The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-05-01
4 GOOD THING FOR THE BOARD
OF TRADE.

The sixth annual report of the Board
Of Trade is highly creditable to the intel
Egence Of that organization. 1t has at
lained much greater fullness and acou-
Racy In the statistics Of our trade and
Industries than have hitherto been
reached.
We limit our notice, for the present, to
Mr.. P. p. Lanes report from the Com
nittee on Manufactures. After some
observations on the problem of labor and
capital, and after saying that the latter
in 'its most fixed and solid as well as in
It's MOST active snd productive forms,
sften suddenly vanishes," and that ''the
most robust, most skilled, most multitu-
diness and best organized labor is often
paraly yzed. impoverished, thrown adrift
and Dispersed" he continues:
To avoid these tumults and eruptions,
the two elements should be rec0nciled to
work together for common end in mu-
tnal profit, and this result may be
brought about, in the opinion OF your
sommittee, through what is popularly
known as cooperation. An examina-
I7on OF the subject is earnestly recon-
mended to the General Board, and your
uommittee is of the opinion that it's ex-
haustive discussion can not prove other
wise than instructive and profitable.
The wisdom of this observation is evil
lent to all. No man was ever so selfish,
Eyaricious or covetous, as not to know
that all classes would be better off were
the great labors OF the world improved
h under system Of cooperation, in which
The abler members would have some re.
Eard for the well-being Of the less for
tunate in natural endowment and in
hducation.
Cooperation is the dictate Of natural
hw. Hired labor is relic of slavery.
ghe world has been so long accustomed
ko IL, that it has become "second ma
turs," and accordingly seems to be natu-
nj. So did slavery seem to be natural.
DO also polygamy. Ages were required
b modify slavery down to the wage
uethod Of making the many enrich the
Rw, and In this shape the old bondage
sud robbery rests with Us as il they were
strictly right and God-appointed.
II we were to imagine q condition in
which the people were familiar with the
principles OF justice, in which the spirit
81 independence prevailed, but in which
Industrial civilization was not developed
an the scale now displayed in all en-.
I5ghtened nations, we could not conceive
1t any progress in manufactures and
sommerce except on the cooperative
principle.
Should an individual conceive and pro.
ect anew industry requiring the COM
bined labor Of many persons, he could dc
uothing except by persuading others to
work with him as sharers in the result
Il IL probable that the subordinate oper-
Rkors would recognize the right of the
protector and master to slightly larger
share Of the common product; but stipu.
lated wages without regard to the pro-
buct would evidently be out of the ques.
hon and be laughed at If proposed by
some visionary dreamer. 1t would not
look honest in any aspect of the cas- o
Ths product is what the producers are
antitled to, and nothing else.
Kr. Lane has rightly conceived coop
ratiou to be one Of the great problems
Of the future. What q happy little com
usawealIh would he that manufacturing