The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-19

That Transparent Humbug.
To the Editor Of the Indi annapolis Journal
Was ever so transparent a humbug debated In
our American Congress or any other Congress as
the arbitration bill which passed the House with
whirl the other day, and will pass the Senate,
possibly somewhat modified. and then it will be-
come law by the approval of the President;
and then whatq It provides that in case of a
dispute between employers and employees. either
may go into court and demand an arbitration,
and after that 90 out and do as he pleases. This
last provision is the only sensible thing in the
bill. Nevertheless, the measure should be passed
and be tried It will do good just as it does good
to. try every patent lotion on gangreened foot,
before resorting to the knife-it makes the suf-
ferer better resigned to the knife when it has to
come That remedy or any other based on the
fallacious and vicious theory which under
lies it can no more reach the springs of the
disease than salve of mutton taliow and sheep
sorrel can cure senile gaDgrene. Ii can hardly
relieve the pain for moment but 1t ought TO
be tried, Just to show that nothing but the knife
will effect a cure, and that knife. in this labor
case, is the strong arm Of the law which shall
open the doors of all honorable and profitable
labor to every American citizen and protect him
in the pursuit of living, if it takes every other
American to do it.
By the way, is it not strange that so many
thinking men-lawyers, doctors, preachers, and
even some editors-have plunged headlong into
the false and dangerous quagmire on which, as
on a foundation, the vicious theory is built
which underlies all the Socalled labor trOublesY
Men talk of capital and labor as distinct ele-
menta So they are; bat they are never antago-
nistic. But when you talk of capitalists and
laborers as being separate and distinct classes
you ignore the facts of everyday life and talk non
oss> f4n0f
elements; but producers and consumers are not
distinct classes for every man and woman
is at once both q producer and consumer,
except the few thieves and spongers who infest
society. The farmer who raises his own bread
is producer, and when he eats he Is con-
sumer; but that farmer is as much a producer at
table as when afeld, and as much consumer
when following the p!ow as when eating or sleep
ing The blacksmith, or the tailor, or the
drayman is Doth a producer and consumer, and
SO is the merchant or the lawyer. the doctor or
the preacher. Every man woman who con-
tributes by his or her hand or brain. or both. to
the wealth and happiness of the body -poiitic is
entitled to equal honor and dignity, no matter
what special work he or she may perform, and
it is arrant demagogy to attempt to exalt one
or degrade another. Every one carries in his
own person the proud honor OF being at the same
moment both capitalist and a laborer, and no
sensible man will pose as either at the humlll-
alton OF the other.
To illustrate: Here ia q shoemaker. AS he
stitches away he is manifestly laborer When
he has sold his goods he becomes O capitalist,
and yet with his money in his pocket, he stitches
away. typical American both a capitalist and
a aborer. AS O capitalist he instinctivey be-
trays the characteristics of his guild. He wants
a coat, and proposes to employ a laborer across
the street to make it, but he does not always
leave the matter of wages to the man of the
goose, but he asks the price. AS capitalist he
dictates wages unless his demand is imperative;
then the laborer diCtates n case of a disagree
ment neither proposes arbitration. for there is
no law but the law Of slavery can make either
submit to arbitration. Five years later, drink
ing no intoxicants, using no tobacco. and work
ing as many hours as his strength will allow, he
has money enough to employ a jour-, then two,
then ten. then hundred. then a thousand.
Now he becomes ''monopolist,' forsooth, q
monster, proper subject to be boycotted. al
though he has not changed his relation TO capital
and labor one jot In the eyes of common sense
he has the same rights now that he had twenty
years ago, with the same rights to contract with
employees and control his business that he had
when he and one jour ran the whole; but in the
eyes of this vicious un-American heresy he must
have somebody to arbtrate between him and
those who are at liberty to leave him at any mo-
ment, and whom he does not want to employ.
1t is thus with every free American. He is
forever both a laborer and capitalist The man
who handles millions and superintends railroads
or factories, is no more capitalist than the man
who makes shoes to sell, though he may have
more capital than the shoemaker. The man or
woman who goes to market with dollar or
dime is acapitalist, and employs the gardener
or the butcher to labor for him or her. Every
man who rides on a railroad is a capitalist, and
the manager of the road is the workingman; but
to morrow the relative position of the two may
be changed, as the tailor becomes the capitalist
when he wants to buy shoes, and he always gets
them as cheap az possible.
Allow me to further illustrate my point by
bit of personal history which Is duplicated every
Gay. A few months ago wanted to send a box
of goods to Detroit | was capitalist. had
money, and as [ found several workingmen
anxious to work for me. I felt quite independ-
ent First applied to laborer standing on
the Circle, with an express wagon. He said
he would charge 80 cents to take the box to the
railroad. It was exorbitant and refused to
pay it. He never said arbitrate, for there was
nothing to arbitrate, and found man more
than willing to take it for quarter and express
man No. i never proposed to shoot or club ex-
pressman No q At this point Ilearned that
there was working man by the name of Jay
Gould who had used his own money and the
money of thousands of other workingmen,
called stockholders. just to take my box and
other goods from Indianapolis to Detroit.
called on Mr.. Gould at his Office in this city
he was not in personally. but his represen tative
was-and told him was capitalist: had plenty
of money and wanted to employ work
ingman to carry that box to Detroit Mr. Gould,
through his representative. spoke like a we'll
bred gentleman, though iaDorer, working SIX
teen hours q day, and said As cents a hundred
pounds. If he had said so cents should have
gone to another laborer who was anxious to take
it for 48 cents. / capitalist and {
proposed to get my work done as cheap
as possible whether Mr.. Gould could support his
family at the reduced rate or not. employed
Mr.. Gould and he did that job satisfactorily. A
few weeks later wanted to be carried myself to
this same Detroit. First | applied to working
man, Frank Bird, who has invested his own
money and the money of several other working
men in hacks. hansoms and other vehicles. Mr..
Bird said fifty cents ] said. I'll walk first, and
l walked Mr. Bird never said "arbirrate;" he
just let me. a capitalist with money in my
pocket, walk, and nobody boycotted me- Again
I called on Mr.. Gould. He had carried my
box so satisfactorily that / thought I
would employ him again. Most of
capitalists do that way If an
employe does his duty he employees him again.
Mr.. Gould stated his figures. / told him could
do better. There was another workingman ell
gagged in the business that would take me for
laoe Tika oil etc T took IA chaapaP