Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-08
A Just Distribution Of the Profits Of
Useful Labor.

81
Useful Labor.
We have SO often been askel what
We mean by inscrtingin our prospectus
TINT we should advocate just dis,ribu'
ton Of the profits Of useful labor; that it
becomes rather imperative for us TO say
something upon this subject. "Do you
msan," says one, "that in establishing
your printing Office the whole profits Of
,he establishment shall be divided equal:
ly between yoursclfand your ossistants?"
Says another, "do you think that in run.
ming a furnace, there shoull be a divi
,dend declared at the end Of the year, and
oil the laboyers come in for an equal
share Of the profits!" No; We do not
mean any such thing,-wc entertain no
such sgrariun views. Such a policy
would have a tendency to destroy the
natural desires Of the mind to obtain an
independence in society, which, when
properly exercised, are not only honora'
Bile. but truly commen liable. Neither is
it our wish to array the laborer against
the capitalist as having adverse interests,
for we believe capital is as necessary
40 the prosperity Of any community, as
is the physical force that shapes the ma
tural commodity and brings it forth in
artificial form for the use and convent.
.cnce ofman. What we mean, is sim
ply what we say, that all useful labor,
whether OF the hands, Of the head, or Of
ahe heart, should secure to its performer
its just and equitable proportion Of the
profits arising from that labor. Capital
is the effect Ct labor, that has secured
to its possessor the profits ofthat labor
and, in many instances not only his
own. but the profits Of others. So far os
i: is the result Of the profits ofthc labor
Of its possessof, it is lawful; and so far
as it has been wrung from the labor Of
others, it has bcon unlawfully obtained,
anil is an usurpation or covctins by its
possessor, Of that which belongs to his
neighbor. To illustrate; If an inlividu.
al embar%s in on enterprise that requires
an investment Of $4,000, and force of
twenty laboring men, whose labor may
be worth $500 each, per year, and the
profits Of that enterprise after defraying
other incidental expenses should amount
10 $4,000 per annum, then each Iaborer
Is cquitably entitled to about $55, of,
that profit, os the amount pro rata, aris.
Ing from his labor, or, in plain English,
his wages should be increased SO that
the capitalist, by means of his moniel
power will not be able to absorb the
profits Of each individuals labor in addi-
tion to the prcfts upon his capital an.
rested; which is all that in justice be.
longs to him. Consequently We set up
NO bug bear, but simply advocate equal
and exact justice to all. Wewould be
pleased to see better feeling exist be.
tween employers and employed, than is
frequently mani(ested-mutual aggrcs.
sions have embittersd the feelings Of
both, in many instances, until each has
become suspicious Of the other, and q
loss Of selcrespect. and degradation of
morals has been the result. Indeed, we
have often hearI the remark, and some.
times from those that appeared to be
honorable in their neiyhborhood deal.
jngs, "that it was no harm TO steal from
an Iron Master" To such we simply
ray, the same decnlogue that says "thou
shals not kill"-also says "thou shalt
mot steal" We know Of no system Of
reasoning by which to arrive at a con.
clusion that it is excusablc to wrong an
Iron Muster, any more than any other
class Of business men. They have
bsen influenced by like motives. and
have arriven at similar results. But from
the prevailing opinion among many of
tbeir lsborsrs that it is no harm to cheat
them; at least, there is room for inquiry
whether these accusations are brought
against then, from the natural depravity