The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-04-01
THE IND USTRlAL SITUATION

THE IND DUsTRlAL SITUATION.
There are two kinds or classes of
workingmen; one class, like Atlas.
bearing upon their broad shoulders and
sustaining with their brawny arms the
hope of the world; the other, uufortu-
nately imbued with anarchial ideas, in
Ginning to the disOrganiZation of our
social and industrial system, but not at
I'LL clear rs to what they would substi-
tute in stead Of the existing order of
things. The class first named are
steadfastly looking toward arbitration
and cooperation as set forth in the
nineteenth and twenty second planks
In the Knights of Labor platforms; the
other regarding with disfavor every
movement of the employed for u closer
alliance of their interests with their
employers. 1t has come to this: Shall
the arbitrationists and co co-operationists
or the anarchists shape the future of
organized labor? No more serious
question ever confronted society.-Ce-
dar Rapids Republican.
IT influential newspapers like the Re-
publican would labor as earnestly to
induce employers to submit to arbitra-
tion as they have to induce l.boring
men to submit, it might be brought
about. Such newspaper, are wasting
their energies on the wrong party
Men like Jay Gould will not submit
their cause to arbitration unless salts
fled that the arbitrators will declare in
their favor, or on condition that en-
ployes shall first surrender all that they
are cOntending for, holding that what
capitalists have succeeded in grasping
from laboring men is their own abso-
'utely to nse just exactly as they please,
and that to admit that this is an open
question that may be submitted to any
form Of arbitration is to surrender the
bulwarks of their position. Conse-
H"ently the Knights OF Labor are far
more willing to submit to arbitration
than are employers like Jay Gould; so
please use little Of your eloqnence
upon this latter class. Mr. Republican.
Those employers who are not blind to
their own interest as we'll as to the
welfare Of society. will see the propriety
Of strengthening the hands of the law
and order elements in the in ranks of
the Knights Of Labor by acce,li,g to
their just demands, or ut least by con-
sidtrin. the matter with them in an
*m'cab'" spirit, instead Of trying to
crush them out. If the arbitrationists
are Overthrown, lock out for anarchy
and ruin. One French revolution
ought to he enough for all time When
the crushing process is adopted Il mill.
'onalre IS of no more account than tile
most worthless tramp on the face of
the earth. and the supply Of the former
IS apt to be exhausted sooner than that
of the latter. So conn. the cost. Mr..
Capitalist, before you cry out: "Crush
out the strike" Better yield a little
than lose all and your head in addition.
The demands Of the Knights Of Labor
are not unreasonable. They ask that
employees shall not he discharged for
belonging to their order; that eight
hours shall constitute days work;
that women shall have the same pay as
men for the same service; that children
under IA years Of age shall not be EN-.
ployed at manual labor, hut allowed to
attend school, and tina, convict labor
shall not come into competition with
honest labor. What is there in these
demands that any reasonable person
can object to? The principal objection
raised by employers is that their work
shops and business are their own prop
erty absolutely, and they resent the
idea OF allowing any one to say how
they shall conduct their business. But
this idea of absolute ownership must
be abandoned. l.aborers are the pro-
ducers of all the wealth Of the world,
and are demanding u greater share of
the wealth produced by their own toll,
and a larger voice in the management
OF that labor.
Wouldn't the Masonic fraternity
boycott firm or corporation that dis
charged a man because he was a Mason?
Most assuredly. Then why is it wrong
for the Knights to do the same thing?
The main point urged against the
eight-hour system is, that because a
few men are so horribly poor, others so
miserly, and still others that have been
ground down so long and remorselessly
that they have lost all ambition to be
anything better than beast, are will
ing to work ten, twelve or sixteen
hours a day, therefore all workers
should be compelled to work that long.
and il they don't like that they can re-
main idle-and starve. This is on a
par with an argument used in favor of
perpetuating slavery: that because a
lew slaves were contented to remain in
a condition of servitude. therefore all
should. Another similar argument is
also used: that it was wrong to make
the black slave discontented with his
condition, and that it is wrong now to
make a white slave discontented. The
Knights contend that as long as there
is not enough employment to 20 around
among those who wish to labor, it is
just as right to divide up that employ
ment pro rata as it is for shipwrecked
mariners to put themselves on short
rations in order to make their supply of
food hold out longer; and that those
who insist upon full ratlons item hours
work) should be held in check by some
competent authority. If those in con-