The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-04-03
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
Til, Best Policy for American working
men to Pursue.

The Best Policy for American Working
men to Pursue.
In recent sermon in Boston, Rev.
NJ. !. Savage said:
"The welfare of each man in society
hinges on the general welfare of all ;
that is, If there is a large amount of
wealth in America, your chance and
mine OF getting some of it is great
deal better, without regard to the hands
| that hold the title deeds. The larger
the amount of public wealth, certainly
the better chance there is for all 10 get
small slice of it.
any course or attack, then, on the
part of labor or capital that tends to
| decrease production and to lessen the
public wealth to make capital or accu-
mulated wealth feel insecure-any
course Of conduct like this is not only
injurious to capital and to labor, but
equally as such it is an injury to me,
for even if do not own a cents worth
OF capital, whatever tends to decrease
the amount of general public wealth
decreases my opportunity to set at least
a small share Let us note two or three
courses of conduct on the part of cap
ital and labor that tend in this direc-
ton, and therefore ought to be regarded
as reprehensible, and ought to be fought
against and put down, if possible.
Labor needs capital just as much
as capital needs labor. Human pro-
gress cannot so on with either of these
crippled any more than bird can fly
without wings. We create a purely ar
titlcial distinction when we speak OF
labor on the one hand and capital on
the other, as we are accustomed to in
the modern world. What would a man
without capital be2 What could he do
with himself? He could only gather
wild berries and fruits, if he Coul! find
them, or with his naked fingers dig edi
bic roots out Of the soil or, if he were
strong enough, he could pursue some
wild creature, capture it and use it for
food
"The man with a shovel in his hand
or a pick, axe over his shoulder is
capitalist just as much as if he owned
a million dollars invested in the plant
Of some grand mandatory of some
kind. Anything that man has beyond
his hands in the shape of an instrument
or weapon of any kind, he is to that
extent capitalist What he possesses
is the result of SO much that has been
saved, and is made of use in order to
accomplish further production. That
is what capital means. Labor, then
needs capital just as much IS capital
needs labor, and it is unfortunate that
the two get into antagonism with each
other.
"a lock. out or a strike is an act of
war. 1t is not industry any more. The
moment that either one resorts to this
means it has passed just SO far from a
state of industrial civilization into a
condition of warfare. There may be
cases where these may seem unavoid-
able-where the capitalist may find
himself in such a position that in his
best judgment the only thing for him
to do is to lock up his factory; where
the laborer thinks that the only thing
for him to do is to strike. There are
cases where war IS justlfiable, but war
always destroys capital and leaves the
world poorer in lives and property. y
strike or a lock out always leaves the
world poorer.
at is only by conference and arbi-
tration between the manufacturers and
laborers we can be entitled to claim
that we are civilized, for these conflicts
are barbaric war instead of business.
What we are after in the modern world
Is perfect freedom of contract. the per
feet liberty of the individual. When
a capitalist discharges workman, not
because he is incompetent but on &C
count of religious opinions or politics,
he interferes arbitrarily with the rights
OF manhood When, on the other
hand, the laborers, by combination,
compel the manufacturers to keep a
man who is incompetent, whatever the
reason may be, they are interfering with
the right of freedom of contract, and
are putting a premium on incompe
tencc. 1t is wrong to every honest,
earnest, capable man in the commu-
nifty"
We ought not to be too anxious 10 encour-.
age unit ied innovation, in cases of doubt
full Improvement. For quarter of CEN
tury DR. Sage's Catarrh Remedy has been
before the public and passed through the
severeSt test and is pronounced the most
reliable remedy for that disagreeable NAL
ady. Thousands of testimonials of its vir-
ines. 80 cents per bottle. BY druggists.