The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-26
LNOLD EMPLOYERS VIEWS
or AIJUsTMsNT BETWEEN La
Boz AND CAPITAL.
Inc Question Of Cooperation and
Arbitration Discussed From the
standpoint OF Expe 'iehce.

Anil. A strike or lockout is, in it,
aeil. a ridiculous affair Whether a
failure or a success, il gives no direct
proof Of its justice or injustice. In
This il resembles war between two ma
lions. Il is simply a question OF
strength and endurance between the
contestants. The gage OF battle or the
duel IL not more senseless as a means
OF establishing what is just and fair
than an industrial strike or lockout.
IL would he folly TO conclude that we
have reached any permanent adjust
ment betveen capital and labor until
strikes and lockOuts are as much
things Of the past as the gage of battle
or the duel has become in the most
advanced communities.
COOPERATION.
Among the expedients suggested for
their better reconciliation, the first
place must be assigned TO the idea OF
cooperation, or the plan by which
the workers are 10 become part owners
in enterprises, and share their for
tunes. There is no doubt that il this
could BE- effected il would have the
game beneficial effect upon the work.
man which the ownership OF land has
upon the man who has hitherto titled
the land for another. The sense of
Ownership would make of him more
OF man as regards himself, and hence
more OF 3 citizen as regards the Com
monwealth. But we are here met by
a dific lty which | confess have not
vet been able 10 overcome, aud which
renders me less sanguine than /
should like 10 be in regard to co
operation The difficulty Is this, and
it seems 10 me TO be inherent in all
gigan6c manufacturing, mining and
commercial operations. Two men or
two combinations OF men will erect
blast furnaces, iron-mills, cotton-mills
or piano manufactures adjoining each
other, or engage in shipping or com
merciAl business. They will start with
equa capital and credit; and 10 those
only specifically acquainted with
the personnel Of these concerns, sue
cess wi seem as likely TO attend the
one M tn other Nevertheless one
viii fail after drag ling along Ii eless
exist noe. and pass toto the hands Of
It's cred tors; while the neighboring
mill or business viii make fortune
for ia owners. Now, the successful
manufacturer, dividing every month
or every year proportion OF his prof.
its among his workmen, either as u
bonus or AZ dividends upon shares
owned by them, will not only have a
ko..ts and noniautaI koJ,, - q, 80.
tives, but no will inevitably attract
from his rival the very best workmen
in every department His rival, hav-
ing ne profits 10 divide among his
workmen. and paying them only a
small assured minimum, TO enable
them 70 live, finds himself despoiled
Of forenen and OF Workmen necessary
10 carry on his business successfully.
His WOrkmen are Disconnected, and,
in their own opinion, deirauded Of
the proper fruits Of their skill, through
incapaclty or ina tcntion of their en-
ployeTs. Thus unequal business ca
paclty In their management produces
unequal results. II will be precisely
the same il one of these manufactures
belongs 10 the workmen themselves /;
but in this case, in tie present stage
OF development Of tho workInen, the
chances OF failure will be enormously
increased, II in indeed greatly TO be
doubted whether any body Qi work.
ingmeR In the world could to-day or
ganiSo and successfully carry on a
mining or manufacturing or CONNER.
cial business in competition with con
Germs owned by men trained TO affairs.
II any such cooperative. organization
succeeds il may be taken for granted
shat il 10 principally owing 10 the ex-
ceptional ability Of one OF the mana
gers, and only in very small degree
10 the efforts of the mass OF workmen
ownen. This business ability is ex-
cessiyely rare, az is proved by the in.
credibly large proportion of those who
enter upan the stormy sea OF business
only 10 fail. should say that twenty
cooperative concerI9 would fail to
every one that would succeed. There
are, OF course, Jew successful estab-
u hments, notabg,Lwo in France and
one in England, which are organized
upon the cooperative plan, in which
the Workmen participate directly in
the profits But these were all created
by the present owners, who now gen.
erous , shar the profits with their
workBen, and who are making the
Success Of heir manufactures upon
the cooperative plan the proud work
OF their lives. What these concerns
will become when the genius for
affairs is no longer Wit them to guide,
is a MISTER OF grave doubt and, 10 me,
Of foreboditig. can, OF course, picture
in my mind a state OF civilization in
which the most talented business
men shall find thoir most cherished
work in carrying on immense con-
Germs, not primarily for their own per-
sona ACKNOWLEDGMENT, but for the
good OF the masseso OF workers engaged
ther in, and their families; but this
is only . foreshadowing Of u dim and
distinct future. When a class OF such
mon has been evolved, the problem OF
capital and ! Dor will be permanently
solved 10 the entire satisfaction Of
both. But as this maniiestly belong,
to a future generation, ] cannot con
slider cooperation, or common owner
ship, ne the next immediate step il
advance which il is possible OF labo
io.rnake in its path upward
PLAN oPlARBITRArioN.
I would lay il down as a maxim
that there is no excuse for a strike o
a lockout until arbitration OF differ
ences has been offered by one part
and refused by the other. No doub
serious trouble attends even arbitrs
lion at present, from the difficulty {
procuring suitable men 70 judge into
hgently between the disputant
There Is a natural Discrimination anon
bnsineR men 10 expose their bushes
TO men in whom they have ct entil
confidence We lack so far in Anne
ics a retired class OF men OF affair
Our vile practice is 10 keep on acc
mulating more dol airs until we die.
il were the custom here, as il is
~ England, for men 10 withdraw fro
active business after acquiring fc
tune, this class would furnish Il
proper arbitratorS. On the 9th
hand, the ex-presidents of trad
unions, such as Mr.. jarrett or N
While, after they have retired fro
aetive control, would commend thel