The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-03-13
LABOR AND CAPITAL.


LABOR AND CAPITAL.
EDITOR ADvANCE-This subject is
80 trite that it would seem as if moth
ing could be said on it that has not
been said thousand tunes before.
And yet, it seems to me, there il
much misconception of the matter.
The way the subject is treated in
many papers, one would suppose that
labor and capital are necessarily an
tagonistic. Such writer's would have
us believe that every rich man made
his money dishonesty, and is using it
1.-THE time to crush the poor man.
think We have good reason to doubt
the truth OF these representations. If
| am not greatly mistaken, our CAPT
talists, as 4 class, will compare very
favorably with any other class in the
community 1t takes brains, energy,
self -denial and untiring industry to
make money, and it hardly seems rea.
sonable to suppose that men possessing
these characteristics should be rs
heartless and unprincipled as many
would make them out to be. If we
look right ut home, do We find that
those who are thrifty and get along"
are men Of worse character than those
who seem to be less fortunate? I think
not. Wherever we look, in store,
workshop, or on the farm, we find that
! success is, us tally, the reward Of ster-
ling qualities in the man himself. And
why should it not be SO in the higher
walks Of life as we'll as the lower?
In every department of life there are
few leading spirits; men who stand
h"ad AMI shoulders .b"vo their fellows
These men lead the way and the great
army of mediocres follow, as near az
may be, in their pathway. 1t is so in
the matter ct government. In til :,se
United States to-day, though our insti-
buttons are as democratic us they we'll
can be, yet the government is admin
istered, III reality, Dy mere handful
of men. And this is equally true of
our state governments, and from them
down to the government Of a town
ship. Aud so in money making there
are those who are naturally fitted to
amass and use vast sums of money.
while there are others of lesser gifts
who are III great measure, dependent
upon the capital and intelligence of
others.
Labor is as dependent on capital for
its profitable employment rs capital is
dependent on labor for it's most +tfici-
ent use. We have not got Il great deal
OF capital in Mobiles county, but if the
little we have was taken away who
would be benefited? Not the Door
man surely. The money of great cap
'ta'lsfs is often a much greater benefit
to the community where it is used
than to the owners of it. To the own.
ers it gives a fair interest on tho
money invested, but while in this way
it benefits a few 1t. 1T the same time.
furnishes the means of comfortable
SUBSISTENCE to thousands, and brings
untold c"nveniences, independence,
and comfort to thousands more. AS
an example look at our transportation
companies on land and sea. They car.
ry our produce to the markets where it
Is needed, and bring US in return, from
every quarter of the globe, all the COM
forts and Injuries of civilized life.
What should we do on these vast pra-
Tres without our railroads. Take them
away and our comm uiIication with the
great world would be severed, and life
On these prairies would be all but i'm
possible.
1 think we may safely say, then, that
capitalists who invest their money in
great public enterprises and who do
not abuse the power which their mon--
ey gives them, are public benefactors.
And why should we envy them, or
feel hard towards them? If another
outstrips US in learning we do not, on
that account, regard him rs an enemy:
we do not look upon him rs hav ing do,,e
US wrong. We rejoice, rather, in his
success, and hail with delight the ex.
tended view which his more powerful
mind has been able to afford US. And
why should We feel so differently to-
wards the man who has left us behind
in the race after wealth. Are We to
blame him for attaining a position
which We would gladly reach ourselves
were it in our power? But while We
are ready to extol the great statesman.
the heroic soldier, the wise philosopher
orthe eloquent divine, We have moth.
ing but vile epithets for the IMAM who
has been able to mass great wealth.
and has the ability to use it wisely.
And yet to none Of the parties men.
tlcned are we more indebted for the
motive power that moves the world.
than to these same abused rich men.
Let these men withdraw their capitxl
from our indust ries and our mines
would be deserted, our factories ard
workshops would be silent, the rolling.
stoch on Our railroads ". ulu fust iu
T. y