The examiner. (Hartford, Conn.) 1881-188?, 1886-07-24
ALABoR REFoRMER FOR MORE THAN
HALF A CENTURY, AND YET FILLED
WITH FRIGHTENING HOPES.

| VIII ~ 6hl1f7 ENifN6 7OPES.
Connecticut had its 'slearned black
smith," whose fame has spread throughout
the educated circles of the world. Mich
igan, though it is not aware of it, has also
within its borders noted parsonage whose
name is as well known in labor circles of
the revolutionary sort as is that of I. ".
Powderly among the Knights of Labor, or
VIM. III. Foster, secretary of the Fedora
ton of Trades, among the trades unions of
this country. This man is John f. Bray,
of Pontiac, an old socialist, q chartist and
one whose pen has been continuou ly in
use for the cause of labor reform for over
| fifty years.
John F. Bray was born in Washington,
D. c., in 1908. His father was an English
man, who, because of his ill-health, re-
turned to his native land in 1921, after
having lived In BoszonA some 10 years,
taking his son with HIM. Here they lived
for 20 years or more, and here young Bray
imbided the ideas he has advocated ever
since.
A talk with Mr.. Bray, who owns a small
fruit farm about mile from Pontiac, dis
closes no startling theories as to the rela-
ton of labor and capital, but one realizes
that he stands in the presence of one
whose honesty and sincerity must have
been reflected in marked degree in his
writings.
81 was not 30,'' said Mr.. Bray to
Journal representative, "before wrote a
book on Labor's Wrongs ana Labor's
Remedy and ever since whatever have
written has simply been an elaboration or
reiteration of what that book contains.
All my experience has proved I was right
in my theory, and if I live few years
longer 1 expect to see them practically
adopted by all.''
And what is your remedy ?''
"The marriage of labor and capital 1t
will be forced marriage, I fear, but
nevertheless when the wife-capital-s
how kind a Observation-Disclosures has, the
hate will quickly change to love, and the
result of the union will be perfected
progeny of which both alike will feel
proud"
a "Would you use force ?''
II don't think actual physical force will
be used, but the fear by capital of losing
all will make it yield reluctant consent in
dividing the profits of their joint efforts.
Just now labor is serf. he is dependent
on another for the opportunity to work
He is beginning to realize this, and he will
but a little while longer submit to it. I'm
just distribution must cease. Equity must
replace inequity. The key to the prison
in which labor is confined is capital, and
this key the laborer is determined to take
his turn in controlling. There is no way
for capitalists to escape than to hereafter
share with the laborer''
Mr.. Bray's writings may be found in
two-thirds of the labor papers of the
country. lie contributes almost weekly to
The Labor Leaf, The Examiner, and
the Denver Labor Enquirer, and his arti-
cles are copied very extensively.
A few weeks ago an assembly of the
Knights of Labor was founded in Pontiac
by Henry L. Schultz, this city, and Mr..
Schultz, in honor of the work Mr.. Bray
had done and is still doing In the labor
cause, called it the John #. Bray Assem-
bly."-Detroit Evening Journal