New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-06
il. and her father forgets how much IL was.
We sadly fear that she'll never seV d uo"''
of il unless she sues.
rtgOR ND ITS SHARING.

JJBOR IND ITS SH1hINU'
The eight hour struggle, which has begun III
many cities in this country and is causing slich
noitation abroad is only a cropping toward Il
change in the division of profits. olteh pilhu'
cd but not rarely with eyes open, labor IS
irving to obtain for its share more than inc
sLoro taken by capital and the managing and
d;roctinp faculty. Mr.. POwderly, Grand Master
Of the Knights of Labor, while declaring MS
symuathy with the eight-hour movement says
that il will be completely superseded as an
issue when proit-sharing has been eStaDIishea'
Then the workers, having definite interest
in increasing the profits, will want 10 WORK
NOT eight hours. but ten or even more II they
cor with full efficiency. But Mr.. Powderly $
rh;losonhical observation still oyerlooks the
fact that there is proft-shaling already, and
,h,t labor already has a direct interest in the
motifs of tho work in which it is engaged,
though often ignorant OF 1t.
Thc vast body Of industrial and economic
information accumulated in recent years mas
Lrought TO the world no more valuable frutage
than the certainty that wages and prohtS tcnd
already toward an equal division oil the results
If labor II is already "A great partnership oi
which one or both parties may be unconscious,
though both are forced into it by the i'm
mutablc laws of the Creator. Capital stands
IN one side. with managing ability, and an
opportunity to establish an industry. LABOR
stands on the other side, and without it capital
can make nothing, as labor also can Unlike
nothing without the capital and mahageihe
The natural division in such case Is 4 sfarlh3
Of profits: TO labor half, TO capital ana man
,ccmcnt half, for each is equally necessary 10
the other. The statistics accommodating year
after wear in multitude Of industries prove
tina, the tendency is constantly toward TINS
equal division In particular branches OF IN
du,trv. where the proportion of capital re-
ouircd is largest, or where exceptional aDiit!
i'm management is necessary 10 success OF c'-
ccptona risks are involved. the proportion
taken hy labor falls below half. In others
where the labor required is especially skilled
or the capital relatively small, labor takes
more than half. But all industries conNld-
cred. the tendency is toward recognition OF the
fac, that labor IS exactly aS necessary 10 cdPltlI
and management as capital and management
are to labor.
T. seem, to many that this blind working
of natural laws is insufficient They thlnN IL
Hind. though universal laws ever have infinite
foresight 1t is not perceived by them that
if Injustice is done in any branch OF indus
try. laws more powerful than men can make
tend 10 right it, Here capital takes too much
consequently the exceptional profits draw moro
copital and management into that business
until competition forces down profits. There
labor take, too much A. n result In" business
becomes less profitable than others 10 capital,
and tho number of employer, ShrnkN ana
pro,ontv tho laborcrS are forced 70 bId against
each other for employment. and 50 wages iall.
In the long run the adjustment is 50 irresistible
that IN. richest combinations Of capital have
been crushed by it, and the most powerful
examinations of labor have gone TO pieces
when their demands have been shade be-
yoad reason.
Profit sharing would substitute visible Tor
invisible division. The men share now; then
they would be compelled TO know that they
share. Their returns for labor depend now
in the long run upon the aggregate vnIu" OF
rroduc,, realized ly labor and capital; then
,hoy would be forced 70 SOC that smaller prod
..,s moan smaller profits 10 bee shared. Profit
sharing would teach the worker that the part
n.r.bip between the labor and capital is equal
,y necessary TO both. bat 1t j. not the less
real Partnership. and not The less equally
necessary ~ bo.h though either party fans To
rorcciyc the fact If the laborcr could sec
ro,. all tia. profit sharing could teach him, he
would realize that reduction of product means
inevitably reduction of wages; but until he
..c. bc mn,t struggle forward un,ccing toward
,Ln LIGHT