The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-17
CAPITALIST AND LABORER.
A Minister'S View Of the Reciprocal
Rights of Employer and Employed.
Righteous and UnrighteOus Accumulation of
RicheS-The LabOrers Duty to
Protect His Interests.

/
the relations between labor ard capital, and the
reciprocal duties between operator and operative
He took his text from Nehemiah V, l-19, and
spoke as follows:
We have in this fifth chapter an account of
| Nehemiahs work as a political economist. His
duties are multiplying rapidly 1t is not only
that he has to supe rintend the building of a
stone wall around Jerusalem but as we'll Also
is he called upon to define and establish the re-
lations that must exist between man and man in
every progressive and successful community
There was needed not only the tact to direct a
large force of workers in manual labor but, as
well, that higher executive ability and states
manship which should effect the reorganization
I Of the nation 1t was not only that the city and
its walls were in ruins and must be recovered to
their former strength and glory, but the years
of captivity had disntegrated the whole national
life of the people; they must be taught again, as
Moses had taught Them the principles of gov
ernment the laws given to the fathers must be
re established, and, when there were changes in
the times and forms of life. new applications of
old principles must be made.
One of the first problems that demanded Solu-
ton that much-veXed and ever-re-
curing question relating to the differences that
wealth makes between people. 1t is a many
sided questlon-now presenting itself in the re-
relations of the rich and poor changing to the
contest between labor and capital, the ieal
ousies between classes the dangers of rank and
caste. 1t calls for ways and means by which
oppression shall be kept in check and lawless-
ness under rein and in awe of order; for methods
by which to discourage idleness, to create the
spirit of true independence and self-respect in
the individual; for means to protect the weak
against the strong, and to define on just and
equitable basis the financial relations between
man and man.
This fifth chapter of the book Of Nehemiah
gives the record of Nehemiah's wrestling with
some Of these great questions
1t is strange that the world should be ever
learning and never coming to the knowledge of
the truth In the history of every generation
we find some situations similar to those recorded
here; and though the differences between con-
tending interests have been settled thousand
times fixed by innumerable laws, yet with every
recurring age the same difficulties rise up to
be fought over on the old lines with only
here and there slight change in the battle
front Let US get the record in clear sight
There arose murmuring among the people
The greed for gain was bringing its usual con
sequences of unrest, discomfort and sullen com
plant The avaricious grasping of the few was
entailing upon the many suffering and want
for the very necessarles of life There were
some who had wealth and were constantly grow
ing richer there were others who were poor, and
were daily growing poorer. The wealth of the
few was not fair and just growth The banks
Of sand the piles up this of the shore,
have been washed away from yonder angle.
There has been nc increase of material, only
a taking away here and an increasing there.
So the accumulations of some of these Jews
was not "a healthy growth, for as they increased
their brethren decreased. Their wealth was
gained at the expense of their brethren Some
of the people had no property, and they were
entirely at the mercy of those who had, and the
landlord was expressing the tenant. Some
had mortgaged their fields and vine
yards and homes for the necessaries
of life during famine some time before, and
they were kept under the cruel lash of quick
and merciless foreclosure Some had borrowed
money to pay their taxes to the king, and their
creditors were plying them with the knout of
high rates of interest Thus it was that the
rich received their wealth at the expense of
their less fortunate brethren Hence arose nu-
merous dissensons, and the threatening of all
national and social life.
The discussing of this subject and all thesprob-
lens that are united In it would require much
time, preceded by long and careful prepare
tons 1t needs the laborious emulation of
statistics, wise drawing of differences from the
pages of history, well-trained aptness to weigh
both sides of the question without the heat of
craftsmanship or the canker of selfshness. 1t is
work for great minds, and deep thinkers, and
well-trained philosophers
But without talent for such things or time for
their development there few principles that
common sense teaches every man, and perhaps
III the end these primary principles are sufficient
to set the vexed matters in a clear light
far as theory is concerned, and regards
practice it may be that conscentousness is only
required to maintain that which theory teaches
is the best method and the only right way.
One of these c0mmon-sense principles is that
wealth in itself is not criminal A rich man is
not necessarily rascal by such man mean
one who can pay his debts and have something
Overcome who has surplus to invest after his
bread and clothes are paid. Rich men figure in
Bible history who are honored by men and stand
high in the favor of God Abraham and Isaac
were such; job was such at both ends of his life
God enlarged Davds estates, and filed Solo
mons Golfers, and the body of the Lord Jesus
Christ was tenderly cared for by a rich Jew of
Aramathea, who took him from the cross and
laid him away in his own grave
The simple fact of wealth is not necessarily an
index of crime meanness, or hard hearted
ness. Wealth can be honestly acquired; it can
be gathered without injustice or fraud, OF mean
ness. or stingy boarding | do not say that it is
the invariable rule that rich men are honest,
honorable and noble. l only say that they
be, and that many are. 1t is not the invariable
rule, either, that poor men are patient,
contented, without envy and jealousy
toward the more favored But many of them are.
A man goes out into the GOLD fields, buys claim,
strik es lead and the gold his pick uncovers
sends him home to invest it in banks, improve
farms, build towns and railways, and manu-
factories, multiplying work for thousands of
others. That is legitimate wealth.
Another goes out on the prairie, plowS up the
rich SOIL little this year, more the next, and
always more. sends out for machinery to do his
work, sets going thousand wheels and lathes
to supply him with reaper, cultyator, thresher,
Separatof-Wlth them ne ploWS ana reapS more
each year; he furnishes, by his work. both in
direct and indirect ways, bread for the millions.
always accumulating more himself That is
legitimate wealth.
He who gives his time and talent to the gath
ering in place. for the convenience of others,
the ia brics from distant looms. and spices from
India, fruits from Florida, the rich fruits of
Brussels looms and Mechin needles, the work of
Manchester shuttles, the manufactures of Lowell
and Lynn, and the products of mans handiwork
from the four quarters of the globe-he who
deals them out to his neighbors who need them,
is in legitimate work He ought to be paid for
his work. for his risks, for all that is involved in
a mercantile life. 1t is honorable if honorably
carried on The wealth flowing in from com
wealth
Here is one who discovers that his mountain
land has something more profitable on it than
few cords of hickory oak, to be burned up
faster than they can grow He for whom the