The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-06-20
ELOQUENT ELKINS.
Harmonizing the Interests Of
Employer and Employee.
NATURALIZATION
An Address Delivered By Hon. 8. B.
Elkins Before the Alumni at
Columbia. No.

The material progress made during the
nineteenth century, especially in the last
fifty years, surpasses that Of all other periods
OF history. In Europe and the United
States wealth has increased since 1850 three
times faster than population. Machinery
has multiplied until it's productive power in
the United States and England alone is
equal to the power of a thousand million
men. Huxley says the 100000 workers
in England can produce as much in six
months az would have required, one hun
dred years ago, the entire working force OF
the world one year to equal. In the United
States wealth has increased from 1850 to
1884 forty-three Thousand two hundred
and forty million dollars. According to
Mulhall, since 1880 Great Britain has al
most trebled her wealth: France has quad
rupled hers, the United States has multiplied
in wealth six fold, and at present we are
growing nearly four millions richer at sum
set than sunrise each day. The accumula-
tions OF Europe and the United States
make up daily $11, 600, 900. and the in
crease in population is ll,OOO daily. 1t Is
estimated that it requires less than one
half of the manual labor that was required
in 1865 to produce an equal amount OF
subsistence. The domain OF nature has
been invaded by science, and her secret
forces made subservient to the will OF man,
until they stand ready to serve him as
sscourtiers surround a monarch" During
this period great progress has been made in
political and intellectual development. TIL
schools, colleges, asylums, hospitals.
churches and benevolent institutions found
everywhere are the monuments OF increas-
ing charity and philanthrophy. The nine
tenth century will be set down in the
worlds history as the century OF material
progress. May we not believe that it will
furnish the foundation for a moral progress,
not less wonderful in the twentieth century,
in the shadow of whose portals we now
stand, in which the moral forces will grow
and be stronghold, and nan will be made
gentler, wiser and purer, SO that in the
stately procession of centuries the TWEEN
tieth will take it's place as the century OF
moral progress. The signs point in this
direction and encourage this belief.
In this great march OF progress, the
United States takes the lead. In this rich
world this nation stands the richest. The
valuation OF property in 1884 was 51,67O
millions in round numbers, that of Great
Britain, mother and rival, being more than
5000 less. Gladstone, in his article on "Kin
Beyond the Sea-" declared that the census
of 1880 would exhibit the American Repub-
lie as certainly the wealthiest of all
nations" and he did not err. Bismarck,
in a speech made in the Reischtag, May IA,
1882, used this language:
'"The success of the United States in
national development is the most illus
trious OF modern times. The American
nation has not only successfully borne and
suppressed the most gigantic and expensive
war OF all history. but Immediately after
wards found employment for all its soldiers
and marines, paid most OF the debts, given
labor and homes to all the unemployed OF
Europe as fast rs they could arrive within
it's territory, and still by a system of taxa
ton SO indirect as not ito be perceived,
much less felt"
THE EVILS THAI HAVE GROWN oNGsI OF
GRowTH M WEALTH.
The great increase in population, large
immigration from Europe. amounting in
four years to over 2,4OO, 900 people, over
crowding of cities, increase in manufactur-
ing establishments, rapid absorption OF
public lands, consolidated wealth, impOrta-
ton OF contract labor and other causes are
reproducing in New Ensland and in som OF
the Middle and Western States many OF the
economic and social conditions OF Europe.
In the midst OF great wealth, with powers
of production unsurpassed, with material
success unparalleled, there is, nevertheless,
depression in trade and In this
land OF plenty there is in places the begin
ming of want; 35O, 900 workers are without
employment, upon whose labor more than
a million OF women and children depend
for food, shelter and clothing. How many
are working on half-time, fighting hunger,
and in this way supporting their W ex-
istence and the existence of those depending
upon them, cannot be estimated. This great
army of labOrerS stands and waits in vain
for the opportunity to earn by honest toll
the necessaries OF life. Many who have en-
ployment are forced, by cOmpetition, to ac-
cept a rate of wages that yields a bare sub
sistenee. The gap that divides the rich and
the poor grows wider and deeperdaily, with
unmistakable signs in the larger towns of a
tendency to classes. In the cities workers
are forced into packed and crowded tene-
ment houses, where foul air breeds disease
and certain death. The tenement popula-
ton of New York city, amounting to 5OO,-
900, live in 20, 900 houses. Here is a pop
ulation nearly as large as that of Chicago,
and larger thar that Of st. Louis, Boston
or Cincinnati. In the Tenth war there
are about 1000 tenement houses. In
200 OF them from fifteen to twenty families
live in each. In the Eleventh ward the pop
ulation is SO. 799-29,O45 native and 3d.
NOf AOIClkH " VAAAShA PoPN"
lated district in the world. 1t has nineteen
churches and missions, one for every 5000
ofpopulation, and 346 drinking houses, or
one for every 200 ofpopulation. The enden-
CIV ofpopulatiOn in the United States is to
large centers. One hundred years ago one
thirtieth of the population was in towns;
now more than One-fifth is in towns and
cities.
These evils lave grown with our growth.
They are largely the outcome, here as in
Europe, of the existing industrial system.
They call for no sudden outburst of con-
demnation or indignation against wealth,
capital or corporations. 1t would be folly
to condemn as a whole system, which, with
all it's faults, has merits, and which has
brought us thus far on our onward march.
But in u century the United States will
have a population OF 200 millions. 1t be-
hooves us, therefore, to seriously consider
whether we should take the risk of going
on under a system that permits such evils
as now exist and encourages industrial war
between employer and employed, which in
other nations has gathered more victims
through want than all other wars that
have cursed the world. Whenever the peo-
ple lave not had sufficient food, shelter
and clothing, death has reaped a rich har-
vest.
NJ NESESSAn1 ANIAuONAoM
WEALTH AND LABOR.
Political economy not only isils to give
US aid in the solution of this question, but
has failed thus far to disclose to us the law
governing periods OF prosperity and de-
preston in the commercial world. In the
presence OF this ebb and tide, action and
reaction, constantly occurring under some
subtle influence, which alike builds up and
sweeps away fortunes, which brings pros
perity and then ruin to whole peoples and
countries, which man cannot foresee or
provide against, political economy stands
silent. In treating the industrial problem,
it has heretofore brought to bear only the
stiff laws of trade, emitting any considera-
ton OF it's ethical features. As a science it
is not built on a basis brood enough; it
does not consider the moral forces at work
in the world, and their effect On trade and
labor. While it has taught good things,
it has left the great problems untouched.
The ordinary remedies, such as forcible
division of property, naturalization OF
land, socialism and communism as gener-
ally understood, furnish no relief for exist
ing evils. II all property were equally