New-York tribune., 1871-08-26
when, by the aid Of machinery he produces fouriold


more than thenf
al think the workingman has right 10 ciaim' he
chooses deduction In his hours OF laDor az MS shio VI
the benefits given by the goodness OF Goa IN the
ton OF machinery. Thus far, he has received suDs'
italy benefit from the increased producing power "
machinery. All that has gone TO the producer "nion
is not The workman IL only aid in production; IL
the capitalist who employs both the iaooreiS "n'
IN machinery, who is the producer"
Comments bp The Tribune.
We hold every man who chooses 10 Sci nio
own or TO buy another's labor to be the proper
Judge in his own case. If he offers his iaooi
for sale he has right TO limit the amount
he disposes of to one hour per day ana one
dav per week or month if he sees tit. NO one
has n right to dictate how much he snail Sell
or for what and the buyer of labor has pre-
cisely equal rights with the seller. why no'
We solve the problem which perplexes Gen.
Butler with one word-Liberty. IL is the III
alienable right of the laborer to sell MS COM
modify for the most that any one can De per
suaded to give him for it; but he cannot Witli-
ont q gross invasion of others liberty, say 10
another. "Sir, | choose to work for you, ana
"to work fewer hours than you require ana
"to receive higher wages than you choose 10
"pay.n Such demand is justified by no Dl-
vine law, and no human law can justify IL.
Five thousand repetitions of " BE 1t enacted p"
could not make it a practical rule OF human
conduct.
Gen. Butler assumes as facts what are no
facts-as follows
I. That men who direct machinery now work
(in the average) twelve hours per day;
Q. That they receive no higher wages than
were paid for such labor twenty-five years ago; /;
and
3. That the laboring class have received no
benefit from the invention and use OF ma
chinery.
Let lis take as an illustration the Sewing
Machine, whereby most of the work done on
garments is done at least four times as fast as
il formerly was by the needle: what is the
laborer's share of the advantage derived from
this invention7 We say, Either the maker re-
ceiyes higher wages for his work on garment
or the wearer obtains that garment cheaper
than formerly. II is not possible that the
clother, or whoever else you please, should
intercept the entire profit of that machine, so
"A 10 leave none of it either to the actual
maker of clothes or the wearer who buys them
either does or can mOnOpolize the advantages
derived from the progress OF Invention and the
use of machinery.
We differ from Gen. Butler i'll this :
While he seems intent Oh making the labOrer
discontented, envious, and intent Oh grasping
through political action a larger share OF the
general product than he now receives, we
would say to him, All this is delusive, mis-
" chievOus, perilOus. You cannot improve
"your condition by any species OF warfare
upon Capital Your true course Is, by In
dustry and frugality, to acquire Capital, ana
then by combination of your means, secure
to yourselves all the advantages which Capt.
tai can give. Nay; you already possess Cap
" ital enough to employ the better portion OF
"your class if you will but combine to
use that Capital wisely and honestly.
"The men and women who work with their
"hands for wages may draw One Hundred
"Millons of Dollars out of the Savings Banks
"of the Northern States whenever they will,
"and create or buy Herewith the very best
" factories, furnaces, roling-mllS, &c, &c,
"wherein to employ themselves and others.
"If then, Capital gives its possessOrS half the
"advantage asserted by Gen. Butler, let the
"LdbOfiHg CtdSS use itS OWH cdpi"I ~ 0tce e"'-
"pioymem TO its orn labor, and thns secure
"that advantage to its own members. 1t can
"then work as many or as few hours as 1t
"shall Judge proper, pay tolls to nobody, and
"realze all the fruits of its own exertions."
Such is our counsel to the Laboring Class.
They can follow it as heartily, boldly, or as
timidly, tentatively, as they choose. They can
begin with one furnace, one cotton factory, one
rolling mill, &c, and extend their operations so
fast as experience shall demonstrate that they
may do SO with safety and profit. But we do
insist that they shall either use their own sur
plus means (nOw loaned to "bosses" through
Savings Banks) to employ and recompense their
own labor or turn deaf ear to the dema-
gOgues who seek personal or party advantage
through the incitement of hostility between
Capital and Labor