The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-04-07


the world could to-day organize and
successfully carry on mining or
manufacturing or commercial business
in competition with concerns owned by
men trained to affairs. IF any such
cooperative organization succeeds, it
may be taken for granted that it is
principally owing to the exceptional
business ability of one of the managers,
and only in a very small degree to the
efforts of the mass of workmen own
ers. This business ability is excessively
rare, as is proved by the incredibly large
proportion of those who enter upon the
stormy sea of business only to fail"
As to arbitration, Mr. Carnegie finds
natural Discrimination among business
men to expose their business to men in
whom they have not entire confidence.
1t is difficult in this country to secure
the proper persons to act as arbitrators
The right of workingmen to combine
for the advancement of their interests
is no less sacred than the right of
manufacturers to form associations
There is nothing to be feared from any
intelligent workman who understands
the relations of capital and labor, but it
is the blatant ignorant man and dema-
gogue who regards capital as the natural
enemy of labor, and who does so much
to embitter the relations between en-
ployer and employed. Concerns that
are managed by their owners instead
of salaried officers are measurably free
from labor troubles. Wherever such
troubles arise, it will be found in many
cases that the men are not paid the
compensation proper to that time.
What is most needed is plan by which
the men will receive high wages when
employers are receiving high prices
for their products, and hence are MAX
ing large profits; and when the en-
ployers are receiving low prices for
products. and therefore small if any
profits, the men will receive low wages.
If wages were based upon sliding
scale, in proportion to the net prices
received for products month by month,
workingmen could have no reasonable
cause for complaint. Diminishing for
the present all consideration of CO.
operation as not being within measur-
able distance, Mr.. Carnegie believes
that the next steps in advance toward
permanent peaceful relations between
capital and labor are:
FtrSt-That compensation be paid the men
based upon sliding scale in proportion to
the prices received for product.
iSecond-A proper organization of the men
of every works to be made, by which. the
natural leaders, the best men, will even
tually come to the front and confer freely
with the employers.
Third-Peaceful arbitration to be in all
cases resorted to for the settlement of differ
ences which the owners and the mill COM
mittee cannot themselves adjust in friendly
conference.
FOurth-No interruption ever to occur to
the operations of the establishment, since
the decision of the arbitrator shall be made
to take effect from the date of reference.
If these measures were adopted by an es-
adjustment, several important advantages
would be gained:
First-The employer and employed would
simultaneously share their prosperity or adj
versty with each other The scale once
settled, the feeling of antagonism would be
gone, and feeling of mutually would en-
sue. Capital and labor would be shoulder
to shoulder supporting each other.
Second-There could be neither strike nor
lockout, since both parties had agreed to
abide by forthcoming decision of disputed
points. Knowing that in the last resort
strangers were to be called in to decide
what should be a family affair, the cases
would indeed be few which would not be
amicably adjusted by the original parties,
without calling in others to judge between
them,