Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-23
GROWING WIDE.
The Breach Between Employer and EN-
ployed Increasing

The Breach Between Employer and EN-
ployed Increasing
DENisoN, TEN, March 10, 1855.
To the Editor of the Gazette.
The breach between labor and capital
is apparently growing wider. Arbitration
on difficult questions so far has only
effected temporary settlements. New is
sues are constantly arising from unfor-
seen causes, and the results are strikes,
boycotts aud suffering for the wage
| worker; losses, rctrenchment aud hoard
ing Of money by the capitalist who will
not promote new enterprises while re-
turns are 80 uncertain from present in
vestmcnts. Legislation cannot cure the
disease, as any attempt to regulate the
relations between capital and LABOR by
new laws would only IN the field with
ayowed partisans of both parties and
make
Confusion worse confounded"
Our great troubles in this part OF the
country are the disagreements between
railroad companies and their employees.
/ The Knights of Labor feel their power and
are disposed to exercise It, Officials Of
the company object to dictation in the
management of their business hence
trouble ensues. Earnest workers on
! both sides are anXiously looking for some
middle ground ON which they can meet
and adjust the yeXed question by giving
| "equal rights to all" This result might
! be obtained by cooperative system of
labor, such as making contracts with the
assemblies of Knights OF Labor for the
performance of work instead OF hiring
men individually, as is done at the pres
ent time. Railroad companies have ma
chine and repair-shops, round-houses in
which engines are stored, car-shops and
car repair-shops, in which skilled me-
chanics are employed, They also have
car-repairers, car-cleaners, freight-hand-
lers, switchmen and yardmen, and they
generally all work where one or more
divisions Join or at the termini of the
railroad. In addition to these men
are track gangs and section men,
bridge-gangs, carpenters, painters, watch
men and water service men who are
scattered from one end Of the line to the
other are all identified with the Knights
of Labor, and are members of assemblies
at either the division or the terminal
towns. Contracts for all work done by
the afore-named men could be made with
the assemblies OF which they were mem
bers, on such basis of time ana price as
might be determined or agreed upon.
Each class of labor would constitute Il
separate chapter in the assembly, and
each chapter, looking after their own in
terests, would determine the amount of
compensation for performing the require
ments Of the companies The figures
would then he given to the master work
man, who would be enabled to close an
intelligent contract with the railroad
Compapy's agent. The contract would
specify the kind or style of work, the guam
tity, price and terms Of payment,
with necessarily a percentage retained
TO compensate the company from any
possible loss from derilect work Pay
ments would be made in bulk to the as
semblies by whom the members would be
paid, in proportion to their services. One
great advantage the Companies would de-
rive from this method Of doing work Is
that they would secure the best labor the
country affords, as Judging the future by
the past. These assemblies of Knights of
Labor would make industry honesty and
sobriety prime requisites for membership
in their order, and man whom the com
panies did not want, from moral or in
dustrial reasons, his brother laborers
would have as little use for. The pros
poet of q settlement of the present
troubles and securing of permanent en-
, ployment would induce workmen to ac.
! quire interests in the towns in which they
, reside, thus making them more conserva-
tive and less DESTROYS OF change, and this
would be more especially the
case where the retention of n
mans situation depended entirely on
himself and not subject to the caprice of
an agent or foreman. In comparatively
short time the railroad companies would
be served by class Of labor who had a
l personal interest in the prosperity and
. Wen being OF their road, and, as citizens
: in harmony with them, would do much TO
( protect and advance the company's inter
4 est. Inc advantages the men would de-
. rive from the contract system are that
: they would be enabled to regulate the
! number of hours of labor for DAVIS
! W0fk-rate OF pay, as they would be paid
, In proportion to work performed Dur
! Ing the busy season in place OF Increasing
" the force they could work more hours,
and during the dull season instead of re-
I duclng the force work less hours. AS
{ semblies could arrange to purchase food
q and Clothing at small advance on cost.
y as they could guarantee all bills and com
. pei their payment, making a saving OF
10 TO 70 per cent. on the cost of living.
, Medical service could also be secured at
n low cost IN the same manner, and a
: small tax on each member would make an
= insurance and benevolent fund to be used
: in case OF accident or sickness. The men
y could be put in charge of one of their
= own number and choosing master
a workman, and the company could ap-
point supervisors to oversee the work
and have 1t done acceptably and accord
ing TO contract. B.A q.