The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-06-12
lipab1Ell4d. Mist


~ J Nlf f9a ApH9k ~. e1@y$
1t is one ching to adjust disputes; it is
quite another to crecoseile aatasaaisN This
must be borne in mind BY all who sympathile
with the labor reIbtm movement in'any o.
its phases. The 6rstt9destionto to boasted is,
what is intended !? Fit Is said the objectis
to remedy this or that evil, such rs sheI en-
ployuient of too ysung children in factories
or running mills with dangerous exposure
| from Unprotected machtIery, or working
mines without regard to the perils of
mining, then the effort is Legitimate and
tproper, one. =. s11g ssa4sssi
But If it be said that the effort iss to en-
gage in the. struggle between labor and
capital and to secure for the former oil its
rights, then the inteligent and thoughtfnl
should pause before engaging In itt tor
countenancing it. ;vr ~ riss sisaR.x;d
In the first place, to'admit an antagonisp
between labor and capital is wrong. 1t is
as wrong as the 'sfree-lovcr's" silent assump-
ton that there is a natural antagonism BE-
tween man and wife,. But there iano error
which it is so easy to plant in the mind of
the operative as that this is 50, that the in
/ terests Of the two are radically different, and
that labor Is defrauded Of its rights. There
I is hardly anything So difficult to driss'o
as this belief when once implanted s-sss
The interests of the two can be made
different, and ouce made SO, the antagonism.
which is not between labor and capital,
but between capitalists and hborsss (avesy
different thing g)--develops very rapidly
Capital aud labor are not only not aptagois-
tic, but are mutually dependent, and the
more one prospers, the more the other viii,
provided che capitalist and sthe laborer DO
their mutual duty tG Esa 8 !. Ida ,
Now, q conyeation can remove difficulty
/ which may have accidentally arisen, eorrset
an abuse, or reform o practice. Suppose
that at the mines, when coal WIS high,
miners had been paid by afeertaini pcrti0h
of the coal being assigned to thsma When
coal has fallen in price, thsy den9andi is
stead, money wages. Here is an adjustable
difficulty, the question involving both
miners and owners rights = ~ 2 {
! But when it undertakes to put wages
where it will not be possible for capital 70
control them at all, so, regulate the
quantity of work which is to be done as
day's work, or, in short, to meddle with any
radical questions, labor reform Is going upoa
dangerous ground. ssIss Y s'se-l bifrd
I. In fact, it's great efallacy, lies justs here,71
labor ,caunat compel capital TO lind y
1upfoisssssts n 9spitaI can emigrats, can ne
4 down and die, But it cann0t and val not pay:
kNoma1 wiIf4 peniss IN fskski1 ezu1sbhipgI,
ff.,s. piaaos ss, rloss-shares at =. loas sinspT
, ! to employ bis workmcn upon lthsir own
terms. He says, II cannot afford this"
and stops, and no exigencies Of labor can
make him 60 on again. ~ ~
The great compelling force of the market
will always render vain attempts to absolute
ly protect labor by legislation. Nor can
capital be legislated out of being. .One
man will save and accumulate, another will
spend. Capital represents mind applied to
business, and mind will dot be subordinate
| to muscle. - 81 "a
, But the labor convention may do much
mischief, though il fail Of its end the
subjugation of capital IL can protect un-
: skilled and incompetent labor by arbitsary
wages rules, ut the expense OF the skhied
and efficient. This is tho effect of fixing
: standards Capitalists leave the burden,
but it falls on the men who are obliged to
do good work in order that idle workman
! may be paid for poor work. 1t can build
up the autagonism of which we have SPOKEN,
between the capitalist and the laborer; SO
chat the one shall regard his operatives as
! , his machienry, to be driven till worn out,
! and the other shall look upon the capitalists
as persons to be resisted BY every possible
trick and combination which can keep the
g : labor.market high, and check improvement.
/, /. We are not attacking labor conventions or
!. !. leagues simply of such. We are only speak
: ing of them as they become the fosterers Of
J class antipathies and jealousies:
q Chwchman.
II f.