The Labor enquirer., 1884-10-18

organize The labor. Why should be est ~
the results except what keeps the work
ers from starving7 6sems . no that :
man shouldn't be allowed to iorEanise'
labor 90 as to stArve it It may Be good
for fellows in colleges to talk about the
onward march Of civilization, bat ] can't
see the beauty Of it IS long as have to
onward march without knowing where
next Mondays breakfast il to come from,
But, some people say, the capitalist must
get interest on his capital. sBut who
made his capital ? damn him! It WAS
the laborers, some now dead some like
me, hardly living. For isn't his capital
stored up labor? And when did he or
his father store up as much labor as their
bank account would buy !? Besides, why
should capital have interestf If store
up loaf it doesn't reproduce another
loaf it only produces mildewl # | put
few pounds in the cupboard, it doesn't
reproduce any large or small part Of .
pound in any long or short time But
master got enough money from his father
to start the workshop. He has the work.
shop still and more money than ever;
he used to manage the place, but now he
does nothing but manage the manager.
Where did all masters wealth come
from? He does not work now, but he is
getting rich faster than ever Now see !!
Masters riches grow faster, the more
men he has working for him. He gives
the men money for their work, and sells
their work forImoney. But he pays away
less in wages and repairing the ma
cbinerY than he gets for our pinch ed
work, and the difference he pockets he
calls profit, and thinks he has virtually
earned. But his profit is got by paying
his men less for their work than it is
worth. So that after all, these millions
of money represent the confscated earn
ings of the industrial workers.
after all,'' continues our awakening
worker, "are the profit drawers 80 very
necessary as most people imagine l
work in place which belongs to a COM
pany of spectators there is the toilers
like myself, theforemen and the mana
ger. Manager gets wage which enables
HIM to live Iuxuriously; foremen gets
wage which allows them to live com-
fortablY; we get a wage which allows US
to-live, Suppose the doom of the DOM
inant class were sealed, what would be
effect on our workshop ? First, We wonld
dismiss the shareholders, wlthout.asking
them to refund their former profits;
there is the main thing to beNdone, and it
would benefit, not injure, the workmen,
manager and foremen could continue
working as before, but without taking
their orders from private proft-mongers.
The workmen would have their wages
greatly increased, because what was for
merly profits would now be the reward
of toll for the use of the toilers. II there
are few hundred idle men, these could
be taken IN and the hours of labor for
the entire shop shortened. Here would
be an instance where the transformation
process could be gone through without
the least disorder and with INN ediate
and immense social benefit. If it be
asked, what is to become OF, the share
holders 7 they had better work at what
ever they are fit for, and the social
change will elevate them into honest
men. If>theY will not or cannot work !,
they may 60 to where they had formerly
sent. the sickly or unfortunate laborer, to
the poor house,. 4
+ The time seems at hand when such
ideas must begin to force themselves
upon the minds of the modern slaves.
:. The spread of literature, the keen in
terest shown in all social questions, the
glaring display of luxury and the plainly
evident increase, of degrading poverty
all these things must force themselves
upon the intelligence of The working
class, and compel them to consider what
is the cause of and the cure for abject
destitution, amid a redundance of
wealth. A moral Revolution will slowly
force itself upon the minds of men. The
spread of intelligence will surely effect
the suppression Of tyranny. 1t is tothis
power that Socialists look forward with
hope for the success ofthelr propaganda.
knowledge is power" and when we
suc cceed. in sngrafting> of economical
questions upon the Proletariat we shall
.haye gained power which no other
power can vanquish. That power once
gained by mankind, shall be used by
mankind for the benefit of mankind.
|" JOHN l.. MAHoN.
Will Compel Recognition. -
Joseph r. Buchanan, Esq, Chairman People