THE HESPERIAN.
CURRENT COMMENT.
"This country," remarks Mntthow Arnold, "lias no ruins,
ami is therefore not a pleasant place for the traveler to spenil
his idle moments,," Now we do not claim for this country
mills equal to many ancient countries; hut if the gentleman
could only make an extended tour shortly after an election
takes place he, perhaps, might satisfy his longing desire
by gazing upon the countenances of defeated candidates.
Should this amusement prove as wholesome and enjoyable to
the traveller as visiting abroad this country may yet become an
asylum for sight seers and pleasure lovers. If perchance such
may be the case, some day Matthew may come among us.
One of the most important of the problems that arc worry
ing the Senior class is the fact that within the next three
months, the citizens of this state will have a free and un
icstraincd opportunity to declare whether in their opinion
the worthy Seniors are any bigger than anybody else. Of
course, everybody now has to admit, in order to be court-oils
and dignified, and in order to allay the wrath of the
great Seniors, that they arc the peers of any citizen in the
state. It is but proper under circumstances like these to go
to the record of facts and take a careful and reliable survey.
It is true that the Seniors have donned prince Albert Coats
and are now agitating the question of silk hats and gold
headed walking sticks in order that they may travel with a
seven leagued stride toward the goal of their ambitious,
while the Juniors arc compelled to follow after with a slower
gait; yet everybody has faith that the Juniors will prevail
even in such an unequal race. This is an age of vast and
colossal check, which is free to crop out with more numer
ous and effective contrivances than the octopus, Victor
Hugo's devil fish of the sea; in this age of giant intellects
which clasp with a vice-like grip all supposed weaklings and
try to rule all intermediate space in their own favor, with ut
ter disregard of the rights of others, it is no wonder the
Senior class can assume a brazen dignity, and let fall upon
the minds of the people of Nebraska, as a token of relief,
that they are as big as anybody, and arc ready to accept
public duty, and pcrfonn it with hands with never erring
destiny, as did Napoleon in the years that arc gone. We
can only say that if they can create an impression so strong
among those with whom they may be pleased to cast their
lots, as to met it public favor they will, by their commanding
talents, lofty patriotism, and colossal cheek have illuminated
and adorned one page, at least, in American history.
Does farming pay? This question has been freely dis
cussed throughout the state during the last few months by
many leading farmers, ns well as by the newspapers of the
state.
The arguments thus far produced seem to balance fairly
well. Whenever one side has succeeded in scoring a point
over their opponents, an immediate reply is made by the
other side. We are of the opinion, having been schooled on
a farm for ten hours a day for the last twenty years, that
farming is a mistaken calling, if the object of the farmer is to
sell his grain as soon as produced, and not feed it to stock.
Experience has proved to many a farmer in Nebraska that
this kind of farming does not pay, and the ordinary .farmer
freely admits it. But when a man is so situated as to be able
to feed out his crops to cattle and hogs, there is considerable
to be made farming, and we are willing, under such condi
tions, to retract our statement that farming is a mistake. As
a rule the farmer, in the long run, succeeds far better than
the laboring man without capital. Thousands of farmers can
be pointed out in this state who commenced a few years ago
with little more than their bare hands to wrestle with a home
stead. To be sure they early found out that it was necessary
to drop the idea of getting their pay Saturday nights. Some
times they were obliged to wait for it years before it came.
Hut in the end good profits have generally been realized.
Again, we believe that the farmer who judiciously feeds his
corn to cattle and hogs, and markets them instead of the corn,
will realize from the aflorcsaid corn fifty cents a bushel. I
this amount can be realized, all admit that farming is a suc
cess. At any rate, whatever the arguments may be, it is
plainly noticeable that the successful fanners are the feeders,
and that where dependence is placed on the' bare crop alone
for support, the fanner soon goes to the wall, and would be
in better circumstances in the long run if he were a striking
engineer.
We may be regarded as somewhat cranky on the suhject
of strikes, but so long as they continue to occupy so promi
nent a place in our country affairs, as they do at present, we
feel justified in expressing our views.
The question of stiikes is becoming a serious one, and
must sooner or later be the uppermost question in the minds
of our leading statesmen. Something will soon have to be
done to prevent the needless waste of time caused by strikes,
and above all to put an end to the business interruptions that
constantly appear to perplex and damage the masses, who are
compelled to sufler against their will whenever a crew of
laboring men deem it proper to quit work. No matter how
insignificant the strike, it effects everybody, in a small degree
to be sure, and perhaps a few would never be felt if no more
were likely to occur, liul such is not to be the case, for they
are constantly occuring. No sooner is one labor trouble past
than another springs into existence, making an uninterrupted
series of sti ikes, boycotts and labor disturbances from one
year's end to another. Strike follows strike. This is the
song of the age, and is being sung louder and louder every
year, and will not cease until some means of checking this
wanton waste of labor and capital, as well as misery and
poverty, is devised. The sooner political leaders turn their
attention to matters of this kind," relegating party quibbles to
oblivion, the better it will be for the prosperity of the laboring
men, for the prosperity of the manufacturer and corporator,
and for the prosperity of the nation at large.
We, as Americans, have a profound feeling for all labor
organizations, and would like to sec them come out of any
trouble they may experience with undiminished prestige; yet
we recognize the fact that the party most intcres.tcd-is the
public and ought to have a right to demand that a stop
be put to wanton and ill-considered strikes. We arc free to
assert that railroad men, although they sec the corporations
they arc working for making money, have no right to de
mand a share of the spoils so long as they receive good and
just wages for their work. If the railroads could be made to
divide their profits it would be an appeciatcd blessing, but
the division should be made so that the people from whom
the large earnings were extorted, would receive the benefit
and not the railroad employes who have no more right to it
than the company. Let the railroad companies restore them
a share of this profit which has been unduly and uncon
ditionally extorted from the men who furnish the traffic for
the roads, then the employes would perhaps be more con
tented if their employers did not accumulate such large for
tunes. It is this rapid growth and magnificent profits that
the roads make which turns the heads of laboring men and
O
