Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-12-19
The Relation of Capital and Labor.

From the y. Y. Journal OF Commerce, Nov. IL. J
If it were possible to reach the ears OF the
men who strike for higher wages in combina-
tons, it would not be difficult to convince
those among them who are intelligent and
thinking men, that they make a great mis-
take, and one which will in the end result in
INJURY to themselves. Let US look at the
matter in plain: business way.
The workman says that he has . right to
demand what wages he Pleases. So far he is
correct. He unQucstionably has the right to
place his own estimate on the value OF his
work, provided no one else, wife or children,
mas 4 vested interest in his labor. If awifc
or child has an interest in his wages, then
he has not an independent right 10 FIX its
price, at the risk of losing employment. But
ccnccde that he is right, then comes the next
point, that he claims right to combine with
other laborerS to procure an advance IN the
rate Of wages. We observe that the If!oW!e
comedies this right, and speaks of 1t as IN
doubted Let US see if it IS right. II Is not
4 right If il works wrong. No man has a
right to do another wrong. II laborerS have
! right to combine to increase wages, Of
course EMPLOYERS have the right TO combine
TO depreSs wages. The right of one class is
fully as good IS that OF another. Now, II IS
plain 10 US that a combination OF employers
to put down wages would verge closely on 4
wrong. l. would not be necessarily wrong,
but the right would depend on the question
OF the real value OF the labor and the correct
standard OF wages, and would also depend on
the question whether the laborer was willing
TO take less than he was receiving. COM
bination OF the employers to force laborers TO
x-fnrlf
would Of course be called tyranny BY the Ia
borer. He would see plainly that it was an
attempt to ccercc him. But why can ne not
see it as plainly in combinations Of laborerS: :
The simple truth is that every combination
of laborerS to force high wages is an ariSto-
cratic combination, and oppoSedto democrat
ic principles of freedom. The right OF the
employer to pay what wages he is willing to
paw, ought to be as free as the right Of the
:a6o-er to work for what wages he IS willing
TO take.
A combination of either class to compel
the other 10 pay or take more than he Is
willing is opposed TO free principles. The
object of combination is to enforce the de-
mand. If employers should take advantage
of great glut of labor, and the fact they were
not much pressed to fill orders, and should
put their wages down below living standard,
the poor labOrer, forced to take the low rate,
because he would find no other work, since
the employers were in combination, would
call it Infamous. If the employer should
take advantage of sickness in the laborer's
family, and force him to accept his wages,
when he knew he dared not give up his Situa-
ton, the labOrcr would call II tyranny. Why
is it any less tyranny, any less oppres-
siye, for laborerS to take advantage Of
the necessities of employers, or by COM
to paw more than he is willing The truth
is that the matter of wages is matter of in
dividual contract btofween the employer and
the employed. No man has 4 right to corner
another and force him to make contract
against his will. There is 4 species OF dis
honesty in any such force. All combinations
Of EMPLOYERS would result inevitably in fore
ing the laborer'S will, and rice rerSG eombl-
nations OF labOrers force the free Will Of EN-
ployers. The laborer may think he is safe in
pursuing this course, even If it be aristoerat-
ic and anti-democratic. But he is not safe.
Combinations of laborcrs force combinations
OF EMPLOYERS, and the latter will always con-
Guer in the end. The result is, of course,
bad for both parties, but worse for the labor
ing classes. They are sure to suffer
in the long run in battle with the
holders of capital. Labor will always settle
4
make money, and when they combine they
will take advantage of that settling to force
wages lower and lower. This is the ineyita-
bic result, and if laborers succeed in times
when there happen to be few laborers, and
the advantages of strike are on their side,
thev nav rest assured that when times
change, and labor is plenty, they will suffer
for the present gain. The interest of the Ia
borer is to establish pleasant relations with
his employer, and to make his contract for
wages one which shall be, as nearly as posi-
bic, satisfactory to both parties. If either
one is opposed by the other, the relation can
not be permanently pleasant, but Will break
up in disgust, with only loss TO the one who
endeayOrS TO Cypress the other.
1t is not uncommon to hear laboring men
speak OF labor as 4 commodity which they
have for sale, and they claim right to put
their own price on it. Admit this, and
strong illustration Of the wrong of combina-
tions is at once presented Suppose all the
holders of -four or of coal should combine
and refuse to sell unless they could get their
own price. Would the laboring man see no
wrong in this: Will any OF them explain
wherein their combinations are any more
right than would be the combination of flour
merchants or coal dealers to put up prices
Flour and coal are worth what they will fetch
in market, according to quality, supply and
demand. 1t is clearly 4 wrong upon the
public to force the price up by combination.
Gains thus made are ill-gotten. All men re-
cognize this truth. We recommend it to the
careful examination of laboring men. They
may depend upon it that our advice is for
their good, and intended to benefit, not injure
them. We have the warmest sympathy with
the laboring classes, and in many instances
where there have been strikes there is abun-
dant evidence that the wages paid were much
lower than the work was worth. The women
are especially to be considered. Their wages
are certainly below, far below, their worth.
But two wrongs do not make right; and
strikes are not the way to rectify low wages
for the permanent benefit of the laboring men
nd women.