The sun., 1882-08-27
THE CRY OF MONOPOLY
The Relation OF Laborer. and Employer.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: 1t must
be perceived BY every rejecting person that the
clnsses OF men who are called aborers often
make deplorable mistakes In their relations
with their employers. Yet It is very doubtful
how their minds can he reached. II one could
rn into their assemblies with ever 50 sincere Il
desire 10 render thom useful service. infiu-
cnccs would have to be encountered that would
probably make them deaf to anything but an
sppeal to unreasonng prejudice and to the
magic of catchwords. At the same time. among
those OF them who can read in the quiet OF
.heir own homes 1t is possible that some good
may be done by temperate and fearless discus
sion In print, made plain By kind Of reason
Ing which borrows no ad from the rhetoric OF
the platform or the pulpit.
What his labor Is II concerns every workman
who has any appreciable degree Of skill to
understand before he can perceive how he
ought TO deal with 1t. 1t will not help him in
the least to encourage him to look upon him
self as one OF the poor" or to contrast his
condition with that of the " rich" He has to
learn that he Is an owner OF certain kind OF
capital and that although he Is constantly
hearing Of capital " and labor" as II they
were things OF an opposite nature and natural
antagonists. he is in truth and in fact the
owner OF capital in one form lust as the owner
VI lHNtSlcu iiphcy is tllo ONhcI VI Cdpithi III
another form. Every Intelligent man
knoSs that his capacity to work in
his skill. his knowledge Of his craft and his
character. constitute fund by the employment
ouSbt to e reSara g ss his mdyiSnnl empita in in
Just as true sense as the invested money OF
another man. BY the employment OF which he
kind. mechanic or n workman in any
trade may, not own single tool with which
experience and skill and these are fund. to
Theh Is gyen the SednGra! tern Isrm tb 3 Sdy
ment OF which enables him to sell u commodity
that Is constantly in demand. and this brings
eapta an how be Shall 0m MANAGE me sa It. Is o him
matter of the utmost consequence. and II is a
matter Of purely individual and personal con-
The owner OF money capital puts his money
into corporate organization along with other
aged BY body OF trustees or agents. There
are advantages and disadvantages attending
this form OF Investment. One OF the advantages
is that by the union OF large amount OF
money capital. gathered from different sources.
ihdiytdasl fortune &c would be UNEQUAL. One OF
the disadvantages Is that the money OF each
owner is put out of his own immediate man;
Rl,ament When the owner OF labor capital
throws ais labor into a common stock. to be
managed and controlled by kind of corporate
tag and he subjects himself TO many disad,
vantages bv parting with the control OF that
WNiCh lie never should allow TO go out OF MS
Object for which these papers are written.
Lab2rinS men are constantly acting upon the
idea that by joining n trade union they gain
individual strength against their ell. bloyers in
AL contests about wages. Ii the union is one
which puts the control oil each man labor
under the determination OF the associated
body so that he must cease TO work when a
work for less than certain price. he gains
nothing but individual weakness. He gains no
h,A re- ~
OF workmen. | shall have occasion hereafter
to define how far strike is: or ought to be;
matter Of legal or moral right; and shall take
care that no one can have Just cause 10 object
20 what may say on that part of the subject.
fact that no strike that has occurred in any
branch of industry. however extensive has
Of labor The reason is, that the value Of labor
is necessarily fixed by a calculation OF what
the business i. will bear to pay after GharsnS }
men,s of this calculation are not within the
reach Of any body Of ,workmen, and they
could not deal with them inteigently and cor,
rectly II they were. 1t cannot be pretended
that a strike is anything but a means Of com
pelling the employer to accept, the strikers de;
termination OF what wages the business Will
bear. the strikers being entirely unable to
make any correct estimate whatever. Hence
1t is that strike can have no permhnsnt en- elect
The owner OF money capital the individual
stockhoder in q business corporation, Is. in one
money than he would be il he kept It's manage
ment in his own hands: but the law can do
agents or trustees are unfaithful. II the man
ayers OF trade union deal unwisely or in
or il the whole body OF the association make
decisions that are bad for the individual work
msehe IS beynnd eSa DO the reaeh Of @
The workman has bound himself to abide by
the decision of his fellows as to when he shall
work and at what price: and whatever may be
the loss or the injury that he suffers. he must
bear It. He must live on charity ior time.
pay a certain rate Of wages by concerted cessa-
lion of work and by compelling or persuading
in the worst OF all positions Tor his individual
welfare.
often repeated that II Is no permanent and no
temporary remedy for the hardshps that high
prices Of food entail upon any class OF laborers
managed for each individual Us money cap
it'll IS managed for the individual stockholder.
tain quantity o. skilled or or unskilled labor
cannot be determined by the will or the wants
of those who have che labor to sell. An en-
ployer. whether a corporation or an individual;
Is morally, bound TO be conslderate toward
those who do the work that Is wanted. But the re
pay never is and never can be affected by an
imperfect moral obligation; and il the law,
orpublic opinion. or u trade union takes the de;
termination Of what wages the business will
bear out Of the hands Of the employer. the
business must come to a standstill, because
such an interference.
Keeping in view. as. am trying to do all
along the interests Of workmen. | will now
advert to a consideration OF the greatest i'm:
portance in all cases where largo body OF
workmen are employed in different branches OF
service. as in the great railroad corporations.
II has never happened 10 me to be concerned in
the management OF railroad. on any other
business in which large numbers OF wOrkmen
are employed; but have witnessed the growth
OF the whole railroad system Of this country
from its first beginnings. In these fifty years
last past l have personally known many men
who have risen from the ranks Of mere laborers
10 positions OF great usefulness and impor:
tonee, and 70 considerable wealth. Many OF
these persons. have passed away, leaving
honorable and even distinguished names.
For the most part they had no great
advantages OF early education; some OF
them had very little school, education
stcadincss and devotion to duty which enable
men 70 rise in the world; were common to tneml
all Their places have been supplied. and are
constantly supplied. by men possessing the
same qualities and with no greater early ad-
vHntaGes. Now in this free country OF ours
there is nothing that is So important rs i Is 10
Preserve tho opportunity which our condition
Of society affords 10 lAbOring men 10 improve