The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-04
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND LABOR.
a Neglected Chapter In the Career Of the
Great AmsE1can.


Great American.
Prom the CHICAGO Inter-Ocean.
Lincoln's anecdotes, speeches and mes
sages are generally well known, but his
words touching the labor question have
never yet received the:prominence they
deserve. In fact very few know that he
ever announced any opinions on the sub
ject. But I'm his first annual message to
congress, dated December 8, 1861, the fol-
lowing passages maj be found:
at continues to develop that the insur-
rection 10 largely. II not exclusively, o war
upon the first principle Of popu
lar government - the right of
the people. Conclusive evidence of
this is found in the most grave and
maturely considered public documents,
as well as in the general o of the insur-
gents. In those documents we find the
abridgment OF the existing right of suf-
frage n the denial to the people of all
right TO participate in the selection OF pub
advocated. with labored arguments, to
prove that large control of the people i'm
government il the source of all political
evil. Monarchy itself is sometimes hint
ed as a possible refuge from the power Of
h people.
In my present position I could scarcely
be justified were l TO omit raising u warm
ing voice against this approach Of return
ing despotism.
II is not needed nor fitting here that a
general argument should be made in IA
vor OF popular institutions ;but there is one
point. with its connections, not SO mack
neyed as most Others, to which I ask a
brief attention. II is the effort to place
capital on an equal footing with, II not
at owe, labor, In the structure of govern
ment. II is assumed that labor is availa-
BILE only in connection with capital-that
nobody labors unless somebody else,
owning capital, somehow by the use OF il
induces him to abor. This assumed, il Is
next considered whether it is best that
capital shall hire laborers, I'M thus in
duce them to work by their own consent.
or buy them and drive them to II without
their consent. Having thus proceeded SO
far il is naturally concluded that all la
borers arc either hired laborers or what
we call slaves. And further IL is as
sumed that whoever is once a hired la
borer is fixed in that condition for life.
Now, there is no such relation between
capital and labor as assumed; nor is there
any such thing as a free man being fixed
for life in the condition of a hired laborer.
Both the assumptions are false, m all
differences from them are groundless.
Labor is prior to and independent of
capital. Capital is only the fruit OF labor,
and could never ave existed IL labor had
first not existed. Labor is the superior Of
capital, and deserves much the higher
consideration.
Capital has its rights, which are as
worthy OF protection as any other rights.
Nor is II denied that there is, n prob
ably always will be, a relation twe
labor and capital producing mutual
benefits. The error is in assuming that
the whole labor of the community
exists within that relation. A few men
own capital, and that few avoid
labor themselves, and with their capital
hire or buy another few to labor for them.
A large majority belong 70 another class
neither work for others nor have others
states a majority of the whole people of
all color are neither slaves nor masters,
while in the Northern q large majority are
neither hirers nor hired. Men with their
families, wives, sons and daughters, work
for themselves oil their farms, in their
houses and in their shops, taking the
whole product to themselves, and asking
no favors of capital on the one hand. nor
of hired laborers nor slaves on the other.
Ii is not forgotten hat a considerable
number of persons mingle their wi la
Dor with capital: that is, they labor with
their own hands, and also buy or hire
others to labor for them, but this Is a
mixed or distinct class. No principle
stated is disturbed by the existence of
this mixed class.
Again, as has already been saidlthere is
not, of necessity, any such thing as the
free hired laborer being fixed to that con-
dition Of life. Many independent men
everywhere in these states, n few years
back in their lives, were hired laborers.
The prudent, penniless beginner in the
surplus with which To buy tools or land
for himself, then labors on his own ac-
count another while and at length hires
another new beginner to help him. This
is the just n generous and prosperous
system which opens the way to all-gives
$500 A. Ill .a.l a.Arar. aud