Daily Republican., 1886-04-12

Ths Ousseme ~ me Laser 1ssnbsss
The fallovinx y shs fourth. apd last,
OF the esyies OF articles on labor and
capital from the New York Journal OF
Commerce.. which were published BIZ
We have been setting forth 1t some
length the prsssnt attitude Of the labor
organizations toward both thu working.
men and their employers. We have By
no means exhausted tho subject, but it
may be worth while 70 turn from this
description 70 consider briefly what is|
likely 20 be the outcome Of the move
ment In seeking to forecast the future
OF these associations represented by thel
trades unions and the Knights OF Labor.
IL 10 not the part Of wisdom or prudence
20 beitttle the forces that are at work,
or 70 deny that they have any Just &C
casion for their efforts to Improve the
workingman's condition. In all parts
OF the world the laborer who 10 giving
his service for daily. weekly or monthly
wages 10 denied very many things that
are quite essential to his comfort. n
full Justice was done to him his lot in
life would be vastly improved. He 10
naturally impatient nj tho inequality
which Hlls TO the brIm the cup OF some
he deems less deserving than himself,
but deals OUT TO him scanty portion,
and that with niggardly hand. How
shall he remedy the injustice and secure
that TO which he 10 fairly entitled?
The answer which these organisations
make for him 10 ~ old 40 the evil that
6lls the world with wrong and outrage.
They claim that only by the use Of
force can he better his condition, and
obtain the Justice which he eeeks. They
do not sec that with fallen humanity
what II 10 there can be NO perfect state /;
that the only Improvement In mans
condition must be made from the heart
outward, and that this 10 not subject TO
the law proposed. No man In ever
truly reformed BY outside pressure or
penal stripes. and the race L. but an M.
greRation Of individuals. The violent
hand which seeks to pull up the tares
will destroy the wheat, and leave the
fields TO desolation.
The injustice which the laborer meetl
on every side Is not peculiar to his ex-
perience. The earth 10 filled with
cruelty, and the might OF man with al
his weapons of war cannot stay the
tide of evil. II the workingman had
at his back all the resources Of human
power he could not materially chang,
the state Of things which bringa him *
much unrest and discomfort. Those
who control the labor movement In thil
country, while seeming 10 be working
| along q single line to achieve iheii
object, are really divided in their aims
and this of itself must hinder thei
progress. Mr.. Powderly, and thos'
who hold with him, believe that tn,
workingmen have only TO band them
selves together, agreeing 70 act In con.
| cert, and submit without question 3,
| the orders Of their leaders, and 1t vii
not be necessary to use any actual forc,
TO accomplish whatever they desire.
mere exhibition Of their power in hi
view will be sufficient, 90 that wher
trouble arises all that can REASONABLE,
bs asked may be obtained as o CON
cession from the employers by Q com
mittee of arbitration.
The difficulty will be that NO human
power can fix the limit of demand. A
quaint Western writer, In describing
| the strikes which have recently takeI
| place, when men who had no grievance
real or imaginary, readily left the ser
vice Of their employers 1T the orders o
ii cir leaders, In many cases withou
even knowing the whereof Of the com
mand, declared that the organizer
themselves were in no better condition
they were "like the boy with o new
pair Of boots, he wants to kick some
thing" and they could not walt for an.
real occasion 10 show their power, bu
| made q demonstration of force whel
there was nothing to be gained by Il
We can see, therefore, that even II tn
demands Of the organization are mad
in the Powderly fashion, they ar
likely TO increase In volume with eacl
succeeding concession until they eugul
all that can be granted, and like tn
great chaneery case of Jarndyoe agains
Jarndyce, they are thrown out Of oonr
because the estate is swallowed up Il
costs.
But the other faction Of the Knight
Of Labor, represented by Martin Iron
and his associates, are on o differen
tack, and as they are much the NOR
positive and aggressive, are faS NOR
likely to carry the body OF their orgaui
cation with them. They are Socialist
pure and simple, and intent on organi
zinR the world on the s0cialistio theory
In fact, IS DIR. Behrends recent
showed in his opening lecture on thi
theme. the apostles Of this order b.
lieve that the world Is ripe for the ne,
dominion.
Theirs is the doctrine of political evs
luton. The world In theiS theory bt
gan in Barbarism. When part of mar
kiud became enlightened they domins
ted over their fellows and establishe
Slavery. This WAS better than pur
barbarian, but It was not to last, and
was modified into the Feudal system
This in turn evolved the rule of th
Aristocracy, each an improvement O
the previous order, and that gave wa
as the middle classes came up {
Plutocracy, or the reign of capita
Capital, they, hold, 10 nothing in itsel
but organized robbery. 1t filches fron
the laborer part Of his earnings an
uses 1t as an engine of oppression. Tn
evolution must go on, and the working
| man thrOup the ballot box or nv m