The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-25

have the same beneficial effect upon the
workman 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 citizen
as regards the commonwealth. But we are here
met by difficulty which confess have not
yet been able to overcome, and which renders
me less sanguine than should like to be in re-
gard to cooperation. The difficulty is this, and
it seems to me to be inherent in all gigantic
manufacturing, mining and commercial opera
tions. Two men or two combinations or men
will erect blast furnaces, iron mills cotton mills
or piano manufactures adjoining each other, or
engage in shipping or commercial business.
They will start with equal capital and credit;
and to those only specifically acquainted with
the personnel of these concerns, success will
seem as likely to attend the one as the other.
Nevertheless, one will fall after dragging along
a lifeless existence, and pass into the hands of
its creditors while the neighboring mill or busi-
ness will make fortune for its owners. Now,
the successful manufacturer, dividing every
among his workmen, either as bonus as
dividends upon shares owned by them, will not
only have happy and contented body of oper-
atives, but he will inevitably attract from his
rival the very best workmen in every depart
ment His rival, having no profits to
divide among his workmen, and pay
ing them only small assured mini
mum, to enable them to live. finds himself des-
spoiled of foremen and of workmen necessary to
carry on his business successfully. His work
men are discontenred, and, in their own opinion,
defrauded of the proper fruits of their skill,
through incapacity or inattention Of their EN-
ployers. ThuS1nequal business capacity in the
management produces unequal results. 1t will
be precisely the same If one of these manufac-
tories belongs to the workmen themselves; but
in this case in the present stage of development
of the workmen. the chances of failure will be
enormously increased. 1t is indeed greatly to be
doubted whether any body of workingmen in
the world could to-day organize and successfully
carry mining or manufacturing or CONNER
cial business in competition with concerns owned
by men trained to affairs. If any such cooper
alive organization succeeds, it may U taken for
granted that it is principally owing to the excep-
tional business ability Of one of the managers,
aud only in very small degree to the efforts of
the mass of wOrkmen owners. This business
ability is excessively rare, is proved by the in
credibly large proportion of those who enter
upon the stormy sea of business only to fail. /
should say that twenty cooperative concerns
would fail to every one that would succeed. There
are, OF course, a few successful establishments,
notably two 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 pres
ent owners, who now generously share the prof
its with their workmen. and who are making
the success of their manufactures upon the CO.
operative plan the proud work OF their lives.
What these concerns will become when the gen
ius for affairs is longer with them to guide is
q matter of grave doubt, and to me, of forbod
ing ! can, of course, picture in my mind
state of civilization in which the most talented
business men shall find their most cherished
work in carrying on immense concerns, not pri-
marily for their own personal aggrandizement,
but for the good of the masses of workers en-
gagged therein, and their families but this is
only q foreshadowing of dim and distant
future. When class of such men has been
evolved, the problem of capital and labor will be
permanently solved to the entire satisfaction of
both. But as this manifestly belongs to future
generation, l cannot consider cooperation or
common ownership as the next immediate step
in advance which it is possible for labor to make
in its path upward.
would lay it down as maxim that there is
no excuse for strike or lockout until arbitra-
tion of differences has been offered by one party
and refused by the other. No doubt serious
trouble attends oven arbitrati0D at present,
from the difficulty of procuring suitable men to
judge inteligently between the dsputants.
There is a natural disinclination among business
men to expose their business to men in whom
theyihave not entire confidence. We lack, so far
in America retired class of men of affairs. Our
vile practice is to keep on accumulating more
dollars until we die. If it were the custom here.
as it is in England. for men to withdraw from
active business after acquiring fortune, this
class would furnish the proper arbitrators. On
the other hand, the ex-presidents of trades
unions, such Mr.. Jarret or Mr.. While, after
they have retired from active control, would
commend themselves to the manufacturers, and
nical knowledge, and educated to point where
commercial reasons would not be without their
proper weight upon them consider that of all
the agencies Immediately available to prevent
wasteful and embittering contests between cap
ital and labor arbitration Is the most powerful
and most beneficial.
The influence of trades unions upon the re la
tions between the employer and employed has
been much discussed. Some establishments in
America have refused to recognize the right Of
the men to form themselves into these unions;
although am not aware that any concern in
England would dare to take this position. This
policy, however may be regarded as only a tenn
porary phase of the situation. The right Of the
workingmen to combine and to form trades
unions, is no less sacred than the right of the
manufacturer to enter into associations and con-
ferences with his fellows. and it must be sooner
or later conceded. Indeed it gives one but a
poor opinion of the American workman il he per-
mits himself to be deprived of right which his
fellow in England has conquered for himself
long since. My experience has been that trades
unions. upon the whole, are beneficial both to la
Dor and to capital. They certainly educate the
workingmen, and give them truer conception
of the relations of capital and labor than they
could otherwise form. The ablest and best work
men eventually come to the front in these organ
izations; and it may be laid down as rule that
the more intelligent the workman the fewer the
contests with employers. 1t is not the ntelli-
gent workman, who knows that labor without
his brother capital is helpless, but the blatant
ignorant man, who regards capital as the natural
enemy of labor, VINO does SO much to embitter
the relations between employer and employed;
and the power OF this ignorant demagogue arises
chiefly from the lack of proper organization
among the mon through which their real voice
can be expressed This voice will always be
found in favor of the judicious and intelligent
representative OF course, as men become in
telligent more Difference must be paid to them
personally and to their rights, and even TO their
opinions and prejudices; and upon the whole q
greater share of profits must be paid in the day
of prosperity to the intelligent than to the gno,
rant workman. He cannot be imposed upon so
readily. On the other hand, he will be found
when business is depressed; and it is better in
the long run for capital to be served by the high
est intelligence, and to be made well aware of
the fact that it is dealing with men who know