New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-12-18
CAPITALS DEBT TO LABOR.
Written for the Review by 0. P. cHAmpl1x. !.

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/ have spoken of Iabor's debt to-.
capital and now I wish. to have
word on the other side. Capital
may wish to build village and so
utilize itself; but unless there are
workingmen to step forth at the call
and do the work involved capital
cannot construct the village. The
first building cannot rise, the first
foundation cannot be laid. Capital
cannot even gather the necessary
materials on the ground without
there are somewhere laborers to pre-
pare them. Stone, brick, timber,
plaster, nails and whatever else is :
worked into village must be pro-
duced by the skill, ingenuity, and
strength Of man before the money
god can unite his hands to help HIM
self. Some poor workingman must
unite those hands. Capital, casting
about for some opening for a profit
able investment, might find it in
needed thoroughfare in some section
of the land and might decide to con-
struct a railroad there; but nothing
could be done unless some one is
found to work. Labor must come
along and offer to cut ties, cast the
rails, saw out the timbers, make the
bed, build the bridges, in word
construct the road and put thereon
the rolling stock before capital can
realize any profit from the outlay.
Yes, more, labor must keep the
thing moving otherwise the m oney
invested might as well have been
locked up in chest. 1t would be
great calamity to have all the capt.
tai swept out Of the nation; but
would it be less were all the work
ingmen removed!
The laborer makes it possible for
the capitalist to realize on his money.
The industries of the land are
brought, to stand still when the
laboring class goes home to stay.
Railroads cannot be constructed,
or operated, mines worked or mills
run, no matter how much capital
there is at the bottom Of them all,
unless the laborer says so. This
may not sound we'll to the moneyed-
man but it is the truth it should be
spoken by other than communistic
leaders. Money can buy labor, but
not if there is none in the market.
The workingman is beginning to.
find out the meaning Of all this in
way quite startling. It was the in
debtedness Of capital to labor that
the communistic orators used as
skillful weapon to rouse the work
ingmen to- resistance at the time of
the great riots year and more ago.
This was one Of the points of en-
phasis in their speeches as any one
can see who will refer to them.
The harm was not in the falsity of
the position, for we cannot admit
that; but in considering it apart
from the complimentary truth that
labor is equally indebted to capital,
There should be no divorce Of
these two great facts in popular dis.
cussion, but there is; and there. is
where the harm lies. If the blow
hurled by the laborer at capital re-
bounds to his own hurt, as it most
certainly does, so does the oppression
4 Of labor by the capitalist react in
| juriously on himself. A matter so
simple Of apprehension should not
fail Of recognition by anyone; but
! there are indications going to, show
that in this, as in many other mat
tiers, it is hard for one to see his
own interests promoted by care.
full attention to those Of an opposite
party. Since therefore, labor can.
not get along without capital, MOI
capital without labor would it not
be well for both to come together
| and agree on terms Of mutual ser.
! vice. Both have rights to be re.
spected. One has claim upon the
]; other. Both ara dependent: hence,
neither should lord It. over the other
! The position we-have thus fal
. taken, in. tAiss presentation of thu
case, are so old and simple the wond
: er is that any man should ever ac'
contrary to them and SO force thei7
reconside Iteration. But these are th.
) precise points writer's engaged in tn
) discussion the past months hav'
chosen to fix attention upon; and n,
{ doubt they have acted wisely discern
! 4, . .,.aaf q =; e.