The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-04-15


The Chicago Current has an article
from the pen Of VIM. E. Kidd on the
coming change in the relation between
labor and capital, that is 50 Ihilosoph-
ical a disquisition of the subject that
the ADVANCE reproduces it entire.
The article is as follows:
The wonderful growth of the organ
iZatiOn of lubOrlng men has startled
certain timid people nearly out of their
senses. These same persons have
slept the sleep of the just, undisturbed
while railway companies, coal compa-
MES, steel-rail workers, woolen mill
owners, pig-iron men, nail makers,
capitalists of every form and kind
have made their combinations and
boasted their power over their en-
ployes. Now that the workingmen
have organized and taken the bull by
the horns, the timid souls see nothing
but ruin and desolation in the future.
This fear is childish. There is no
man more anxious for good govern
nent than the one who is compelled to
earn his daily bread by daily toll, and
there are no more intelligent beings
on the face of the earth than the
American working man. The heart Of
the capitalist is apt to be locked up in
his bankvault with his cash aud with
him home is Il secondary matter, but
with the laboring man home and family
are the first and only care. No one
need fear, therefore, the social tenden-
cies of the knights of Labor.
The wonderful extension of the use
OF labor saving machinery has wrought
a revolution in manufacturing pro.
cesses. With all our increase Of pop
ulation there is actually less work for
men to do. Steam and iron have
turned men out Of their shops. But
when machine takes the place of a
hundred men, shall the employer dis
charge nin+ty nine and secure still the
profit of the hundred? 10 Il great ex-
tent this has been the practice, and
while the ninety nine are wanderers
ont Of job, the lucky employer has
become Croesus. This state of af-
fairs can,.Ot continue. 1t is Of no use
to say a man may do what lie pleases
with his own. II the machine disppnses
with the labor OF the ninety-nine,
still the hundred men and their falni-
lies must live. The good things of
this world are made for all. No one
has \ right to the earnings VI Il hun
dred while, prrc!lan"e, ninel ly-nine of
them are starving. Every man has the
right t" earn his living. This is not
Socialism, but humanity and common
SENSE.
1t is apparent to every thinking
man that this country is on the eve of
great crisis in the affairs Of labor.
The oli system Of ''hiring me,'' must
pass away. 1t is Il relic of barbarsm
at the best The ''hired man" is but \
step in advance of the slave. lie is
not chattel. but too often not much
better. Who that has had any init.
mate acquaintance with labor has not
seen the flushed cheek and clenched
hand that told of !. rebellious spirit
within as Il workman has quietly sub
United to insult and degradation? Not
much Of Il man to submit? Not at all;
there were loved and dependent ones
at home who must not be sacrificed.
Just now the process Of evolution is
going on with wonderful rapidity.
What will be the next stage? Will the
workingman step into his Kingdom
and seize the scepter? or is the time
not yet come?
In the changed state Of affairs that
is coming the laboring men are assum-
ing a mighty responsibility. but be-
lieve they are equal to it. Their
ranks are somewhat drmoralizad by
the vast accessions of foreigners,
whom capitalists have imported to
perpetuate their slavery, but even
these will be disciplined or sent hume,
and the American wo,kingman, stand
ing with barred head and undazzled eye
in the glorious sunlight of liberty, will
give a new and trenchant meaning to
the American maxim, "All men are
born free and equall."