The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-04-24
The Capitalist q Workman.

i ne new War Oh tuc tiducS
tons that "there are no rights but the rights
of labor" is in part an incendiary utterance,
and in part specious assertion. In the Or
ieinal~ = condition of mankind, some such
statement possessed a partial justifca ton. /
While it is true that all wealth, all pro-
duction, come from labor, it does not follow
that all labor is confined to men who work
with their hands. The capitalist who en-
ploys half hundred working men is engag-
ed Just as much in the interests of labor as
the men who work for him. In such a case,
the assertion that 'there are no rights but
the rights of labor, would apply as much to
him as the men in his service. There is
quite as much labor in planning as in execu-
ting, and in furnishing means for project
as in carrying it out. The architect who de-
signs, the capitalist who furnishes the means,
and the artizans who construct a house, are
all engaged equally in the interests of labor.
He is simply an ignorant ass or designing
demagogue who attempts, in such a case, to
limit the labor interests to those who drive
the plane, carry the hod, and handle the
trowel.
1t is to be regretted that feeling should
| arise between workingmen and capitalists
and which threatens to result in an open an
| tagonism. The insanity which pervades
some of the men who are taking an active
part in the controversy, may be seen in a de-
nunciation of Stewart, the New York mer-
| chant, made by ga Mechanic" in city
newspaper. This incendiary demagogue bit
terly inveighs against Stewart for the crime
| ded than any such charge. Strike Stewart
and Stewards wealth suddenly from exist
ence, and a million workingmen and women
all over the civilized world would feel the
blow. There are sailors employed in the
| ships that bring over his importations.-
| There are operatives by the thousands en-
| gagged in the factories which furnish the
| goods which he sells. Hundreds of clerks
are employed in his stores, and hundreds OF
workmen upon the houses he is building
| He is, in reality, vast benefactor TO indus
| try and yet there are demagogues who de-
nounce him for his wealth. All there is OF
| Stewart is that he is superior workman
He is capable of managing factories, ships
and builders. He superintends operations
which ramify through the commerce and in
dustry of half the globe. He is paid accor-
dinghy. The demagogue writing to q city
newspaper thinks he should be paid the
same as man who lays bricks or carries
| mortar.
All capitalists are workmen and they
are entitled 10 payment Tor their lao0r ID
proportion to the amount which they do
The man who has $4,000 at interest is en-
titled to more return than he who has but
| $1,000. 1t is sheer malignity or gross ig-
norance which asserts that the capitalist who
/ has $4,000 in business should receive no
more for his risks, his trouble, and invest
/ mSnt, than the man who labors for him by
| the day.
The true remedy for workingmen who are
dissatisfied with the pay of capitalists, is for
them to become their own employers. lie,
them form cooperative departments, IN
which each man represents both employer
| and employee. By this way they may es
cape the payment of the salaries of first-class
workmen like Stewart. By doing this, by
associating themselves, they will soon find
that there are grades, and that some opera
tors are worth more than others. They will
then see that there are some men who can
earn more than others and in seeing this
they viii see precisely the principle upon
which the present system of industry is foun
ded, viz: That the capitalist is simply q
workman, who demands and is entitled tt
higher wages than other workmen without
capital, for the reason that he runs more
risks, has more cares, and superintends G
larger business.-Chicago Times.