The Labor enquirer., 1885-12-26
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For The Enquirer.
The weekly report of the secretary Of
the coal miners Of Colorado, etc., In TnE
LABOR EHou1RxR Of November 28, aptly
illustrates the relative position Of labor
and capital, and the imperative necessity
for the overthrow Of our industrial sFs.
them. Locked out miners, asking per
mission to work in the mines of the
Union Pacific railroad at Rock Springs,
were in effect told to strave, as aNo
Knight Of Labor shall eyer work for the
coal department at Rock Springs again. =
This was the ultimatum Of the aboss.n
This same thing. in effect. has occurred
in other trades. in efforts Of capital to
break up unions. We boast of our Z. Of
L. and trades unions and their power
for good, but il ioreanized capital thought
it worth while to make the effort, by
issuing similar manifestoes, our whole
trades union system would fall to pieces
like q rope of sand. Their continuance
is due, not to their strength, but the toll
Grafton Of capital, mixed with it's fears
Of consequences.
But the ultimate conflict is surely
coming. and the unions will 20 down
under the capitalist: pressure. And
men will grunt and grumble, and talk of
#tyrants, and make empty threats, and
submit to the new slavery so long as the
unions are governed by obsolete ideas.
What are these old ideas? That men
are entitled to % fair davis wages for a
fair day'swork." Good enough, as far
as it goes, but having no effect on tyr
amy, low wagea, ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
blacklisting, and the innumerable evils
and wrongs that labor suffer under capiz
talistic control. And on its present
plane of thought. labor is utterly help
less to change its position.
Constant experience shows capital
that it has nothing to fear from labor 80
SO long as it tacitly accepts the present
wage system, with its accompanying
class divisions, and the supremacy of
capital over labor. But when labor has
received the new light. and demands
equally with capital in all the results ac-1
complished by labor and capital, then
adjustment must come.
Labor, to-day, is an outlaw, held in
subsection by its own necessities, with
the aid or fear of the police and military.
What would it attempt to do in con-
fict with capital :? 1t might destroy
every mine and productive establish
ment thereby, like Samson, oyerwhelm-
ing itself and its enemies. But such a
remedy would be worse than the dis
ease. On the present plane ofthought it
would only reorganize society on the old
foundation of class dependence.
But let us suppose that labor, instead
of the present aimless conflict, is per-
meated with the true idea that it has
the right to its whole earnings, the right
to Joint control of all machinery and
productive appliances, the right to fix its
hours and wages, and that theses rights
must be established through partnership
with capital, then the duty of labor is
clearly to take possession of every estab-
lishment where employed, and thereby
compel capital to acquiesce in the new
condition for its own salvation.
This control of its own destinies is the
ultimate of the labor movement, and
should be the object fall trades unions.
The "man" and master" must be aboF
ished as distinct classes, and cooperate
together, with common interest
Therefore the primary duty ofall unions
is to enlighten both labor and capital as
to the great issue oflabor's independence
coming up for solution. Struggle first
for right ideas. Have an aim that is
worth something. j. +. BRAY.
PONTIAC, Michigan.