Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-06-13
Cn-Operatixe Labor.

|
,vbioh will have n greater influence on
the happiness and virtue of the people
than a correct solution OF the labor
question, The morals and practical re-
liqjon of the people, and perhaps the
form of Government, depend upon IT.
Happily this is not party question:
Little or no legislation is required, Tor
hero all men are equal before the law
In Ohio this Is true not only as regards
the letter of the statute, but it Is true in
spirit for we have neither customs, In
terests nor prejudices to retard the full
and complete operation of the principle
Of equality.
Our productive system, as regards
everything but agriculture, is yet in its
infancy. We can, therefore, freely. dis
cuss the relations Of capital and labor
without risk of injuriously affecting any
existing interests. This will not be the
fact few years hence, If our present
vicious hireling system is isallowed to con.
tinue long enough to take the form OF
permanent institutions. Capital should
not own labor in any sense-either In the |
| form of chattel slavery, or in the aDility
| to command the services of the WORKING |
man by presenting the alternative OF in
/ adequate compensation or absolute star
yation. But Is IL not plain that our in
dustrial system is drifting In that direc-
| tion? When that period arrives. capital
will be consolidated and powerful, while
skill and muscle will be disorganized and
powerless. No eight-hour law; no the
oretical equality embodied in statutes
no "Trades Unions;" no benevolent So
cieties, will be able to prevent such
consummation, nothing but Intelligent
and business-like combination among
working men can prevent them from
sinking into condition of abject de-
pendence.
The history Of cooperative labor in
| France and other European countries IS
interesting and instructive, though their
peculiar systems Of cooperation are, per-
haps, not adapted TO the genius and char
acter of our people and the circumstances
Of our country. We propose TO give
brief sketch of some Of them.
In Paris, in the year lS4S, eighteen
chairmakers organized n cooperative as
sociation, with u capital of only three
hundred and fifteen francs (S60.) Each
of the associates received the regular
wages, the work being paid for by the
piece, and the profits divided by the
number of days labor performed by each
{ "A certain per centum OF profits going
to augment the capital. Each OF the
members Of the association has maintain
ed himself and family, and, at the end
t Of twelve years, several of them had
: acduireda respectable private property,
and the capital of the company had
>, swelled to fifty thousand francs 300
II An association of carriage-makers, or
q ganized about the same time, with begin
i nings as to capital but little superior, has
a met with equal success.
80 The last-rnakers' association WAS origi
s mated by four men whose poverty was sc
@ extreme that their entire capital amount
n ed, in the beginning, to only two francs
:, $50 cents). They have supported them
u selves and families out of their wages
and the profts the present number o
II associates is twenty-seven; the capita
:. has augmented to thirty-five thousano
:, francs (S8, $500. In addition to the wages
paid. the division of profits averagesabou
10 twenty-five per cent.
)f The association Of spectacle-maker
a originally consisted Of thirteen persons
a They had no capital whatever-nothin,
" but their skill. At the end of ten year
III each of the original associates had saVe'
g from the profits private fortune of owe
10 twelve thousand francs, ana the com
49, pany's capital amounted to one hundre
% and fifty thousand francs tS2S, ,50ol, O
at which sum dividend or thlrty-hVe pc
o. cent. was realized in 1868.
a An association of brick and stone ma
~ sons. organized with no capital eXccI
III the skill and muscle of the members
has grown into powerful company.
There is no good reason why simila
associations would not succeed III TN
G. country to an equal, If not to u create
ed extent. But In the formation or sue
ar associations great care should he take
To organize them on sound business prll
10 ciples. Our statctcs make provision fc
H. the organization of iointstock companies
ed adapted to the wants and necessities
,t- our working men and such compani'
~ can be organized by working men alon
"a or by a combination OF operatives al
dc capitalists
ris But habits of economy on the pant
en- working men and their families mu
U.s. preoede success in every undertaking
Ior the kind. Capital IL a necessity in bus
for ness-in fact, 10 Is one OF the prime II
cessities of civilization. Without II su
,at cess II impossible in every manufacture
'S' pIrsuit: but IL is not necessary th
CAPITALISTS and laborers should be distin
er- classes In the community. Labor ms
en- and should own and control capital.
he For example, If five, ten or fifteen sh'
tc makers, carpenters, machinists, mason
by cignr-makers, or members OF any 9th
ses trade, whose weekly or monthly wag
bic are wholly absorbed in paying rents M
tar feeding and clothing their families, wou
nd first resolve to rctrcnch their eXpend
ne lures twenty-five per cent, and then
Zen ganize joint stock company In whi'
q to invest their surplus earnings, th'
gh could within one year employ themselv
and receive not only their weekly
az monthly wages, but also the profits
wo their labor. After the organization
W., the company, and when II Is In oper
Ae tion, let twenty-five per cent. OF q
rem wages bc reserved to increase the caplt
=, is stock until II has attained the desir
roo proportions. Let all communist ideas
excluded, and let every man recei
mas wages according to his industry, SIX
Ing and ability, and Let the profits be divid
the according to the capital owned by eac
,oir If one of the partners wishes TO ret
~" he can dispose OF his stock to whom
lers pleases but cannot cripple the enterpr
ma by Withdrawing 1t.
There may be difficulties In tho W
oo OF putting these theories into practi,
w operation; but there are none whi
lrn; cannot be overcome by the good sense
eral our mechanics and citizens II they "
mn take hold OF this matter In earnest
WY We are authorized by gentleman,
oice every way competent TO perform WI
ats; he proposes, TO say, that II any numl
ave of respectable mechanics and citi2'
.l..I ,..l, IN