The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-31
Ce-Operative Labor.

un3ar this name 10 contained tho primer
pls - I'm Of great revolution which Is
m nabtIe tbe conflict between capital and
l11px and unite these two necessary, though
rrstimes aHtagonistic elements Of society
- Ne most hsrms nous relations, in which
TIL viii present. not the picture Of the
lion end t66 lamb lyisg down together, but
r1lhsr tbe scene Of two lions reposing7 7n
sspeord. each conscious Of bis own prowsss
= poWeE .
blIitcal Economists tsll rs that in prin-
sssa>iaune h0uH1iV AetwssA ranltal
and lator. Yet the scbeming sellisdness
of man brings these two social forces into
ruinously hostile relations. 10 England,
the struggle has been bitter, protracted and
disastrous to all parties whose interests
we're in any way involved in it, The same
history may be written for il in Amer
ca. Ii has all the elements of military
campaigning where one party strives to in
fiict the utmost possible injury upon bis
adversary. As consequence, both par
ties suffer immensely upon points where not
only safety but existence depends. Exbaus-
ton to both parties, and ruin to one if not
both, is the result to which such state OF
things naturally leads.
But cooperative labor has happily step
ped in, and solved this question to the mu-
taal advantage and harmony Of both par
ties We have the best authority for say
ing that. wherever it has been tried in Eng
land, it has effected an entire reconciliation
between the capitalist and laborer. Ii has
disclosed to them that the interests of each,
properly considered, lie in the same direc
ton that they are mutually sustaining,
conducive to each others highest and most
substantial advantage. 1t has broken down
class Of miscbievous agitators-
of discord between capital and labor, who
like robbers and jackals on a battle field,
grow rich and fat, from causes which entail
infinite disaster and misery upon others.
The principle is universal, and every
where applicable. 1t has received demon
stration in North Adams which commends
it to the good Judgment, appreciation, and
practical adoption by all men and certainly
by dissatisfied working men as far as posi-
bic. The Co operative Shoe Manufacturing
Company, commenced business about four
months ago with a capital Of six thousand
dollars, the combined property Of about
thirty Industrious, temperate, Tesolute, hard
working men. Sluggards and drones have
no business in such hive. Mark the re
suit. They have made net gain Of about
fifty per cent on their invested capital.
They have lived out of their business and
added thirty-three per cent. to their original
capital, having now eight thousand dollars
in the place Of six thousand at The. com
mencement of their enterprise with which
to enlarge their business or improve their
facilities for carrying it on.
This result effectually explodes the faI-
lacy Of labor strikes which are often engi-
neered by men having no sympathy with
the wants and necessities Of the strikers.
Such combinations cause large numbers .ot
men to waste their time in a manner worse
than idleness for their morals and their
habits, for the purpose of infiicting dam
age upon others or cause employers to
stop their mills for the purpose of subduing
their cOntumacious working men, by bring
ing the wolf of famine to their doors. In
such cases both parties may have grounds
Of complaint, each against the other, and
yet both in their conduct be at antipodes
with truth and duty. The principle Of CO.
operation harmonizes these discordant ten
denotes, settles the difficulty, and causes
capital and labor to work peacefully to-
gether for mutual prosperity and support
The more Of such organizations we see in
the country, and we hope to see more Of
them here, the less we shall hear Of labor
strikes, and labor riots, and the more con-
tentment, prosperity and culture W. shall
observe among the wOrkingmen.-NortA
Adams Nescs