Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-11-28
Labor and Capital.

From Adam Smith down to Anna Dicki nson,
theorists as TO the issues between capltai ana
labor have given themselves an unnecessary de-
gree of bother The greatest remedy that we
know of for half the Ills that labor is heir to
rests entirely with laborers themselves Capl-
tai will always take advantage OF the necessities
of every situatioo. 1t will never inquire Into
any other considerations than those aHectlngi It's
own interests 1t will hire where 1t can hire
the cheapest, aud sell where it can sell to the
best advantage.
Labor is unfortunate n that it is lmprovl-
dent, and hence always necessious. Ii york
ingmen saved th cir wages they would soon pc
independent Of the fluctuations Of the labor
market. But SO long as laborers spend as they
20, their necessities will always be immediate,
and in proportion to their necessities will they
be at the mescy Of capital.
When the worker demands greater reward
for his services, it is rarely ever that the capl-
tallst listens to the merit OF the plea. The ste
reotyped reply is, You can work for so much
or you can go. There are plenty to fill your
place, even at much cheaper rates than you
now receive" The re medy of the laborer Is
to make this plea impossible. That can only
be done by so aceumulaslng the means ot sub
sistence that the laborer will never be entirely
dependent upon the daily work he may receive
for his daily bread. With years wag ss saved
laborer would be independent for that length
of time, and to he same extent would the cap
italist be at his mercy
Human dependence is really expressed In hu'
xasa mprovldence. Tue poor spend entirely
too iauch money There is but limited peri
cd In which workers can be employed to advan-
tage, whether they labor by brain, craft or
muscle. The apprentice becomes a Journey
man, the student practitioner, and self-sup-
port is an easy problem But these marry
Then come the complicated and unceaslng ex-
penses of a family Work must be had, and
the family eat up the wages before they are
earned With sickness comes debt, and debt
is mortgage upon all future efforts. Death
itself is even an expense, aud the children OF
these iluprovidents inherit the burden which
has descended upon their shoulders, and work
out their lives as did their fathers. Thus the
present system OK crates Work is demanded
for daily bread, and we behold the spectacle of
capital conferriDg favor when 1t gives employ
ment. The improvident Workmen cannot stop
working for day. IdIeness with him is star
vation, and recreation Iun And he tolls on,
at whatever terms capital may see fit to allow
him, as much the slave Of his employer thro'
his necessities, as though there could be pro-
perty in human flesh and blood.
When workiugmen can point to their bank
accounts aud say that they have money enough
to be independent for one single year, the la
Dor market will not show that crowded ccndi-
tiou wherein three are always ready to do the
work OF one, at just enough recompense to re-
lieve their naked, actual necessities. If this is
only the part of truth, it is at least that fun
damental part of it which labor reformers can
af<,v