Ellsworth American., 1892-07-28
ifor the Ellsworth American
Who Shall Manage the Business2
+. s. BICkFoRp.

+. $. BICkFoRp.
No one can view with indifference the
war that is waged in Maine, Pennsylvania
and the northwest between labor and
capital Nor can we fail to mark com
mon feature in these widely separated
eruptipns of feeling, in this particular,
that The question of wages l. much less
prominent than the question. Who shall
manage the business? Although the out
break may occur On a matter of wages, II
very soon becomes A test of strength be-
tween the right of an organization Of
labor to be recognized as such and the
right of manufacturer to employ free
labor
II all combinations of capital and all
organizations Of labor could be broken up,
perhaps the public peace would be best
conserved. aud yet the causes that led to
these combinations at first, would lead to
their renewal. In a certain indirect way
there is a relation between the protective
tariff and the organization of labor. They
are both protective. But there is this dis
elimination to be observed the object Of
the tariff is to protect and foster the WI hole
business, whatever it may be, granite,
mining, or steel billets; the question of
dividing the proceeds Of the business be-
tweeA the capital invested and the labor
employed does not belong to the function
of government. This is an important
consideration to be noted 1t is well and
wise for government to do all IL can to
create diversity of employments for the
citizens; in this way wages are kept at the
highest rate. far more than would be the
case If labor all flowed in but one or two
channels Experience and good business
sense show. however. that government
cannot interpoSe in the management of
business and assign to labor It's share and
to capital its share Of the accruiug dIyi-
dend
Capital has complete aud unquestioned
control Of the division Of the profits so
long as it manages the business alone. 1t
can give to labor or withhold at its own
option The protective tariff can do much
toward making business possible and
profitable, but il cannet determine how
much Of that profit shall De paid In wage.
Il j. the aim OF the organization OF labor
TO ac4uire 81 much power in the msnage-
ment OF the business as to obtain from the
business the proportion due 10 the labor
element.
Thus the Organization of labor Is TO the
wage Garner what the protective tar:ii i.
TO the capitalist; and the refusal u any
capitalist who enjoys protection by the
Laws OF Congress y recognize ia7"r or
ganization> i 10 deny to Others "ha; he
desires for himself He wants to buy
labor in free market and get the profit
On that labor in protected market. Thi-
i seems 70 me i the real Issue in the
present contests.
The employment Of riukcrton men II
oyerawe the Homestead striker. has been
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A,au ,,..,.,,.- t,,,-., ;.,n., L.
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I'll,
against labor organ Attion-. 10 SNORT
time We should br ~ >tate II society
Ike That Of Europe IN f.n+is3 times Il-'
land would be full Of Prity war and lhc
conjunction "f ihe money power WITH the
.orct OF srnl, woGa soon breed race "
pri}N jtraut>- he defeat Of The Pluhrr-
tons was a puhiic benefit ut Iu"-'lmA1ie
importance. Conceive Of 2ts~ -tr. kers a.
Homestead watching with glowing lndig
nation 2p1 strangers introduced Iutp
their places and 4 aired army ~ r.ukcrtnn
guards with loaded flr- endravoriug to
Keep in subsection the labor organ z1iipn
The materials for an explosion - a much
greater extent than d!d occur would thu.
bAy. been provided
Whether the state troops OF Penn-yl-
yania will bee employed a. a phy>Ical
menace against the organization Of labor
wr ar, vet tn No'e- ~.
VI 'he P'"'e'''Fe 'he"r! 'a''f "A'
80 70 otgah'Ae Ah4 - long a, IL docs
H'I 'h'F'hEe on the Is"s OF ownership OF
iN'i'''tS y IA f'2h' % contend '"r
WIZ tA lt-dI u ~ t!4t H4NiNt'u ~ Alit pro-