The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-08-29
THE LABOR QUESTION.

The LA6OR QUESTION.
The Senate Subj Committee on Ed
ucation and Labor is industriousIy
pursuing it's inquiries concerning the
cause Of strikes and labor troubles
generally. At its recent session in
New York City, Mr.. Henry George,
an eminent political economist. was
called before the Committee. In the
course of his remarks MI. George said
there was a general feeling of extreme
dissatisfaction existing among the
laboring classes. Their condition
was not improving with the increased
prosperity of the country. The III
creased means of production and the
greater division of labor had rem
dered it more and more difficult for
a man to become an employer. There
was, in his opinion, no direct con-
flict of interests between labor and
capital, but between labor and mo-
nopoly. The latter term he used to
denote a peculiar privilege possessed
by one person or class of persons, not
poss essed by others. Some industries
were monopolies in their nature.
This was true to a great extent of
railroad and telegraph systems.
There was also a certain power of
monopoly that comes with the sg-
gregation of large amounts of capital
which rendered it possible for the
possessor of to obtain some advant-
age over his fellows. This aggrega-
ton of capital always accompanies
progress and invention, and the skill
of the individual workman has been
contracted or diminished.
It was actually supposed that the
introduction of labor-saving ma
chinery, when the great inventions
we're first made, would be to improve
the condition of the laboring classes.
The truth was that all these inven-
tions had not shortened the labor of
the working men by one hour. The
labor now finds a large factory and an
employer with a large amount of
capital. The division of labor is not
in itself disadvantage, but is SO under
the present condition of society. The
wages in each employment are gov
erned by certain circumstances, but
they must all depend on the wages
obtained in the most productive in
in the country, and here this
industry is agriculture. The fact
that wages are higher in new coun-
tries is that the soil has not passed
80 largely into private hands, and
wages will not sink on an average be-
low whats man can get by applying
his labor to the soil. The competition
between the owners of machinery
circumstances of freedom in
every respect would tend to raise
wages; where there is not freedom
the advantage goes to the landown-
ers in the way of rent. If invention
goes on to its ultimate extent there
would be nothing left for the laborer.
AS MI. George puts it the only
hope for the laboring man is for in
vention to cease its efforts, Or in 9TH
or words, drop machinery and return
to primitive methods of hand labor
the manufacture of all articles of
commerce. The gentleman will find
but few to endorse his proposition.
AS long as the United States possess
such a magnificent ares of agricul-
lands subject to pre-emption
and homestead entries there is no
lack of employment for surplus
labor. The fact is nearly all our for
aign and a large portion OF our native
population drift to the larger cities,
where employment Of any kind is
precarious and constant employment
found. A suspension of large
works by over production, or the
forced cutting down of wages by
reason of dull sales, thus producing
throws thousands out of en-
and introduces misery and
want into hundreds of households.
Gould the surplus labor Of manufac-
uring cities be induced to occupy
md till the lands awaiting the pres
,nce ofthe agriculturist, all this mis-
and want would be avoided. It
would make consumers of producers
nd thus restore that harmonious re-
alton between supply and demand,
which seems to be destroyed. The
abor problem will be solved when
abor is put where it is most needed.