New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-29
TIE FuruRE OF CAPITAL.

the differences existing between labor ant
capital The uprising of the commun
at Paris, and the bold enunciation OF tn
International Workingnen's Association
in England, are the strongest proofs tina
labor is determined upon asserting it
right to rule. The English society is t.
be the pivotal point from which the othe
organizations in Europe and this countr,
are to be instructed and educated for tn,
great struggle in the future. The Inter
national Association has marked out Eng
land as the country in which their grea
experiment on modern society can b.
most effectively tried first, as the country
in which the capitalist pewer-labo!
combined on a great scale under master
capitalists-has gained possession of the
whole. process of production" and the
only country where "eyery change in the
economic facts will Immediately react on
the whole world" This vast and power.
full organization, numbering thousands
upon thousands, are active, earnest. and
sincere in their purpose of producing
equality with, if not control over, capital,
and to make it subservient to their de-
mands
1t will not do to slight or ignore the
fact that large bodies Of men in Europe
and this country hold to the communistic
theories, and that those theories ought to
be embodied in the legislation of every
country where labor is required.
Intelligent and philanthropie men must
make some attempt to deal with this ele-
ment underlying our social fabric. The
issue is made, and it must be met before
the antagonism becomes uncomfortable;
if possible, peace and harmony should be
brought about between the classes upon
satisfactory basis. Through the two sys-
TENS Of industry, protective and com
petitive, thus far tried, the relations be-
teen labor and capital have not been salts
factorily determined. The cooperative
system is now OH trial, and has met with
success in some portions of Europe, but
in this country the experiment has not
been SO satisfactory. The great trouble
between the capitalist and the working
man lies in the fact that the former, with
his capital, increases his riches, and the
latter is kept poor and dependent. The
capitalist, with the habits of his class,
grows very luxurious, has nearly all the
good things Of this life, including poEt-
lcal power, while the condition of the
working people has not materially
changed. In this country the contrast
between the laborer and capitalist is not |
50 striking as it is in Europe, because,
partly owing to the state Of society here
and partly to the natural resources of the
country, the passage from one class to the
other is easy and constantly made; but
he tendencies which people are deploring
n Europe are at work here, though less
actively.
The demand of the laboring or working
men is their elevation from their present
condition Of what they conceive to be
ervility, degradation and poverty, to
'ase and comfort. They charge that the
ault of their present state lies with the
capitalist, who, they say, looks on their
Misery, and will not lend them helping
land. These toilers claim that their labor
las made the capitalist what he is, and,
nth justice, insists that it is duty in
umbent upon the rich men, as social
eings, to assist their less favored fellows
D attain more comfortable positions in
fe than they now occupy. It is urged
hat the elevation of the working classes
ill come from cooperation, and that
trough the combination of labor and
apital in the same hands, whatever is
ow offensive in the difference in Life be-
geen the laborer and capitalists will dis
ppear. AS already stated, this means of
Moderation for the working classes is
rogressing, and it is to be hoped will
rove the panacea for the ills it is in
ended to cure; but this is not all that is
'quired to bring about peace and har-
ony between the great social elements
wealth and power. The laws Of po-
teal economy will not bridge over the
f6culty.- This has been thoroughly
led in France and England, and has
lied. In both these countries the
orking classes have constructed DO
ical economy of their own, in which
lam Smith is of very little worth,
as they do, that capitalists
e drones living on the proceeds of
her mems labor, who ought to be either
nished from the body polite or else
spoiled Of large portion Of their
operty or income. This was the theory :.
the Paris commune, and the same is :
wv held by large numbers of the Eng =
IL working classes. These ideas and :,
CORES lead to lawlessness and reyolu- ,
IN, the serious consequences of which ::
too fresh in the recollection of all to :,
4uire recapitulation. The man who, by
noble actions in the use of his wealth :
solving this great social problem with
happiest results, is Peter Cooper, of =:
NV York. He is the example Of what :.
e capitalist ought to be in the better So :
Il state, and of the principles which :,
ght to govern the relations Of the two :
eat divisions of industrial society, when :,
said to his rich friends: !,
GU have now got your rights as an owner :.
caplAal; but the minute Won leave this A