Morning journal and courier., 1886-04-05
.rHE LARoR PROBLEM.

U
 man Smyth, pastor of Center church, on the subject, "An Outsiders View of Labor Or ganizations." The address was delivered by invitation under the auspices of the Labor Lyceum a new organization. The printed cards issued by the Lyceum announcing the lecture said also: "The aim of the Lyceum is to bring together the representa- tives of the various interests of society in a free and open discussion of the questions csntering about the labor problem, trusting thereby to promote mutual toleration and clearer apprehension of the issues and the true principles of social reform" Quite a number of ladies were present and large number of workingmen. Dr. Smyth, after being introduced by the chairman, said:
 Free discussion is the security of free people. shall lay before you the views of a large class of men and shall speak of labor organizations as an outsider, one of 8 large number of men who from the necessities of the case must remain outsiders. It IS profit able to consider how social and industrial forces are distributed among the people and what in consequence must be the limit Of the power or the direct usefulness of labor or ganizations Karl Marx predicted that the middle class would be dissolved, society di- vided between few capitalists and prole- tariat but never was prophet more hopeless ly confuted by history. In England there are 9S7 men whose income is over 91O, 900 annually and the number of persons of mod | crate income has been steadily increasing 1 The larger part of the Increase | of wealth has gone to the middle class who 1 are not rich, not to capitalists on a large | scale, who are compass ptively independent in l their industries. In this country there are F, ,392, ,O99 persons in all gainful occupations. | How are these divided! There are in manu- l featuring, mechanical and mining industries ! (including returns of factories and shops and ! excluding independent mechan1cs) 3,S37, HE; | i l five or six millions, from whom | labor organizations must in the main these these persons. Besides these there are engaged in personal and professional services | 4,O74, ,239 persons This class of some 4,000,- 900 must in the main stand outside labor or ganizations, with interests different Beside l these there are 7,670, ,493 persons engae ed in l agricultural occupations. Though to some l extent labor organizations have included and may include agricultural laborers, yet in the main agricultural interests cannot be identi- l fled with trades unions. Take into account the number of independent mechanics and | workingmen who for personal reasons will be 1 likely, unless under unlawful compulsion, to 1 remain non-union men, and the other classes l just enumerated, and the question which lies | before us is practically this: What is the at l titude of some ten or twelve millions of peo- 1 pie who are not large capitalists I | ganizations toward those organizations? l I speak for a tolerably large body of citizens | of this country. The attitude of mind at l present of these outsiders toward Trade
 unions and Knights of Labor may in general | and briefly be indicated as follows: list. There is general desire to find out what is right and wrong in the condition of | labor and also what is economically hopeless. 2nd. There is an increasing sensitiveness l to the evils of monopoly, yet belief in the l use of combination both of capital and labor for the lawful individual good.
 3d. A considerable patience and reluc- tanse to interfere by force in any troubles between employers and employees.
 4th. A mighty reserve of faith and loyalty toward free institutions
 9th. A growing impatience of any violent
 interference with the course of industries and readiness to resist any infringement of personal liberty or of the right of any man to work as he pleases. Tlsey will not suffer dictation by one class over another class. If seventy men endeavor to prevent the seven ty-first man from working except on their terms, this outside public can be relied upon to stand by the one man against the seventy. There are certain things which we must cheerfully admit concerning labor organiza tions, and the first of these is their right to be. It is fair to consider ministers associ- ation of this city as trades union. I belong | to the Congregational Ministers association
 
 than a trades union of ministers. It is for 1 the advancement of the interests of our own l class, but have never known 8 ministers 1 union to strike for higher wages, and our | ministers trades union has never gone to an- other man and said you must not in accordance with our rules, or if you do you will be ruled out of organization and cannot get work in New Haven. If we should do that, or if we should say to any other men you have got to join our organi- zation or you shall not work at all think my friend here MT. Busche would be the very first man in the audience to denounce us as ecclesiastical bigots, and tyrants. CThe audience testified to the appreciation of the sentiment expressed by vigorous hand clap ping)
 2nd. Such organizations have history are growths, produced by natural forces in social development. Some are existing still which were organized in 1703. Many of their objectionable features were either survivals of older customs copies on the part of workingmen of defects in the statutes and system of things under which they were governed They reproduced faults of the governing classes and evils of enforced secrecy.
 4th. Such societies have improved since oppressive laws against them were repealed
 9th. They cannot be put down by laws against them.
 9th. They have increased with increase of intelligence.
 7th. They have done much for a peaceful settlement of labor troubles. It is claimed that in England, where trades unions have been strongest, strikes have been the fewest. In 1882 seven societies spent in strikes not 2 per cent. of their income and not per cent of their available funds.
 Sth. Trades unions are favorable towards women's work. So with the Knights of Labor. The speaker here spoke very strongly about the manner in which our system of labor bears upon women and their work, and the starvation wages which too many of our women receive, which are represented by the shirts upon the backs of the men. I was glad to see, continued the speaker, that the Knights of Labor had put in their plat form or declaration of principles, words to the effect that man should be paid suffi- cient wages to enable him to support the wife he has promised to support and the children God has given him.
 9. So labor organizations must be accepted organizations which in some forms are to continue, and are to be influential factors in the future development of society. I shall not delay to speak of their work as friendly societies, but consider the more important question concerning their methods of agita- tion. We are directly interested in them when the organizations of one class in their efforts for themselves affect the welfare of other classes. Certain simple eternal princi-
 
 body of men to advance itself as body must conform. Success can never be won permanently in violation of these principles:
 1. That the advancement of one class must be in consistency with the good of the whole No class can make permanent gain by injur- ing another class.
 2. The personal rights of the individual and especially his right to work. Any re- striction by the laws upon individual liberty must be clearly proved to be necessary for the good of the whole. Restriction of liberty for the benefit of class or section of a class is intolerable. The rights of organized labor have limits and bounds in the rights of unorganized labor. The people are impa- tient of dictation. The community will not long suffer the walking delegate of any body of men to go about the streets as walking dictator to other men. We will have no Caesars, crowned or uncrowned, rich or poor, secret or avowed. We would be ready if it ever should become necessary to fight the whole brood of industrial Caesars, big or little, whether they be matched in the offices of wreckers of mems jndustriea or in the cOunsels of miaIad indua-