True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-05-01

from forced idlencss here, or elsewhere,
there is, in all the land, abundance of work
for all. If tho sam total Of labor was so
distributed as to meet the demand Of the
wholcmarket, every workerwould be prof
itably employed, The. nobest organize
tion labor could form weuld be one to in
telligently distribute itself, or its surplus
by counsel or pecuniafy aid, from the over
stocked TO the ruderstocked market and
thus commandits own terms.
THE INTERESTS OF LABOR.
The interests Of labor may be consider
ed as many and complicated, or as few and
simple. The fewer and simpler the better
for their clear und rstanding. Labor is
the creative power, the eldest and noblest
capital. 1t is the workers interest to re-
gard and respect it as such, and to 80 forti-
fly it by intelligent applications as to make
it the marketable or commercial eqaal OF
money capital. 1t is its interest to be In
harmony with money capital, and it can be
without humiliation or subjection, with
great advantage to itself; for money7capi-
tai is labor's exchange agent, as well as
aid-crcative. Keep labor rightly distribu-
ted, and money-capital will meet it half
way. 1t is not the interest of the worker
to have labor protected as to hours and pri-
ces--save, perhaps, for apprentices and mi
nors-by legislation or intimidating asso-
Citations. This is a false basis, seldom
bringing present, and never securing per-
manent good, 1t only gives money capital
an excuse for legislatins and banding IN
turn; and the latter, being more a unit,
and more shrewd, will always outlegislatc
labor. Trades unions, such as have devcl-
oped here, are not laborer's best friend
They have kept multitudcs from work by
dicta,ing arbitrary prices, in defiance OF the
i, natural law of demand supply, and permit
, ting none of their over-stocked, competing
craftsmen to work for less prices when la
Dor and livelihood were thereby to he had
They have also raised a false and mis-
!, ehicyous prejudice against moncy-capital
and dons the greatest injury to the work
ing classes by creating the impression tha
the prostrations Of labor are owing 10 tn
i rich, when they are generally, and IN til
main, owing to the ill-directed and i'll dis
tributon of labor Workers have thu
been blinded to their real interests and t
the truth. Rightly distributed, labor cal
define its hours us we'll as dictate its pri
i ces-and do it on sure basis. Let labo
. allure legislation for itself, and it can Wit
~ triumphant force, as well asjusticc, deman
- the abolition Of all such statutes and ord
10 nauces as define what cartman shall II
il coivc for hauling load of brick or fiou1
,r but leave the builder, baker, or landlord t
of charge what they please for their labor
u 1t is the interest OF laber to have don
40 with all this sort of legislation, and ther
r. intelligent and well distributed; it can viz
toriously battle its own indepcndant wa,
The public will always be secured froi
over tax under this absence of law, !
:; healthy competition. 1t is the interest
:. labor to have intellectual, social and b
: nevoleut organizations to compass son
i. part of all Of its market product consum
!, ton atfrst prices though labor would suff
:, very little in this direction II it was rigt
N, ly employed. The crowning interest
~ labor is, by the combination of all
= movements, to enable itself to stand alor
,nt dependent on no extraucous aid, its Oy
=, governor and master ofits own fortune.
III THE DUTIES OF LABOR.
- The duties of labor relate mostly to itse
tho Why has the worker been, forever a
everywhere, a comparative bondsman?
onr suppliant at the ''grcat mans" gate a
crumb-eater at the ''rich mans" tab
nd Largely because he has not comprehend
4, and vindicatcd his own worth aud imp
~ ~ tance. BY ages of habit and educati
roc and often by seeming madness cfsubs
,tb- viency, he has held himself revere
~, with hat of and head bowed, Of the "gre'
= the erich, and the "titled," whose gr(
:. J ness, wealth and titles were born of
ma sweat, and blood. He has fanced;
.,,or chance, that every man whose hands
,na whitei or whose garments were comler
I. A. of better stuffs than his own; or who m
n ;s noisier pretcnsions, was really greater
4 - better than himself, He did not paus
6 80 reflect that white hands may belong
nde. william, fno garments to a moral lepcr,
"a. pretenson to knave, a fool, or a sh'
D,;rs lie forgot--or never kuew-that pr
,.;r have desccrated holy altars; that ju
have taken bribes, and that kings have
!, derously bathed in human blood.
'hefs !, short, he was unconciOus Of that
eon hopeful, and cnsbliug truth, becO
'rclS- moro and more uotent every day, tha