The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-26

capital in business so that it may become
remunerative increase in extent,
and afford permanent dividends on the
investment. In order to do this he must
employ labor that is suitable and appro-
pirate for the nature of the business done.
In this particlar case the manufactured
articles require large amount of SIX illed
labor. 1t is divided and subdivided until
it requires q special kind of labor for many
particular branches of the work. The
business could not be a success without
the skilled labor which can produce the
manufactured work.
The reasonable presumption is that such
labor could never be brought there and
induced to engage 10 their employ
ment unless there was a reasonable
assurance of permanent employment and
fair wages. Deere Il Co. could never
have built up their business or amassed
their wealth without the assistance and
the labor which has produced what they
place in market, and therefore aside from
the cold technical legal rights of the re-
spectiVe parties there is the implied
obligation of reciprocal regard for
each others interests 1t is not easy to
make men see the wisdom or the Justice of
reducing the wages to the amount of legal
interest on money loaned, while the busi-
ness concern for which they work keeps
within the limits of its estimated annual
expenses, by curtailing the price of labor,
and leaves itself thereby the profits on its
productions the same as before. A busi-
ness which enlarges annually, and besides
; declaring large dividends, can build large
warehouses, make expensive additions to
shops and machinery. and exhibit every
outward show OF prosperity, is not IN a
moral and equitable sense entitled in
times of distress and hardship, to make
its first retrenchment upon the wages of
its employees without any regard to their
necessities, or what they could pay it the
: retrenchment were made in some other
direction. 1t is no reasonable explanation
of the reduction of labor under such cir
cumstances, to iterate the common com
plant of general hard times, when in al
l other respects, except the labor depart.
: ment, they show no signs of financial ina.
biiity or embarrassment
There is a sense OF justice in these mat
e ters of which all are sensible, which rises
s superior to the hard abstract aud technica
rights of the parties and which should
influence them in their dealings witt
each other. The common feelings O
humanity revolt at the exercise of sucI
hard and unjust terms. the general sympa
thy is in all ages against the Shylock, ant
if it permits him to take his pound of fesI
is!will ever refuse his touching one iot o
title more than is nominated In the bond
r, In regard to the rights of employees
every man has the right to decide for him
: self for whom he will work, and for wha
wages he is willing to work. This is the in
II defeasible and absolute right of the laborer
lec More than that, workmen have the righ
,. to combine and agree as a body wha
- wages they will ask and upon what copdi
&c tlons they will work. They have the righ
u to induce every person they can to Join il
y their determination, provided they exer
y else Do intimidation or coercion in SO doing
They have the right, unless they are work
% ing upon stipulated length of time, to sto
III work when they choose, and the right t
say they will not work for reduced wages
But they have not particle of right (
ie interfere with or prevent others fror
y working who do not join in their views an
:" are willing to take the place they vacated
> They have no right to iujure or destro
the property of their late employer, or
az commit any acts of violence against hi
" business. If the employer suffers loss b
:. his workmen leaving him it his misfortune
" He has no redress but to substitute other
l n in their place as rapidly as possible; if I'll
u workmen are sufferers from their own fire
,. aud voluntary relinquishment of their Ell
"a ployment that is also their personal mi
Ut fortune. The action of both parties
-. such cases is the arbitrary act of eaC
n s standing simply upon the bare an
u u absolute right, The policy or expedienc
- - is another aud different thing altogethel
=, 1t ought to be as much mater of goc
IA conscience and equity as of cold abstra
70 right, and a business which requires ar
- depends upon skilled labor for its succe
u and profits should be willing to reeogni
VI VI the force and equity as well as expedien
~ ~ of the claim OF labor to fair and liviI
- compensation.
~ Let the employer treat his workman
~ one whose interest it is his own interest
~ have prosper, and there is little danger
~ the workman not recognizing the fact ar
81 reclprocatiDg his employers kindness al
"a good will. Not oficiously or presumpt
IIo ously, but in the interest of the communi
nS and the welfare of all concerned, '
50 would earnestly recommend mutual fo
80 bearance, respect, and the exercise of 7
J., clprocal consideration and regard for ca
'::e others interests.
lily Letter of s. .vene of Deere & Co
nd MOLINE, Ill.,, July 81, 1877.
'uu To the Editor of The Argus:
nts DEAR SIR:
cts 7. would l.a q frr;,laso tosl, 70 .t,o,,
70 to trace to their source the rumors th
find circulation in times of public excl
Eno ment but if you will give me the name
Rba m faH n . haS
loD had ever said what kind of diet was 90
hat enough for laborino men will he creo
lon obliged; and if have ever made any
mark to any one detracting from the
; nifty of labor, | have not the faintest r
: election of it, and would esteem it D.
Ter sonal favor in any one who will refresh
the memory of any thing ever said or done
len, me disrespectful of or to laboring men.
i to That impalpable and irresponsible D
also son known By the familiar name of "Tt
no Say" has always been a prolific author
Of injurious reports and he can never
In brought to account for calumny. and
ten best defense against his assaults is silen
ime and the only refutation of them sho
come from the lips of the thousands
and fellow laborers that | have been intimat
and associated with during the past fftt
our years. hold it to be gross wrong
sent attempt to draw an invidious distinct
between the men who execute and
sere men who plan and perfect agencies Il
re- keep in constant employment force
1t men from year to year-the men '
its work with muscle and brain united, ;
tu- those that work with brain and nerV
the for their own and the good of 9th,
usi- There are those who assu