The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-11

impeiled by thirst Tor knowledge, he greS
TO manhood devoid OF refinement, an
scarcely elevated, in socialpoint of, view
above the brutes of the field. 7. +i n
How different Is the condition Of the ap
prentice to-dayls His term OF service rarel
exceeds five years bis home is with his pa
rents; his employer does not exercise arbi
trary authority over him bis earnings ar
paid him every week; bis leisure hours Har,
many, and he can devote them to recreation
or ip, storing his mind with knowledge.
Fifty years ago the children OF mechanic.
were bound out; ;in many instances, TO re
lieve the. parent of the hereulean task ol
providing food and raiment out of bis weekly
mite: To-day the early years Of childhood
are devoted to healthy exercise, association
with Juvenile companions, and the public
school, ------------ ----------.-,--
Had the workiDgmen not have organized
would the condition Of their progeny been
many removes to-day from what it was fifty
years ago? We think not and to support this
view we have only to look at their relative
position in some parts of Europe at the pre-
sent time.-
The basis Of capital is labor To secure
the interests of both there should be coop.
Grafton in all things essential to perfect de-
velopment of the one By the other. Without
labor. capital would be useless; indeed, there
would have been no development Of capital.
Then, capital being the result and dependent
Of labor, instead Of arraying itself against
that which is indispensable toits expansion,
should it not encourage and seek TO elevate
it? Most assuredly. ,... ......-
Robert Ellis Thompson, M. A., professor
Of social science in the University of Penn.
syIyania. has recently published volume on
Social Science and National Economy, in
which he demonstrates that ''grave injuries
have been inflicted on the labering classes
by the conflict between, capital and labOr."'
The learned professor, who handles his
pen with skill and an understanding that
eyinces practical observation Of many sof
the points presented, asserts That employers,
with the approval and support Of political
economists, " in the absence OF any essential
harmony Of their interests, or, at best, from
the notion that the interests of the workmen
were consulted by keeping down wages to
the natural level, have striyen to get their
work done at minimum rate OF wages.
The workmeu finding individual resistance
useless, organized for combined effort, aud
fixed the rate OF wages for their respective
trades. Their right TO associate and refuse
to work for less than this seems plain
enough but the governing classes denied
the right, and treated these unions as unlaW-
ful conspiracies.
In discussing this subject the Professor
eyiuces, some doubt as TO the alternative of
the question, Have trades.unlons accom-
plished the ends Of their organization? He
says" The figures presented by Mr.. Thorn
ton, in his book on labor, seem to show
that they have, that the hours
of labor have been reduced, and that rates OF
wages that would never have been Obtained
without combined action have been thus Sc
cured"
The testimony of this learned gentleman in
the interests of philanthropy and justice will
find hearty echo in the bosoms OF the work
ipgmen of America, both organized and un-
organized in the words: Labor and capital
in conflict are in an unnatural state barmo.
ny is their true relation. Capital finds its
account in the cheerful service of labor, not
in its discomfort"
The antagonists of trades.unions have
preferred every charge against them that can
be found in the criminal calendar. Charles
Reade, in his trade 6. Put Yourself in his
Place." wrote diatribe against labor organ
izations that for vindicliyeness aud spleen
has never been tqualled in the English
tor que, and with what result? Statistics
prove that since the aDpe arance OF that tissue
of lies trades.unions have multiplied in num-
ber, and their membership has been increased
to an extent thata few years since was deem
ed utterly improbable IN so short space OF
time.
Education is the leuer that moues the
,rorld! And as each year adds TO our mem.
bershp the fact should not be lost sight OF
that these additions are mainly composed OF
those who have enjoyed educational adyan.
tages not vouchSafed the youth of the land
in the early days of labor organizations, and
that thus IT tlaforced we arc able to cope with
our adyersaries with all the logic of enlight'
ened ideas aud the force Of polished Ian
guage.
The objects Of labor organizations are to
establish a uniformity OF prices ; to secure q
lust return for labor; to afford protection
against oppression by employers, and un.
worthy competition by dishonorable jour.
neymen and prison cOnVic:s; to insure tc
The employer the faithful discharge OF tue
obligations of his apprentice; to secure. tc
the apprentice practical knowledge of bis
business; to the journeyman the benefit o
his own term of apprenticeship; to make
such other regulations as will be adVanta
geous to the trade; and to elevate the mora
and social standard Of their members.
All these declared principles of trades
unions are of equal benefit to the employer
as 10 the empioye. "a uniformity O.
prices is check upon employers, intended
10 obYiate disastrous competition with eact
other. "Proteetion against oppression by
employers" means that If employe; submit
to degradation they are unworthy TO demane
the respect Of employers. and u'ce Uers@
" Protection against unworthy competition
by dishonorable journeyman " is of equal ad
vantage to both parties, as "a uniformity o
prices " will clearly imply; while convict la
bor Is reached through the channels oflegis
lative bodies-which subject the emGloyei
and emplos E view from the same standpoint
The desirabillty of the remaining propos'
tions are admitted b3 sll-controSa auted b,
none. Indeed, one OF the most bitter an
tagousts of labor organizations said: J"
recognize the good in trades-upions--thal
they serve to bring minds in contact and de
yelop by con.as ISOLATION of views On subject:
pertaining to the branch OF trade knoWl
edge of the art exercised, and taat they tene
to karmonize ccntctipg elemsats by secur.
ipg.a unity Of interest"
With this statement of the dsplared primes
pas and purposes Of trades-nniops, couplss
with the admissions of our foes relative toht
causes that led to their organization, and sht
assertions OF political ecorsamists and phi
lapthropists bearing upon the merits ct theil
cause and the good they have accomplished
in amelioaasing the coDdis:on Of the working
classes, it IS submitted fo2 the deliberate con
slderatioa of all unorsaaised ,reaRsngae1
if an aaperative duty to themseifes,tne nei
families, their employees, and the so'1mnnit.
in Which they live, does. not demand tha
steps should be imrae ediately inaMguIated {
band themselves together for tha promotes
of these principles - =
June 10, 1915.
At the conclusion of the Yeadiug OF th