Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-02-22
eastern Gimfs.
BATH. FEBRUARY %, 1855.
Labor and Capital.

Nv this caption VIC uO HUI uicdu " aoSOt'
tint labor is not capital; indeed, with a very
large class ii is the only capital upon which
10 commence the foundations of fortune or In
dependence But there is capital in money as
well as in labor, and capital of this kind is
often arrayed against labor. Ii is not neces-
sary to indulge in fne-drawn arguments to
convince almost any person of ordinary intell-
gence that only in the harmonious action Oh
the capitalist and the laborer can the true
prosperity of city or State be promo'eu
The wo-classes mutually depend upon each
other. Money alone can no more build, equip,
and sail ship, than labor alone can do the
same things. The operation of the two, In
producing healthy state of business, can be
seen in our own city, without the expense or
inconvience of going abroad. Last season
our city was alive with the hum of industry
Every ship-yard was made musical with the
sound of the workmen's tools, and ships were
built and launched as every day occurrences.
Wages were exceedingly high, and laborers,
with we'll filled pockets on each returning
Saturday night, might almost bid defiance 10
capitalists, and feel that they were entirely In
dependent of them. Indeed, the dependent
class was the employers, for with heavy con-
tracts on hand, bound perhaps to launch ship
at given day, they often passed anxious days
and but little better than sleepless nights,
thinking how they should command labor
enough to meet their contracts and escape for
= FIXTURES. 1t was not the lack of wages-not
that exorbitant cages even, were not paid to
workmen, that caused the employers this anx-
iety, but the very surfeit of wages, the unusu-
al high rates in many cases led the workmen
to abridge their labor, and instead of six, per-
haps to make out but three or four days In
week. Then it was that capitalists felt how
utterly impossible it was for money alone to
accomplish their purpose. But change
came The revusion in the money market
put as effectual stop upon the operations oil
many ship-yards as though the laborers had
all been smitten with fatal disease. Labor
became drug in the market. No ships
c)uld be built, not from lack of labor, but
from pure lack of money. No argument is
needed to convince the most stultiied that Ia
Dor alone, cannot put the wheels of business,
as conducted in this city, in active and pros
porous motion Money is needed, an i'm
menss amount of money, TO furnish the ma
terial upon which all our present surplus labor
may proftaby expend itself. We think any
one may see that 10 produce business prosper
ity in our city, labor and capital must have
good understanding-mu act in harmony.
Neither must be too exactng. Labor should
be well paid and in return for good wages
the Iaborer should be willing to devote him
self for the time stipulated for, with hearty
goodwill.
We contend that just as soon as proper
equilibrium can be adjusted between labor and
capital in our city, more cheering prospect
10 all classes will open upon us To secure
this desirable end, therefore, good under
standing should exist between employers and
employees-between the capitalist and the la
borer. Those mischievous minded people,
who labor in all neighborhoods to beget jeal-
ousies in community, to beget in the mind of
the laborer the idea that the employer is an
enemy, and to get up schisms between the
different useful trades and callings, should re-
ceive no money at the hands of any ones
pecialy of the laborer himself. If there is
now among us any class of persons who are
tanning the flames of discord between labor
and capital, who are Installing into others the
Shiny poison that the laborer is slave to the
empIoyer they less destructive OF the
city's best interest than the midnight incendi-
ary or the lawless mob. Such a course only
tends to adjourn the "good time coming" and
10 defer the hopes Of those already flint with
protracted fasting. To bring about prosper
GUS time in business there must first come
good understanding among all classes. There
must first be an open, manly and conciliatory
spirit cherished among all classes. How is
this now How is it in relation TO our most
important city aflairs-ihe municipal govern
ment of the city Of course, we do not pro-
pose this question with any political party mo-
tive, for in Bath, we do not expect to see-men
Of our political faith elevated to ofice-we
care not farthing about this. We now stand
on higher and broader ground, and ashland
the appeal is TO all classes, and made in the
exercise of the utmost candor-how stands
this matter of Cancellation so necessary to the
business activity and prosperity of our city,
in relation TO our approaching election. We
appeal TO laboring men-to poor men like our
self, whose circumstances so imperatively de-
mand that all reasonable efforts should be
made to revivify business, and TO make our
city, as last year, one great hive of industry.
What, again we ask, is being done! How
stands the case as between the workingman
and the capitalist! We do not believe the
capitalists have any particular desire to rule.
Sure we are that Bath has never been proven
bal for proscrptive policy. Her citizens
have usually acted in good working order, and
mechanics, merchants, lumbermen and farmers
have quite as often been exalted to offices Of
trust as any other classes. But while no class
may desire to rule, every class feels as though
it ought to have voice IN these matters. Is
il then the way TO conciliate and TO improve