New-York tribune., 1877-09-18
that when bank is losing the confidence OF
the public, the sooner 1t is closed the better.
FOLLY ABOUT "EMPLOYES.D

FOLLY ABOUT "ENPLOYES"
Mr. Wendell Phillips is always inaccurate
and illogical not so often merely silly. Yet
i'm n recent letter about the strikers to
The Herald, he says: "IIere every man reads.
"votes and carries arms. The physical force,
"the voting majority, and large share OF the
"intelectual ability, are in the possession OF
the employees"
1t is not true. in any proper sense, that tne
numerical or voting majority in this country Is
lin the possession of the employees" Mr.. Phll-
lips really refers to those who are not identi-
fed by their interests with the capital by which
wages are paid but with those who earn wages.
The sons of farmers. working with them on
their farms, may be employed, but their inter-
ests are with the owner There were Z,oo9'-
9S5 farms in the United States, and, exclusive
Of those enrolled as farm laborers," only
2,653,305 persons between sixteen and sixty
years of age employed in all agricultural occupa-
tions, whence it is certain that large proper
ton Of those enrolled as farm-laborers are, IN
fact the sons of farm-owners. If only one
half are of this class, the number of persons
directly identified with capital, as farm owners
or their sons, is about 3,650,000. But there
IL
other empIoyments IN which they do not
receive, but pay wages, about 33o'ooO;
there are also merchants and traders In
number about 383,O00; there are 3o2.-
600 manufacturing establishments, and each
must have at least one person In the
capacity of an owner or employer of Ia
Dor. Already the number of persons not
employed, in any sense within the pur-
pose of Mr.. Phillips, exceeds 100000,
out of 9,4S6.734 persons between the ages OF
sixteen and sixty engaged in all galniul occu-
pations, according to the census. And yet
there are very many more such as teachers,
clerks in banks, railways and stores, agents
and commercial travellers, who are in some
sense employed, but whose interests are wholly
diverse from the interests OF those to whom
Mr.. Phillips appnals-who would neither vote
with the foes of capital, nor fight with them.
These number about 100000 more. And
there still remain the large class OF
persons who are no longer in any active occu-
patton, but are living upon the fruits OF
former labor by themselves or others. Thus
it is plain that persons who are in any proper
sense employed, with respect to any struggle
between capital and labor, do not form the
numerical majority in the country, OF persons
of the fighting age, and still less are they a
majority OF persons of the voting age.
But the power of Mr. Phillips for mischief
is fortunately very much more limited by the
fact that a great proportion of the workers IN
this country look forward to become at no dis
tant day employers of labor, anu are already
capitalists. The savings banks hold the earn
ings of more than 100000 of them; many
more are stockholders in railways and nearly
2OO,OO0 in banks and an army of young men
laboring on the farms have already begun to
accumulate in order to buy or rent farm, and
hire labor themselves. lt is this broad dlstlnc-
ton in the condition of labor here and
in other countries which gives ground
for hope that no professional agita-
tor. nor reckless demagogue, will ever
be able to array in this country the more intel
Iigent and enterprisng workmen in a crusade
against capital The more ignorant and espe-
cially those whose habits or lack of capacity
FORBID them to rise to more independent posi-
tions, may be mlsed here as in other countries.
But those VINO have intelligence enough to lit
themselves above the position OF wage-earners
also have enough to know that in this land the
door is open for every man who desires inde-
pendence There will never be one-half of
the wage earners in this country who Will con-
sent to condemn themselves by trades-unlOnism
TO a life without hope or individual AMBITION
or by listening to agitatOrs to embroil them
selves in lawless violence. There are enough
to make mischief, but not enough to rule this
country by ballots or physical force"