated and protected. They
are the great common people, who make
and unmake governments, who elevate
men to political and responsible positions,
and just as easily tumble them into dust
and oblivion. Therefore, they should be
What just excuse can there be for any
man getting less than $3.50 per day in
this country for his labor9 This should
be paid the ordinary laborer, no matter
where employed. Give the farmer good
prices for his products, for his horses and
corn and grain. Then, he can pay proper
wages to his laborers, and they can keep
soul and body together. Give the con-
ractor living contracts, so that the car
oenter and material men can also be paid
living wages. Instead of spending mil
ions on railroad mprovements-improve
he men, let the live operatives be remem-
oered, and not the rolling stock altogether.
tut dividends in half, and give the toiler
lis share.
Take the average railroad mans life.
He is away from home most of the time.
lie is called at any hour, in sunshine or
ain, during the day or night, and he
must go. His train is put under the unit
cars are 10 be hauled, the
,ame time made. and no extra pay given
o him. This is an outrage. Then his
orakesmen are decreased in number, the
lir appliances neglected by the company,
Extra strains put on his nerves, and thus
lie is sent out on the road and expected to
ret along as best he can. All these ex-
-ra worries and cares are thrust upon him,
but mary an extra dollar, and his work.
ng day is as near thirteen hours as it can
be made, without the extra hour being
given to him. Thus he lives--the slave
Of the corporation employing him, and
with a host of supercilious bosses. with
brains enough to run ten-pin
alley, placed over him to jaw and find
fault and have him tried byrailroad courts.
Railroad men do not deserve such treat
ment and they should compel these COM
panies to disgorge; to treat them like hu-
man beings. They can do it through
their organizations, and we hope they will
have manhood enough to do it, The
people should back them, if necessary.
Why should men be required to labor
over hours day. Conditions, in most
every avocation of life, have changed, and
machinery now turns out in eight hours,
what heretofore has required the labor of
five men, working IL and IA hours. All
the profits should not go to the manufac-
turer and employer. Labor should have
some of the benefits. Why not lessen the
number of working hoursp Give the la
borer an opportunity to enjoya few hours