The Portland daily press., 1874-03-03
CAPITAL and Labor.

To the Editor Of the Press:
Last November I made a note of the fact,
announced in the PRESS, thssc rorCIand Ma
chine Works Company had determined to di-
vide ten per cent of the net proceeds of the
business AMONG the operatives pro rata. very
highly applauded this determination, in nv
own mind, and hailed it as an indication that
at least the capitalists concerned in the Port
land Machine Works had discovered a law of
liberty and conscience, which might work kindly
beyond the range of those economic principles on
which business contracts are of necessity based.
If it is proper for capital to guard against the
risk of sudden andyiolent arrangements of bust
ness, as well as against liabilities of failure that
may be partly foreseen-it is clear that the
amount of wages and profits respectively. and
the proportion batween them can only be
roughly estimated, even for single year be-
foreband. There seems to be always the pre-
sumption that there will be something to be
rectiied, according to the practical results of
the outlay and efforts. If the business stops.
the laborer's engagement with his employer is
cancelled; or, if the business is reduced one
hall, either the time, or the pay, or the number
of employees, if not al three, must be reduced
in a ratio to correspond On the other hand, if
the business should prove exceptionally produc
tive, why should not the operatives share with
the proprietors this unlocked for gain. to which
they all have contributed? Or, why should
not both parties reap, in due proportion, that
extra harvest, which has accrued from causes
for which neither can take the credit?
Political economy must be indeed a s'dismal
science if it is not aware that its ideal pro-
portions are likely to be far enough from be-
ing practically realized in a given case. The
laws of trade are one thing. The court of con-
science is another. 1t is in this court that
labor and capital must find at last their re-
spective rights and their mutual reconciliation.
1t is moral phenomenon of no ordinary sig
nifcance, when this truth is practically recog-
nized. sf-u
But have referred to this praiseworthy ex-
ample at onr own doors, not only for its own
sake, as something to be held in remembrance
by all observing and thinking people; but also
tor the purpose of putting along side of it
companion piece" from Old England, which
called forth characteristic letter from Mr..
Carlyle. I take it from the Weekly London
Times of Feb. LIST. The two examples are Gu
riously stamped with the peculiarities of the
two countries; but Mr.. Carlyle's reflections,
though with an English coloring, are only too
appropriate 10 us-and all the world.
E. G. C.
The following unpublished letter from Mr..
Carlyle to Sir j. Whitworth, regarding the an
nouncement made some months ago of the
latters intention to supplement- the savings of
his workpeople by bonus upon them, was
read on Monday night, by the Hon. and Rev.
W. d. Lyttleton, at meeting of the Stour-
bridge School of Art:
nave heard of your offer on behalf of the
t .ays work people of barley, and of the
tnauk,ui acceptance of it by the district an
tnot'taes Oh Inc place cannot resist the
say that highly approve and ''s snn, IN me to
ideas you have on the subject and to d auu Inc
words that in my opinion nothing wiser are , IN
benehcent, or worthy Of your distinguished
place as a master of workers has come befora
me for many a. Year. Would to heaven that
all or many OF the captains of industry in
England had soul in them such as vonrs
and could DO as you have done, or could still
further co operate with you in works and plans
to the like effect. The look of ENGLAND 10 ,n
me at this moment abundantly ominons The
question of capital and labor growing eysr
more anarchic. insoluble altogether by The no.
tons nitnerto aPpiea 20 it, is pretty certain to
gospel than that of the Dismal Sc;enco,
come to illuminate it. Two things are nre,.
ty sure to me- The first is that capjtal and
labor never can or will agree together. till thew
both first of all decide on doing their work
faithfully throughout, and like men of con-
science and honor, whose highest ann is to be-
have like faithful citizens in this universe, and
obey the eternal commandment of Almighty
God who made them. The second thing is, that
sadder object than either that of the coal strike,
Ir any concevoble strike, is the fact that, loose
~ speaking, all England has decided that thu,
s paGfl,aoist way is to do its work ill., SHINY,
hstwassr ana mendacously. What a contrast
asoi Al n 1ba, and say, only hundred years
uously for ages a beot date or still conspc
to It's work with invocation a England IN h awoke
MsReT 70 oess them in their DAVIS 'd iahor
sSoplee T W aH n ~e Ii, Now all England
ing laborers awaken, as with an nn. OF compet-
heartfelt prayer to Beelzebub; o, helm but na