The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-02-20

IL a4-..st.
is one Of the necessary features Of
happy community, must be wholly
wanting. But an exact balance Of
power is evidently impossible of
long continuance, and we have to
face the question of whether il is
better for the happiness of the COM
munity that capital or labor should
have the greater political power. If
capital is dominant, it is sheer nom
sense to assert that, more or less, 1t
will not look after what suits 1t best.
1t may stop short Of positive CT uelty.
1t may exhibit great deal of ipdi-
vidual kindness and good-hoarted-
ness, but all the same, however, the
power Of general tendency will be
to seek for capital excessive advan-
tagcs in the shape of cheap labor,
and monopolising wealth in a few
hands.
But il labor is dominant, i, may
be said it will be just as unreason-
| able and be as hard on capitalists
as in the other case capitalists will
be on laborers. There is no reason
to expect more moderation from the
one than the other, hut self-interest
forces moderation on the 10 )oring
classes. Capital can better afford
to wait than labor, and therein lies
the whole secret. If capital is in
the ascendant it fixes the rate of
wages, and more or less compels
Their acceptance. II labor is in the
ascendant, and demands persi tently
a higher rate of wages than the
capitalists can afford TO pay, it
drives capital away--kills the goose
that lays the golden eggs. may
be asked what l mean by capital or
labor being in the ascendant or
dominant. These are examples:
The influence of capital may 'educe
the rate of import duties and throw
thousands Of men out If employ
ment to compete with o.dinary
laborers. Again, it may stop public
works, and by doing so mere Sc the
number Of persons who will be COM
PEELED to accept any wages Trey can
obtain. Again, it may confire itself
to the pursuit of industries which
require little aid from human labor.
And lastly, it may take the most
mischievous shape of driving out
small capitalists who, depending on
local market, are confronted with
an impoverished people unable to
buy. The small farmers, for ex-
ample, must be ruined if they have
to depend on markets 1000 miles
distant. Their support ami safe
guard is prosperous artizan class
of local consumers.
On the other hand, labor in the
ascendant may impose many restric-
tons upon capital which would be
greatly injurious to capitalists. But
it may use its power no further than
to see that the conditions are MAIN
tanned that will leave to capital pro-
titable employment, but forbid it
from unfair eXactions on laboring
classes. The tendency to excess
sively use power is equally likely to
follow the dominance of either
class. But, as l have pointed out,
self-interest most powerfully res
trains license on the part of the
laboring classes, because if they are
unfair to capital they drive it away
and prevent its introduction from
abroad. know that l am liable to
be told that this is not sufficiently
restraining influence. All / have to
say in reply is that it must prove so
unless the world is to become very
unhappy. The balance of political
power is more or less rapidly every
where passing into the HANDS of the
laboring classes and small capita
lists. Simultaneously these classes
are becoming more thoughtful, and
better educated. Radcalism is being
divided into two schools-the con-
sentative and the unbridled In my
opinion Conservative Radicaiism will
carry the day, and employers Of
labor will find that a sufficiently
powerful section of the employed
vii prevent undle advantage being
taken of the larger political power
that labor will enjoy. In short,
capital restrained from being too
exacting, should find its best ally in
the moderate views Of the thought
full portion of the laboring classes.