Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-04-07


IT has been asserted for many years
that there should not be conflict be-
tween Labor and Capital; in the same
manner it has been asserted that there
should not be conflict between Science
and Religion; from these similar logical
forms the conclusion has repeatedly
been drawn that Labor can never ac-
complish anything for itself by fighting
Capital, and that either science or
religion must ultimately go to the wall.
1t seems to us that the proper state
ment of the question would be, that
there is no conflict between labor and
capital when capital is properly di-
rected and labor properly distributed,
and there is really no conflict between
true religion and exact science. On
the other hand, history constantly re-
peats itself in proving that there is
relentless and bitter conflict between
the tyranny Of capital and the com
monwealth of labor, as there is pre-
verse antagonism between scientific
advancement and mere forms Of re-
ligion. Without discussing the debat-
able ground between scientific and relig
ious forms, ,eurpurposeis to call attention
to late proposed settlement of the
differences between labor and capital.
The long continued and persistent op-
position to the tyranny of capital in
the United States and elsewhere, is
slowly accomplishing something for the
cause of labor in spite of contrary
assertions. The tyranical use and un-
just direction of capital is yielding to
the just demands of labor, only as cap
italists are forced to yield by organized
labor; but capital is yielding never
theless. In the beginning of the fight
capital declared that might was right
and is now being compelled to change
its illogical assumptions when right has
succeededin completing anorganization
against might that is practically able to
knock the dollars out of the pocket OF
capital. King-craft has before now
been brought to the admission of polit-
ical argument in the same manner
Capital, with human perverseness, re-
fuses to allow that the claims of labor
are justihable, but virtually does the
same thing by gracefully proposing
arbitration as the means of allaying
the antagonisms between capital and
labor 1t is rather humiliating that
capital should be forced to make the
overtures it has been denying labor for
so many years but the fact is, that it
is either forced to compromise or stand
guard over idle money. In the mean
time the organization of labor protects
its members by building up new in
dustries which represent the savings of
labor. This phase of the question,
which has been reached after years Of
hard struggle, places the conflict
in the new light Of fight be-
tween monopoly and the immediate
necessities Of employees. These en-
ployees are protected by labor organ
izations, and strikes and lockouts are
the result OF late years protected
labor has been repeatedly coming off
best in these contests, especially in the
United States, where organized labor
has become great political factor,
backed by several million votes. No
one claims that wrong has not been
committed on both sides in these con,
tiicts, and, therefore, the merits of the
question are justly discussed upon the