New-York tribune., 1871-06-13
TIE LABORERS CAPITAL.


II has long been our earnest conviction that
Labor should be its own employer and recon-
penser TO an extent never yet attained, yet TO
be year by year expanded until the great body
of the Laboring Class shall be self-employed,
self directed, self-subsisted. This end we
would attain by means of Cooperation.
1t has been steadily objected that the Workers
are without means, and must depend for these
upon others. To this, we answer that some
of them have means, and that these might
begin the reform, and extend it as frugalty
and experience shall supply more and more
capital. We believe that ten thousand exten-
sive. capacious and profitable manufacturing
and mechanical establishments might be
started during 1871 by the Working Men of
this State alone. And this is kind of Strike
which, if well directed, is certain to succeed
The World has always resisted this view, in
sisting that Labor is impotent in the premises,
and must await the moving of the waters OF
what is termed distinctvely Capital. Yet,
having another point to make, 1T now sees lit
to hold forth as follows:
CAPITAL VERSUS LABOR.
"Our special correspondent at HOrnelsvle telegraphs
us that the demand of the brakemen of the Erie Railway
now strike is for 81 % per day and payday on The
18Th day Of eUeTy month. Payday heretofore, says our
correspondent, has whenever the Company felt
disposed to pay, not receiving their money more
than once in three and four months
whenever there is strike anywhere-in other
words disagreement about the rates of wages or the
conditions of labor between employers and employed
the whole crowd of monopost and class-priyege or
gans the Radical plunderers Immediately set up the
cry Labor is infringing the rights of Capal the
employer being supposed to represent Capital and the
I'm IN
such difference between Capital and Labor these class
organs try to make us believe, the capitalist should
surely be he who lends not he who bOrons But 1t Is
evident that the striking brakeInen who get paid only
once in three four months lend the amount of their
wages to the Erie Railway Company for the whole OF
! that time without interest
"The New England cOtton-spinners and almost all the
owners large factories are in precisely the same posi-
ton as the Railroad Company. The Invaluable re-
port of the Massachusetts, Bureau OF Labor Statistics
shows that the usual practice throughout the manufac-
turing districts for the mills pay the 18th Of each
month the prepi0us months wages, the w0rk-peope
lending amount OF their for six weeks to their
employers without interest The average wages OF the
10000 work-peope employed In cotton mills Of which
the above report furnishes the Statistics SOl cents %
per day. making the loan Of each individual empoye
$I lent TO his employer the capitalist for six weeks
without interest Thrtyeight factories made returns
showing that the total amount Of wages paid to 1S,S3C
work people in six weeks s5i0O21-which is the
amount which lent to Capital for six weeks without
interest Yet OF course, when the mulespnners struck
every Radical organ OF caste in America asserted that
was Labor striking against Capital In truth II was Labor
and Capital united striking against the outrageous en-
| croachments OF legazed monopoly.
ave are assured that in factories producing coarse
beached cotton goods the material can be received
at the MILL spun woven, baled shipped to Boston, sold
and the cash proceeds returned the MILL inside of the six
weeks or before Que cent OF the labor required for ts
entire manufacture has been paid for the workngmen
thus permanently advancing to their soeaed employers
the entire Capital required for the payment Of wages
Yet the employer represents capital and the workman
labor. II the workingmen only knew it, they themselves
furnish large part Of the capital with which these mills
are rum yet even they themselves half frightened by
the bugbear of Capital which the monopost organs for
| ever faunt In their faces
"The worhngmen not only lend 10 their employers
the socacd capitalists sum equal to their total wage
earnings for 0ne two or three months but they lend
them further large proportion Of the capital with
which they carry on their works. We have more
| than once quoted the statement Of the Hon
| d. F. Nudge, agent of large New-Engand
| mills, 10 the effect that the great factory
corporations borrow largely from savings banks
| than from any other source We have pointed out
that the savings banks OF NewYork State New-En
gland alone hold deposits exceeding four hundred
fifty millions Of dollars, which 1t was fair to be
1
within the last few days that have been able to posi-
lively verify this assumption by authoritative statistics
The detailed returns Of the savings banks OF Massachu
ses that of the total deposits Il per cent belong
artisans mechanics and laborers, and per cent. to
children, wOmen and unknown. Of which is safe to
set down the largest portion to tie class making
certainly not much less than GO per cent OF tho total be-
longing directly TO the class of socaed Labor large
part Of which is borrowed directly or indirectly by
called Capital who tie strength OF it, sets up as the
| master and tyrant of Labor.
"There Is not workman in the world who does not
give his days labor before he gets his pay who is not at
the year round advance capital to his employer with
out which capital the employer could not carry on his
| business"
Comments by The TriJune.-The above is not
quite half true, but it comes much nearer verify
than The World will average. There is a smatter-
ing of justice in it, which ought to induce
the Laboring Glass to pause and reflect. Why
should they not handle their own Capital and
give employment Herewith to their own Labor
What Obstructsf Are they took navish to be
trusted with their own earnings7 or do they
lack capacity to employ themq We cannot
believe it. Then why not use their own
$450,OOO0OO, or a part of it, to give themselves
steady and well-paid employment If the law
does not serve. they have but to ask and the