Workmen's advocate., 1890-11-15
NATURALIZATION OF LABOR
ON THE BASIS OF EQUAL RIGHTS. OprUE.
 TUNIrlES. AND CONVERSATION.

ON THE BASIS OF EQUAL RIGHTS. OrrOE.
 TUMTlES, AND CUMPENsATION.
 The present age k lraught with agita- tions of reform in many directions, each embracing class of individuals dedica ted to it's particular branch, and each believing that until such reform is inau. gurated man cannot possibly enjoy his rights as human being, As in the field of science, one branch so merges into all the others as to lose its identity as particular science, so all phases of SOcidi RefOrm are so linked as to necessitate corresponding advance, before a field of action can truly be found for any. It requires, therefore. some universal plan of action tmbodying all the individual reforms before society can be success fully reconstructed upon homogeneous basis; some plan that will remove all the conflicts of human interests, which the present competitive system engenders, and unite all the forces of human nature into harmonious action for the general good of the race
 The belief in the principle of co opera tion, and that it will ultimately become panacea for all the evils that aftlict the laboring classes, is rapidly gaining ground in this country and in Europe. For many years efforts have been made in various directions to establish CO., operative industries, some proving par tial successes, others failures. The me. thod of beginning with a small model and gradually expanding until the so- | ciety becomes universal is fraught with so many difficulties as to make success matter of doubt Small societies are sub | lect to the competition of outside labor and the conspiracies of capitalists, so that they require the most careful nur- sing to preserve their existence long en- Ough to become self-supporting. Nd- tiOnal Co operation or Mutual MSurdnce of Society, by uniting all the interests of mankind, woOld surely and speedily ac- compliSh all that the advocates of CO., operation desire to see effected.
 There are at all seasons, and more especially during the winter, in the cities, towns and villages, persons having fami- lies to provide for who are unable to get employment, and subjected therefore, to the evils of extreme poverty, virtually becoming paupers, unless, too proud to become dependent, they choose to prey upon society, As society has them to support either directly or indirectly in idleness, would it not be better that it should get an adequate return for its provision, and at the same time. place these persons above the condition of de- pendents or the disquietude of want?
 This could be most etfeCtually done by the national guarantee of employ ment to all such persons as are unable under the present system to find any, be, ginning where private capital ends, and by the establishment of workshops, farms and various branches of industry affor- ding labor to all applicants, that none need suffer through enforced ideness.
 The Government gave us precedent. both during and after the war, in the case of the Freedmen's Bureau for the protection and employment of destitute freedmen. The Government took DOS. session of abandoned plantations and continued to work them under the super vision of it's agents. Congress after wards adopted a resolution declaring the freedmen's Bureau to have been a most efficient instrument in promoting the well-being and education of four and a half million people. In times of panic workmen have repeatedly petitioned their local governments for employment, and many instances can be cited where such has been accorded, thereby averting To- cal disorder and giving relief to thou. sands.
 In glanClng over the commercial world we perceive that the large capitalists in trade or manufacture are gradully ah- sordlng the smaller ones; that, according to the laws of trade, the more the cap- tai invested, the more economy there is in production and a corresponding reduc- tlon of price drives lesser capitalists from the field. Granting that the nation is the greatest capitalist it is then capable of employing machinery and organizing labor upon larger and more economical scale than any private capitalist or corporation; and not being like individuals) mercenary, it can afford to dispense its products at cost, and thus successfully encroach upon every ndi- vidual enterprise, and compel employers to relinquish business and enter the field of productive labor as employees of the Nation. At first glance this might seem like cruel levelling process. but care.