New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-28
The True Labor Reform.

Under the system of slavery Capital owned
Labor, and the politicians of our Southern States
affirmed this to be the normal relation of the
two forces. 1t is long step from slavery to
the wage system-a grand stride, which the
toilers of even Christian Europe were centuries
in making. Slavery was the prevailing system
in Greece and Rome when their much Wanted
civilization was at its height. 1t disappeared
but yesterday from the United States and
Russia, and is just going in Brazil. 1t still
fingers like a blightiug shadow in a few dark
corners of the globe where the light of the
nineteenth century has not yet fully penetrated.
But it is also long step from the wage sys.
tenn to the complete emancipation of the work
ing people. The relation of laborer to EMPLOYER
is servitude for considerations modified
slavery entered voluntarily by the laborer
himself and terminable at his pleasure, sub
Ject to forfeiture of pay If terminated before
the expiration of a specific contract
1t may be asked, What better system can
be adopted to carry on the vast industrial
operations of the world? How are the hired
aborers to be entirely emancipated from their
condition of modified servitude without utterly
disorganizlng business of every kind? How
are they to live without the wages which capi.
talists pay them, and how are CAPITALISTS to
dispense with the hired muscle and brain which
now render their money valuable to them
selves and society? We answer that CO opera.
tion-co-operation both in production and dis.
tributiOn-is that better system which is eventu.
ally to suppant the present one and Join capital
and labor in grand harmonious, benefcent
union.
No such radical change can be effected i'm
mediately, and any attempt to force it's con-
summation more rapidly than the growth of
the working class in intelligence and organic
ing power warranted, would certainly produce
more or less disturbance and distress The
step, however, we have already said, is a long
one, and it cannot be taken all at once. The
power of united action they are already begin
ming to learn, and the habit of combining for
various other purposes having been established,
the working people will perceive in time that
the same principle may be more proftably en-
p!oyed than in furthering such clumsy expedi-
ents as strikes and other more violent and
reprehensible. metho4s of extorting higher
wages.
In this country cooperative societies have,
with few notable exceptions, net succeeded
we'll In attempting to carry ON productive in
dustries. Cooperative stores have yielded
better results, but, except in New England,
very few attempts have been made to establish
such institutions. Co operative banks are prac
tically unknown here, though our analogous
building and loan associations, which admira
oiy oAcuPtiiy Inc Prihcipio ot corporation
practically applied, have hourished for many
years, especially in Pennsylvania, and have
furnished the ladder by which not a few poor
men have climbed to competence. The skilled
wOrkmen of America are gaining rapidly in
knowledge, self reliance, and facility for asso
citation, and will soon be in position to star
cooperative banks and stores in every manu-
featuring town. by which they may save anC
accumulate sufficient capital and gain sufficien
administrative experience to embark in cooper
ative manufacturing and mining enterprises.
Meanwhile, large employers, both individual
and corporations, may take hint from the in
formation contained in Hon. ID. j. Morrell'
letter on Industrial Partnerships" wbicl
was published in the Press of November Ia
BY distributing certain share of their profit
among their workmen, numerous manufacturin
firms, both in this country and Europe, hay
gained Q complete Immunity from strikes, an
secured greater zeal, faithfulness, and eficienc
in the men employed, without diminishing tn
net annual amount realised from their bus
mesa Exchange