The sun., 1888-01-29

themselves to be defmuded OF their own.
or course, since production and pay day
always precede the market, this Is arrant
nonsense; but most employees are prob
ably penetrated with belief In its
truth, and, trusting to the sugges-
tions of their prompters, they have
at various times and in many places con-
trived variety OF means for increasing the
proportion OF this fund which is expected
| to come into their own possession. They
arc constantly Mt work even upon schemes
for Industrial cooperation, and have only
| failed in putting them in general operation
because OF distractions like those that stood
| in the way Of the KEELY motor. Their ma
chimes would not go. But instead OF trying
to get rid Of the capitalist, have they never
thought OF tho possibility OF cooperating
with that offensive person on terms that
would relieve him of his heaviest labor, and
secure for themselves some OF the advan-
tages OF his greater freedom In their Co
operative schemes thus far they have gen.
orally proprosed TO leave the capitalist out
altogether, and tho idea is about as sensible
as to try and walk on the water.
1t will not do for employees to run off with
the idea that they do not get their share OF
the cost Of production. They, OF course get
every penny of the labor cost; and 1t is the
chief difficulty OF the employer, after he has
taken the product from their hands, to get
| something more than this cost in return.
Sometimes he gets considerably more; some
times he gets q sum about equal to the
cost; but sometimes, and the incident Is
more common than men suspect, he gets
much less than cost, and then If he does
not become bankrupt it will be because
previous successes have supplied him with
the means Of meeting the loss. Under pre-
vailing systems the employee Is often dead
load upon the shoulders OF the employer;
and great many Of those who undertake to
give employment can only carry their bur-
den III manner that makes riding more
uncomfortable than going afoot.
Many employees seem to have accepted
the idea that all employers are capitalists in
the sense that a capitalist is supposed to be
a man OF large property resources. Would
that it were so. but. unfortunately, the idea Is
not well founded. In reality, from the ap-
parently great corporation with its capitali-
| zation of indefinite millions down to the
humblest proprietor or lessee Of some me-
chanical factory, the majority OF employers
cncumbered, by liens. The Reading Com
pany has been made an especial object of at
tack by its employees during recent years.
But are those employees in tho. habit
OF following the market reports and
learning the condition OF the various
properties to which they must look for
the means Of subsistence The employees
OF tho New York Central Railroad seem to
have no trouble. The Pennsylvania Railroad
is also able to get along smoothly with its
workmen. But the roads that must alter
nate between the control Of their stock
holders and a receiver are always the first
roads to be made to stand and deliver when
the demand is made for a more liberal divi-
| sion with their employees. The truth Is.
about one-half the resources that contribute
to the employment OF workmen is furnished
not by capital, as the term Is ordinarily COM
pretended, but by liens supported on COM
bined capital and credit represented in
bonds mortgages, or some sign OF ob!iga-
tion that must be met il ruin Is to be avert
ed Subtract these liens from the gross to-
tai that Is called capt. and one-half tho
| workmen in tho country would be thrown
out of employment tomorrow, and the re-
mainder put on half time.
| This is the situation which employees must
confront. They think themselves wronged
and oppressed by capitalists; but ninety per
cent. of the effort which must be put forth
| by their employers the so-called capitalists
must be given to the support OF employees
in the form of wages or salaries; and II the
larger number Of the remaining ten per cent.
which these employers hope to realize from
their adventures, do not go to the support Of
liens, it will be an unusually favorable cir
cumstance. 1t is very common when wages
are the only product; and then it is some-
times about an even chance If liens, profits,
and all. except what the employee has Sc
cured, be not buried in common grave.
Employees have little conception of the
hardships which their financial isolation i'm
poses; and if they ever expect to rise above
their present condition. they must learn to
contribute n portion Of the capital which
employs labor. But they have no capital, it
will be said, and can therefore make no con-
tribution. Then let us abandon the word
capital us one Of the most worthless and in
| consequential words in the language. and
substitute resources. II employees can con.
tribute no capital they can help to carry the
liens which represent capital. 1t would be
| curious, indeed, II the men who obtain ninety
! per cent. OF the annual product of industry
could devise no plan through which they can
help to make good the obligations OF their
employers, and find their own profit in coop
Grating. They mean well; but they have
never yet comprehended the momentous fact
that employers. on the average, give nine
parts In ten to labor, and that the tenth part
reserved is not always forthcoming.
The British in East Africa.