The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-28
LABOR, CAPITAL AND STRIKES.
Col. w. p. Rend Talks of labor Troubles
and the Remedy Therefor.
Chicago Special.

Chicago Special.
COL w. p. Rend, who is large employer of
labor, and who has just returned from the con-
vention of coal miners and operators, recently
held at Pittsburg, in interview in relation to
the proceedings of the convention. said:
"The country is never free from strike of
one kind other in some of our coal-mining
regions. Viewed in any light whether from an
economical, social or moral stand point strikes,
a rule are evils of the greatest magnitude.
They are evils not only to the two parties
gagged in conflict but are also grave public evils
that cause loss and injury, and even ruin to inn
portant outside interests. strike is de-
structive industrial warfare, wasteful of the
resources and injurious to the true interests
OF capital and labor. During strike capital Is
forced into idlcness, and to perform its in
tended function-the reproduction of other
eapital-and labor. whose necessities are i'm
mediate and urgent, suffers the keenest hard
ships of poverty and privation, while the public
loses its share of the joint wealth that would
have been produced during the period of en-
forced idleness. Economically strike is
blunder. as it is waste OF wealth Socially
strike is vicious evil engendering feelings of
discord and dissension, and fomenting passions
of enmity and hate. 1t widens the gap between
the rich and the poor. 1t destroys the peaceful
harmony that should exist between employer
and employed. 1t ineites disturbances that
end in riot and bloodshed 1t often lights the
torch Of incendiarism, and even drives men in
and Of midnight assassination. 1t provokes
armed violations of the laws, and creates civil
commotion which imposes upon municipalities,
counties and States heavy taxation incurred in
the employment Of increased police forces, and
in the use Of armed militia for the preservation
OF the public peace. Morally, strikes are in VIC
lation of all Christian teaching, and in dlsobedi
ence Of the solemn injunction of divine laws
which forbid quarrelings and contentious, and
-inculcates fraternal love for one another. and
justice in all our dealings and relations between
one another
''In all the largo labor employing industries
strikes and ock-outs have become agencies of in
creasing and alarming prominence in deciding
gates of wages and in settling the relative status
of employer and employee. In the absence of ar
bitration, of some other friendly plan Of
agreement, it can be said, perhaps, that these
agencies although evil IN their nature and ten
denotes, become at times necessary and justi-
fable If labor were to submit quietly to the
exactions frequently made upon its legitimate
rights by greed and avarice, it would soon find
itself reduced to q state OF serfdom. 10 prevent
being made the victim of outrags and to protect
its equitable rights it becomes its duty to resist
any and all oppression coming from capital.
Labor has the right and it becomes its duty, to
strike against unjust wages or oppressive treat
ment 1t has also the right to organize into
unions for self defense. But IN organized form
labor, becoming powerful, oftentimes abuses its
power and goes beyond the boundaries of de-
fensiye union and assailS the legitimate rights
of capital 1t often. in our industry we'll
in others, attempts to extort unreasonable wages
and to dictate despotic demands. In the face of
such abuses capital has, then, the right and it is
its duty, to offer resistance, and lock out labor
until the latter to its and recognizes
the Just rights of its employer. In any strike or
lockout, as general rule, capital and labor each
contends that it is in the right, while, in fact,
one OF them or both must be in the wrong. The
remedy for all this, however, is in arbitration.
Although arbitration 'has been of long and
universal use, and has proved potent means OF
composing the disturbed affairs of mankind,
still this peaceful plan Of settlement has been
but seldom called into practice in arranging the
relations between the greatest of all human
forces-capital and labor. This is due to the
fact that in past ages these two interests have
seldom met on anything like terms of equality.
AS rule, capital has been the master, and labor
the slave The one has been strong and power
full, the other weak and helpless. The has
dictated, the other has been forced to obey.
Greed and selfishnsss, rather than right and Jus
tice, have decided their terms Of contracts
and fixed what the former would pay and what
the latter should receive. the laborers of man
kind, history tells us. have been generally in a
state of helpless and hopeless slavery. In the
present age these relations have changed to a
wonderful degree and the time has come when
capital must recognize the just rights of labor.
1t can no longer trample upon them. 1t must
reason more with labor and dictate less Labor
has commenced to understand its rights. 1t has
commenced to organize into associations to
sert and maintain them. The enlightenment of
the age, the wide diffusion of knowledge created
by schools, by public discussion, by the public
press, and the other agencies of information,
have educated labor to realization
of its wrongs and suferings. This
knowledge has made these wrongs more Cypress
i've these suferiugs more severe and unendura-
bic. Labor is fast throwing off its chains. Dur
ing the past fifty years it has made more rapid
strides toward its emancipation than during sew
eral centuries before. 1t is no longer enshrouded
in the darkness of ignorance. 1t has commenced
Ell sy,l-O Y11 Hclc ,tOf ha
great problems of production and distribution.
1t sees that il creates wealth in co-partnership
with capital, but it feels that in the distribution
OF the joint efforts OF the two its share generally
has been UNEQUAL and un Just 1t feels that CAPT
tai is entitled to protection and to fair and eoui
table compensation for its risks and services;
but it also asks for this co-partner in the pro
duction of wealth its own fair and equitable re-
ward for its sacri6ces-a reward that will enable
it to live in decency and in comfort L repeat,
that the time has come when capital must rea-
son with labor. The nineteenth century is the
century of intelligence and intelligence, not
force, should rule over these great interests
while arbitration is the intelligent remedy
of settling industrial pursuits, it is by means
apanacea for all industrial ills. is it re-
sort that should be used except to prevent dis
putes between employer and employee from end
Ing in strikes and lockouts. There are other
methods fully effectual of securing
harmony between the two interests Each
should be governed by spirit of fairness toward
the other. The employer owes the laborer WIN
works for him more than mere wages. He owes
him decent and manly treatment. He should al
ways meet the man in his employment as q man.
and treat him as a man. He has no right to look
upon him as mere instrument Of labor He
should respect his feelings. recognize his man.
hood, and honor the dignity of his labor. The
laborer also owes his employer reciprocal duties
He should work for the promotion of the inter-
ests of his employer whose capital, intelligence.
and efforts are invested in the common enter
prise. The laborer has right to take unfair
advantages of his employer. or ask him TO
dishonesty In our occupation miners often
times act upiustly as well as the operator
They make unjust demands, attempt to enforce
3yrannical exactness and help to hurry capital
over the precipice of ruin, OF course O general
plan of arbitration would bring both narties