St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-14
E BUILDING PERMITS.
Number Estimated
LABOR MUST ASSERT ITSELF.
Judge Hauser Expresses Some
Timely Thoughts.

The Trades and Labor assembly of our
city, as 1 see by the GLOBE, proposes to hold
an open meeting at HarisOn'S hall next
Monday evening and that an effort will be
made to secure the Rev. John L. Scudder,
Dr.. Simpson and Prof. W. W. Folwell to
deliver addresses. The great aim indicated
seems to be movement to secure special
Or class legislation in the interest of classes
OF Iaborers, the individuals composing
which and who are parties to this and like
movements, thus or by this movement, if
they are honest in their pretentions, ac-
knowledge that they are incapable OF taking
care of themselves in this great and glorious
free country. if left to their own individual
efforts and resources. Is this the attitude
they propose to assume? Is it not
the position socially they deliber-
ately assign themselves, as Others may
infer from their action? Such an attitude
III mildest expression, is unmanly, unless
the people comprised in these classes are no
longer free as individuals. Are they will
ing to admit this to be the fact as to their
personal condition?
The earnings and productions of manual
labor are very unequally distributed, but
whose fault? 1t were certainly best for So
Getty generally that the vast accumul alton
of colossal fortunes did not mar the SYM
metry of our social structure, and that the
producers and fabricatorS of all this vast
proportion of the common wealth of the
country were sharing it more equally. But
if they neglect their own interests in this
respect, may they expect relief through the
operation OF laws, however cumulative in
remedial measures, to be administered by
agents not of their own classes and really
without sympathy with the tOiling millions,
when they themselves will not be at the
trouble of observing and enforcing such
laws? Laws are not and cannot be made
self-operative. and will remain dead let
ters'' while those interested will not be at
the trouble OF enforcing them. The COM
mon labOring classes are suffering
cessive and class legislation, and
will be attainable through the operation oil
statutory limitations in contracts
WHICH OUGHT TO BE LEFT
free to Individual discretion and vigilance.
If man does not wish to work more than
eight hours day he should make his con
tract accordingly, otherwise he is not free.
Such a man cannot impose the tyranny OF
such legal restriction upon others in this
less violence, especially in all private en-
ployment of parties capable of making theiI
own contracts.
While l should be glad to see the usual
time of daily labor limited to eight hours,
or even less number of hours [ do not
think it can be so fixed by statutory enact
ment for persons capable of making their
own contracts in private service. l think,
| too, that there is too much difference in the
| compensation accorded to common labor
| and service rendered in the lighter and pub
lie employments. This undue and unjust diff
ference is maintained largely by the inconsid-
| crate acquieScence of the great body of those
! doing the common and harder kinds OF
work as mere hired laborers. But they
themselves must do the work of self
emancipation from this unjust and OPP
pressive inequality, by the exertion of theil
| higher and nobler qualities OF true manhood
| instead of abject acquescence in the dicta-
ton and leadership of Self-Seeking dema-
gogues or improyident disconnected ones
| who are impatient of a perSevering exercise
| of their intellectual powers in aid of theiI
| physical efforts to achieve a condition OF
comparative independence. Agitation will,
| however, lead to favorable modification OF
prevailing determinations against the in
| terest of the most merltorlOus classes Of OuI
Work-peOple; for whenever they will intel
| ligently they can enforce such modification
and compel capital, so-called, to just de-
pendence upon all lines of common labor.
Labor, not capital, should stand first in
social recognition, but will remain subor-
dinate until it asserts its own predomi-
nance. n. T. HAUsER.