The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-24

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and capital. ] abor has deemed it hard that the
hardest work and hardest fare generally go ogether
that tnOse who toll most often earn least that In
the distribution OF Fortunes gifts unnecessary labor
Is imposed upon some, while others are induged
win lne-oDg ease and luxury. 1t seems hard to
delve an plough and sow and reap, while the har-
vest IS gathered into other barns.
The great practical difficulty is the alleged inade-
qnacy OF the share which, in the partition between
labor and capital OF their joint produce falls In tne
shape OF wages the former. The natural dissatis-
faction produced by this real supposed inequality
or partition is sometimes intensified by the unwise
interference OF demagogues TO promote their own
selfish ends, without one thrOb OF genuine feeling
for those they seek to cajOe. Such men work only
uDmixed evil by stimulating and perpetusting preu-
dice ard hatred, when Kindness and Cancellation
should he the aim of ALL
When working i'm harmony capital and labor are
mutually beneficial and lev each other under recp-
roca obligations II labor he the parent of capital,
capital becomes In turn the foster mother of labor,
contributing In large measure to the combined pro-
DUO iveness II the profit of capital is the product
OF labor 3d. In turn the wages OF labor the pro-
duct OF capital But when labor and capital in
state of chronic antagOnism these mutual benefits
entirely lost sight OF ana as the motives of
are hostile, so neither in the acts Of either
anything but Injury; and during the long and
haustve war such visions were not always de-
ceptive.
The only method of settling disputes WAS the bar
barous one OF force each party seekirR To starve
the other out. The employer hoped that by
stopping The works for some time the men would be
finally compelled by hunger and want TO accept his
to stop work so long that the employer wouid be
compelled to accede 10 their demands to avoid great
IOss OF lOtdl threatened the Hltu-
ufacturer or operator and starvation he workmen.
But the victories gained by either party were only
ten pOrary; with renewed energies the war was re-
commenced with increased bit erness, and the
thirst of vengeance for forced submission.
During the years Of conflict waged on these prin
ciples, capital had gradually developed it's capaci-
ties, and was extending and consolidating its sway
and its energies were daily concentrating in fewer
hands. Capital Isl Itself aggregation, ass0clatioD
combination. But as in human affairs extremes
awaJ meet, and action is always followed ny
tion so the seemingly resstless preponderance OF
associated capital suggested to labor the
the form Of organized combination.
Hence trades unions aud We rkingmen's beuevo-
lent associations. The right of labor TO combne1 is
no longer an oren question. il any individual work.
man be at liberty TO refuse WORK except on his own
terms, any number or w0rkmen must be equally at
liberty collectively to refuse to wolk except on
terms to which, after consulting together amongst
themselves they may have collectively agreed. Men
may combine to any extent, provided they Use none
but lawful means and aim at none ont lawful ends.
Thus we now have the two armies OF labor and
capital completely marshalled fully equipped, and
ably commanded. Shall there be permanent peace
or war, antagonism or alliance? To quote an emf
nent economist "Capital may encrOa;h on LABOR,
labor may in its madness dt stroy capltal such Is
the work OF prejudice and evll passions. but now
suit In mutual injury, and health can only he re-
stored by obtaining the recognition OF the full rights
and obligations of each. The condition OF well.
being is peace false philosophy has set the world
at war for ages, proclaimng that what one nation
gains another loses. Akin to ii is the belief that
hatred and retaliation are the normal conditions Cf
capital and labor, that mutual dstrust and hur,fnl-
dusty. Such belief basphemes the harmonies of
Providence"
Has not the time then arrived when prudent and
reasonable mon Of each AID every interest should
hush the voice OF passion, and, refusing to listen
longer to violent couDses endtavor with all their
might to devise means OF escape from the dlicul-
ties of the situation, and from the dangers which
threaten not only from within but from wi5houtF
We believe II thus disposition exists, the eX-
perience Of other people. may indicate a
hut permanent relief. For five hundred years Eng
and with occasional lulls, has suffered from bloody
and Iujnous conflicts betv cen labor capital The
employed in building windsor Castle. They left
their work and scattered over the neghboring coun.
ties. but soon brought back by force, in ohe-
denCe to the peremptory mandate OF King Edward,
and savage punishment IN one instance death, was
nhIcted on The leaders. And so the vicious system
OF force and partial legislation went for centu-
ries, but lai ed to bring success to either side.
And Only IN our own age did it occur to the people
and state smen OF that country that the only wise
thing Tor The LeRi lature TO do to stand aside
and allow the rate OF wages and conditions OF labor
to be settled by those most interested In the
time millions OF money had been wasted, not little
blood spilled and ruin and misery threatened every
parties sought and found another and better sys-
| TEN. Boards OF cancellation and arbitration
were established NE cred b@ oslng Que IN
workDgman himself, and now one OF the largest
employ ers in England And In this way capital and
associated labor were brought into kindly and har
monious relations to each other. The general need
for this so greatly felt in that country that
| few years ago a royal commission was appointed
to examine into the working of Trades unions, and
| to suggest improvems nts in the laws relating &c
| them ana Inc reatlOnS existing DeJWteu WOfk
inemen and employers. The Commission con
| sisted of ten gentlemen OF prominence, sal
| two years, and received evidence not only from all
parts Of the United Kingdom, but from all quarters
of the world They concluded their report oy say
ing that the question as to what ls a fair rate OF
| wages in the varying circumstances OF trade from
time to time is one very difeult OF adjustment be
tween employers ana large bodies of worSingmen
| The strike is very hard method OF settling hncl
question, and 1t is much TO he wished
that some method could be devised U mu
poyers in the settling OF questions OF dispute in suci
| matters. The establishment OF boards Of eonclla
and simple. These boards require no complex ma
chineTy, no novel division OF profits, no new modes
| OF conducting business, no acts OF Parliament Al
needed is that representative wOrkmen aud EN-
discuss the interests Of their common trade or busi
ness, There is not trade or business In the king
dom In v hich this system might not be adopted
and see no reason why in every case results
should not flow from them as satisfactory as thos
in Nottingham Under such a system we shoult
look for peaceful and prosperous condition o
have other results than calling attention to thl
simple method OF settling the frequent disputes be
tween WoTkingmen and their employers, we sha
feel that our time will not have been lost in thi
country.
How these boards OF conciliation and arbitration
originated, how they are constituted, and now thel
| wort, was well described by Mr. Mundella IN an ad
| dress delivered by him last November In New York
rom which we beg leave TO quote as follow "
"Ten years sgo, in the town in which reside, an
| in the q ade in which / am connected we had Tn
third strike in one year. This last one had continue
| for elven weeks or course, the men who were
work subscribed 10 the branch 'on strike, and
was seriously contemplated whether the prope
thing do would not be to close all the factories
in order that those in employ should not add TO tn
duration Of the strike by aiding those out OF EN-
plOy. A few OF us were heartily sick of this stat
OF things, and resolved to try II some mean
could not be devised not only to put an end 10 Lhs
sTike but TO prevent its recurrence In future. w
EroW Wfrnl hfafn nI HlRT nm