Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-06
STRUGGLE AND STRIFE RULE.

The Era of Personal Choice and Self
 Determination - President F. A.
 Walker Upon the Laborer and HIS
 Employer The Manufacturers
 Wealth His Own-The Question is
 one of Education.
 The last lecture in the mechanics course at North Sheffield Hall was given by Presi- dent F. A. Walker of the Boston School or Technology last evening upon "The Laborer and His Employer" It was brilliant wind up of very successful course and the hall was thronged.
 Most text books found upon our book shelves, said he, contain ideas at variance with the views of to-day's thinkers upon po- litical economy. A great change has passed over economic thought. A short time ago 1t
 was almost universally held that the laboring men should not concern themselves about their condition. It was said that all classes were bound together so vitally that one could not suffer without the other, and in this way both kept an even tenor from harm. If capital has higher reward here, labor will get higher reward there. In this it was thought that a wrong tended to right itself. If the laborer undertook to meddle in the matter, harm and not good would result. It was thought that if 1aborers would force wages up to a high point something disas- trous to industry would result. Strikes were considered great mischief; and, in fine, the theory of trusteeship of capital was rigidly supported.
 This theory was closely alike the guardian ship of the upper classes over the lower of two centuries ago. Aristocratic politics broke down because the lower classes repu- diated this guardianship and asserted their own right to be their own guardians and trustees. We now know the interest of any class is safe only when placed in their OWE disposition with power and will to defend them. What the laborer loses the employer does not gain, for there is the will power, bodily health and capacity fer work of the laborer to be considered. Thus there is 8 total loss to the community.
 In the natural desire to increase profits will be an inclination to lower wages, because the pay roll is the nearest, simplest and most natural mode of cutting down expense. It is only when the employer finds this cannot be done that he will look to deeper methods of increasing profits. In this way l believe that strong resistance by the laborer is nealthful to stir the employer to look for other fields of profit in business. l believe that the laborer has great influence and re- sponsibility in this and the tendency to crowd down the value of labor should be re- sisted as an incentive to business research if nothing else.
 Even as late as 1873 eminent economists this side the Atlantic could reafirm the doc- Urine of trusteeship. To-day all fully realize that the 1aborer must sustain his interest or lose his influence. To-day the working classes stand in an attitude far in advance of the old order of industrial peace through despotism and stolid despair. Personal choice and self strife is the modern law of industry.
 Doubtless there is an identity of interest, harmony between labor and capital, but there are passionate men to think of. The claims,of labor and increase of capital both touch upon universal welfare. The sense of the difficulties and dangers of the laboring class, conscious of power, has given rise to much preaching upon the duty of capital to labor. But how employers have larger duties of charity, ex- cept as opportunities are greater, I cannot conceive. fail to see how he is under any more obligations than any other member of the community. To possess perfect equality is all that the lsborer should ask. It is by this and not by lawn parties, church fairs or fashionable snubbing the question wealth is his own just as much as the bank CTS or the merchants. Not gifts but justice is what the working classes want. Every in- stance of arbitration is whole lesson for the future. The working classes will have more and more to say and do regarding their rela- tions with the working of capital.
 The problem then, is one of education throughout all the varied experiences of life. It is not an easy one, but we should rejoice that the necessity is laid upon us, for in so doing we lift the community to higher plane.