St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-08

action of Jay Gould recently in reference to
the Wabash and its late strike. MI. Gould
mas seen in the sense of the proposition ne
made in a late conversation an opening 10
many gains, and he may well say that ne
would like to see every man IN MS EN-
ploy have a share in his road" fof IN the
adoption of this idea would he nave cnahce
not only to reap a harvest from the fruits
of their labors. but in turn would he, after
they had served him, have an opportunity
to increase the gain by paying them in the
matured stock of his road, thus making
in MANY cases 81 count for $4 or S. per-
haps more. This is all very fair on the
face of it, vet very valuable to its inventor,
and the great majority of men who invent
such schemes do so with view to personal
gain and not because of any sympathy for
the laborer While we applaud such an
action on the part of the employer, we
grumble at manifestation of the same
disposition on the part of the employed. Is
this fair? Has not the workingman as
much right to indulge in discomfort with
view to better his condition as the business
or other man? Most certainly he has and
when we accuse them of these things we
may, if we will investigate. see in it mo-
tive parallel with the one that prompts the
Spectator. 1t is the desire to have more,
to better ones condition, to advance, to OBJ
tain higher life, more properly speaking
on the part of the workingman that
prompts this spirit of discomfort than any
other one thing mentionable. l wish to
say, however, that L have little defense to
offer for the crude principles of trades
unionism for it is small thing in the case.
But in the broad, humane principles and
the offerings of the Knights of Labor have
L much defense to claim as well as offer in
this direction. And through this society
will all of these problems be rightly solved
in proper time.
The disconnected laboringman of to-day is
so because his condition is not right, and
because
THE PRIME LAWS
of self-preServation dictate it, and demand
that his attention be given it. Who is so
slack that he cannot see the rights and
wrongs of his own condition? Yet, may it
be truly said of many workingmen that
they cannot, and hence the necessity of
leadership. Largely is this leadership the
result of necessity as we'll as discomfort.
A wiser plan on the part of the employer
would be to establish peace with the leader,
and through HIM deal fairly with the men
dI large GildI IdDOI, Iieu W Lldho wal vi
him and thus engender strife as a conSe-
quence. And while few men are ready to
allow that they are leaders in the move
ment yet. certain is it that some have to
bear that burden, whether they will OF no,
though they may he the least in the ranks.
And in the simplest charges against such
men do those who make them offer great
mistake. Men may fall and be trampled
under foot, but the movement will go on,
and the things that are sought to be estab-
liShed through it shall be accomplished.
Therefore, were it well to seek reconcilia
ton. and not war. The sword has no part
to play i'll these conflicts. Reason is upper
most, and it shall. as it always has, make
right triumphant. Capital will remember
that labor has rights, and labor will well
come the application and discharge of the
function Of capital VINIUs.