The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-09-06
RIGHTS AND VALUE OF LABOR.
The Obligations Of Corporations to the
State.

Another notable article in the North american
Repie,o Is headed Fair Wages and signed "A
striker" and contends that the rights and value
of labor. which were acknowledged here 40 years
AGO because the country wanted hands, now
turns the laboring mems earnings against then
and the countrys prosperity becomes their dlsas'
ter. The writer concludes as follows:
Let me put this matter in plain way, as we
understand IT., and use round numbers, instead ol
fractions, as we have to deal with hundreds oil
millions, dividing the subject into sections
1st, In the United States the amount OF capi'
tai invested In railway property last year was
"a. 4I7 OOO0o0, made up Of S225OOOOOOO capiIal
stock and so. 100000 bonded debt. The gross
earnings we're $500 100000 or about So per cent
on the capital The running expenses (of which
the bulk was for labor were $3lOOOOOIO, leaving
slS5 900 as interest to the capitalist or barely
per cent on his Investment. Labor Is admitted
into this enterprise as a. preferential creditor, to
be paid out of the gross earnings before the most
preferred mortgage OF bondholder receives uoi-
lar For as capital could not build the roads nor
eonip them without labor, SO the enterprise
when complete, cannot be run without labor
Canital therefore, takes back seat when IL
comes to the push, and acknowledges not only
thatlabor has the largest interest in the concern,
but takes the first fruits. take the railroad as
sample out of all enterprises and II we coulu get
at figures there is no doubt 1t is fair sample OF
the crowd. IT. then, labor is the more import
ant and essential factor in the result when II
comes to the question which of the TWO snail
suffer in moments OF general disress-the capl'ai-
list in his pocket or the laborer in his Delly--We
think the answer has been already settled by the
rights assumed by one and acknowledged by the
other
2nd. 1t is manifestly unjust that the working
men should be subjected to under wages III pau
times, ifhe has not the quivalenl OF over wages
in good times. 1t railroad companies in concert
with the laboring class hld established larlH Oh
labor, and paid bonus on wages ut every dlstri'
button of dividends. that bonus being in proper
ton to the profits of the road, 50 that each man
becomes a shareholder in his very small way
then he would have submitted TO bear his share
of distress when all were called on to share trou'
BILE, but to share II equally and alike
Sd. When the folks say that labor and capital
must find. by the laws of demand and supply
their natural relations 10 each other in all COM
mercial enterprises, and neither one mas any
rights it can enforceon the other, they take ior
granted that the labor market Is like the pro-
duce market-liable to natural fluctuations. II
that we're so we should not complain. But IL is
not The labor market has got to be ike the
stock and share market-a few large capitalists
control it and make what prices they please
This sort of game may ruin the gamblers IN
stocks, and iDjure those who invest put the
trouble is confined mostly to those who deserve
to lose or those who can afford It, But not 30
wien the same practice operates In the LABOR
The capitalist must not gamble with the
bread of the working man, or if he does, let him
regard where that speculation led France one
hundred years ago, when the fnanciers made
corner in -four and the people broke the ring with
the axe of the guillOtine.
4th. When the railway companies obtained
and rights over private property ana
became by force of law the great land owners OF
the State, holding its movable property as well,
and controlling every avenue and department oil
business, public ana private they became pow
erful monopolies The State endowed them with
powers to frame laws of their'own, and deprived
citizens of their property, means facilities trans
port, to vest it all in these corporations Thusen-
lowed, they cannot pretend they are no more
than ordinary commercial enterprise. They are
responsible to the State for the result of their OPP
erations il they disturb fatally the order of our
concerns. They are not independent. The state
has claims upon them 1t has not on private CON
Germs. They may not accept liabilities and then
decline responsibility. 1t behooves the State to
decide what the people are entitled to in return
or all they have conceded to these companies,
a II nj n ms