New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-21
NDUSTRIAL EVOLUTION.
DR.. LYMAN ABB ut THINKS THE CITY SHOULD RUN
THE BROADWAY RAILROAD.

ihf BROADWAY RAILROAD
Inc hrst Of the winter course Of free lectures
was given at the Cooper Union night by the Rev
DR.. Lyman Abbott. Last winter the course was
pended owing to tho repairs that were gong on In
the building. The hall has now been completed and
IL was announced that the reading room would be
opened In few days. Dr. Abbott's lecture was on
'lhdustral Evoution,n contribution to the dis
cussloh Oh the lalor question. He said in substance;
Ii read the signs Of the times Alright not
on the brink of revolution. but we are about TO
"llhess another phase in Industrial evolution go
Hoh hone past to still nObler future. Form erly
capltal owned labor, but that stage has long since
passed away; the feudal system came next and the
workihemen were under the protection OF capital;
out tnat TOO has passed away and given place to
modern wage system. Capital longer owns or
has a lien on the laborer, but it all the tools
OF industry, and labor them Each class Is
dependent on the other, or set OF owns,
whiie another set Of men work. Our highways
ri ate property; engineer the locomotive
be directs or the train that it carries they pr
vate property This il essentially the wage system,
and many assume that 1t always has been and always
VIII DC. This Is not so Of the past the tOowOrkers
OF the last century were the owners Of their own
TOOLS The wage system carries with 1t many Of the
backest evils. Men and women often required
live little as $500 year. stinting them
selves ana their families. Many are even denied
reht 10 labOr If they would, and 1t IS reported that
YORK are Obliged 10 ask for charity III some shape
every three years. The system that turns millions
Of men to enforced likeness brings ulerism and
temptations TO vice and crime. he system that
ts up the rich at the expense Of the poor cOrrupts
justice and purchases arIs of Aldermen. Under
stand me am not OPPOSING those who pay wages,
Tut the wage system. The power Of wealth Is great
ana good, and in the hands Of many good and gem
erous men Of this country we need have no fear Of
luton.
As out OF slavery feudalism, out of the
wage system leLeve will emerge new industrial
democracy system without Classes, not divided be-
tween the rich and the poor. IL cannot be 70 morrow
morning: but the right IL never impractcable. he
tine Will come when the spinning jenney will work
alike for the rich and the poor Churches must for
get something Of their creeds and denomina lions and
place more emphasis the fatherhood Of God and
the brotherhood Of man The Government must I'M
dergo some changes that it may do many things now
done by private enterprise. The lest conception OF
ernment Is great industrial organization doing
or the Individual what he cannot do for himself
England bought her telegraph wires and has reduce,l
the cost 10 the sender fifty per cent What John Bull
has done Uncle sam repeat. and better every
time | role 10 night from Brooklyn over the great
Bridge and the little railway on 1t.
Why cannot New-York own the broadway
Railroad The world cannot go backward. We
will not 60 back 10 pinafOres. Labor must organlze
We have free air IN this country. and ! fear no
bloody streets or bursting bombs. What we VIII
have, I believe, is Christian country education
and universal prosperity. and a gulf no longer cx
istng between capital and labor.