Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-12-11
CONTEST OF LABOR AND oAPI-
TAIL ON THE REFORM BILL.

W more immediate objects of regula-
ting hours and work and pay, but act
ing as organized bodies. politically in
favor Of Parliamentary reform, and so
far against the present administration.
The London Times has called particular
attention TO this, and shown that the
tendency Of this movement is to array
labor against capital and complains
bitterly that John Bright is thus virtu-
ally organizing all the working men
throughout England against those who
pay wages, and are so far capitalists.
The feeling that matters are rapidly
coming to this has made large numbers
of the middle classes, who employ the
members of the Trades Unions, inclined
in heart to ~sympathize with the aris-
tocracy and against the Reform bill.
On the other hand, the dread of array
ing labor against capital is n of those
things which is rapidly making the OPP
ponents of Reform frightened at their
own success, and willing to perpetuate
their power by bringing in and carrying
through a more liberal measure Of re-
form than they climbed into power by
rejecting. To many it seems impossible
that the same men a be sincere in
both courses. And yet something like
this is so constantly taking place in
all history that it appears to be a natur-
al law.
There is an old proverb that two of q
trade never agree. Man and wife agree
best when, instead Of being too much
alike, there is something in the charac-
ter of each complemental to the defects
in the mind Of the other-something, in
fine, for each to respect in the opposite,
as well as for each to supply. In all
our foreign intercourse we have gcner-
ally got along most pleasantly with
those administrations that have seemed
theoretically most different from our
own. Our comfy with Russia has been
most cordial and sincere, although that
country is theoretically a military des-
potiSm, and ours is naturally a peaceful
Republic. We have generally had less
trouble in arranging diplomatic ques-
tions with Great Britain when a Con-
sentative Administration has been in
power than with a Liberal one.
The supposed antagonism between
labor and capital exhibits itself most
strongly in England at this time, be-
cause the organization of each party is
more fully arranged and developed. But
let it ever be remembered that the fouu-
dation Of all capital is labor. Money is
only the representative for so much
work done, whether by head Of hand,
and it is either its power to purchase
labor or its products that gives to capt.
tai its value. Go back a generation or
two, and we generally find that the fam
lilies who are the wealthiest now were
the hardest workers then. The Peels
Of old England and the Astors Of our
country will sufficiently illustrate what
we mean. Capital is formed by the
surplus of labor over consumption, and
so ~re-invested as to make less labor pro-
duce larger results. The real contest,
then, is largely between present labor
and past labor, as to which shall have
the biggest share Of the results Of their
Joint productions. The most natural
arrangement-that arrangement in
which there is the greatest tendency
to fairness-is where they are both
most closely united, where the cap
italist is Industrious and practical, his
business growing up under his own
hands and his own eye. Then there is
a natural growth of labor by the accu-
mutation of capital. In many Of the
manufacturing establishments of this
country all the operatives are encouraged
to lay by a portion of their earnings, so
that in due time each Of them may be-
come Il capitalist to some extent, and
NAV either manufacture on his own ac-
count, or, perhaps become a partner in
that where he was brought up. 1t is
where one class owns all the capital,
and another have only their hands and
their skill, that the antagonism really
exists. Ifcapitslists attempt to grind
down labor, operatives in turn are very
apt to combine against capitalists. The
mutual power of inficting in these cases
is so great, that wise capitalists soon
feel it necessary to make terms more ad-
vantageous for all who work than Ia
borers could in any way secure without
their assistance, so that the advantages
are ultimately shared by both. If this
is not done, s'strikes" follow, and hum
dreds of thousands lie idle, and are for
the time worthless. But a few capital
lists can often stand this longer than the
workmen and their families, who would
sooner suffer. Hence, combinations on
both sides are an~tagonistic to each
other. In such cases all the law can do
is TO see that both keep the peace. And
if capitalists find that owing to combi-
nations of any sort they can make their
money yield more in some other form
of investment, or some other country, 1t
is astonishing how soon it will take to
itself wings and fly away from conten-
ton to peace, and from one form to a
more profitable one.
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.-A letter receiv-
ed in New York from st. Johns, New
Brunswick, states that a part Of the
crew Of a wrecked American whale ship
bova arrival there Who hrin1 interest-