STRIKING AT THE ROOT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1374, 30 March 1878, Page 5

STRIKING AT THE ROOT.

If one is earnest in desiring to extermi* nate an evil, he must be radical, that is, he must seek for the root of the evil, and tear it out. Lopping off a little branch here, or snatching a handful of leaves yonder, is but f ollyjand lossjof|time in a labour of this kind.

Why are the workers of this nation in almost open revolt to-day against constituted authority 7 Why this disgrace upon the land — this blockade of all business, this turmoil, these mobs, these armed men? It is impossible that any social or society or other event, caused by or under the control of humans, can occur without a cause. There was a cause for the colonies separating from the mother country— a cause for the late civil war, and just so Bure was there a cause for this labour revolt. It is the duty of all men who love order, respect law, and have the honour and welfare of the American people at heart, first to put down the revolt, and second to inquire into and if possible ascertain the cause thereof, so that a remedy may be provided against similar occurrences hereafter. Like produces like— hence the cause that created this revolt will, if the evil be not removed, produce another and perhaps more formidable one in due time.

And it is among the best signs of the times for the future peace of society, that the workers themselves have divined or are divining the cause of all their woes. The Working Men's League declares against the national banks and in favour of the people's currency, and also in favour of the ownership of the national highways by Government. These two measures successful, and land monopoly abolished, there would, we think, be no cause for labour revolts, and without cause they cannot exist. The nation has been sleeping on a volcano for years. The internal fires, or the material that feeds them, must be destroyed, or, though the smoke may be consumed, the coals will remain alive but slumbering, ready to burst forth in a blaze when stirred by the next breeze. Patching is but botching. A permanent cure should be sought and applied ; and yet to-day the great public have a weak, senseless idea that it is only necessary for the roads and employes to come to termß to stop all this trouble. That would be but a miserable temporary shift, but preliminary to the great work — for if no deeper remedy were applied, like occurrences might happen next month or next year. And it will be the interest of all capitalists to give this subject their earnest attention. Security of life and property is the first thing needful,' and there can be neither while there is cause to move the masses as they have been and are now being moved. — Sacramento (Cal.) Bee.