Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-23

ook4< r2AtsS<b> t<s& go - -ts@-k - 49,
increased considering What 3 n4zn gsss
fos hls laonsy. the advantages he has It
education. the general diffusion Of m
telligenee snd social sn5svDsnt the
relative value Of wages ever tAe esss Of
living has Materially advanced A
very lnporssat osssslerasson - Ne fses
that while wsxes kAxs decreased thsre
has been . general decrease IN The
hours Of lsecr Where this 10 taken
into the account the large compensation
the artisan sne the laborer receive for
their tune becomes evan EsafS apparent
Tae reduetaon IN the hoars II iseor
gives more time and opportunity for
recreation ana intellectual culture. arc
these are poten, influences in lettering
the condition Of The waEa-sarners.
Meme will deay skzt in the United
States the workiagFaan -poPulsrly 80
cailed-is 81 this time ,nore OF . social
and political factor than ever osfore.
Labor b. more respeetSSie-if may ase
the expression u liaont being misonaer-
stood Eaucztioa develops ia the
workirgman all that goes y r,shs good
citizenship. ard this eommsnds cen
iioence and respect In our own coan-
try tAe conditions are radically different
froga those of any other. Here the
great body OF workers are not eom-
posed OF a eoatlnaoas line or race. IN
Germany. for instance. they are sub
stantislls all Germans and have been
for centuries. In England France and
other countries il Is much the same.
Comparative conclusions are therefore
much iuore easily reached than here.
where we have heterogeneous mass
of the globe. Tie great wonder q
students and pubhcis;s should te that
this great body OF people. go consti-
tnted, shoald be 80 intelligent. 50 well
paid and generally 50 orderly.
Comparing cur own with foreign
countries. il IS an indispet@bie fact that
the condition of the working rcopie is
immeasuratlY better WHIST Is most
demanded row. In ny cria.c-,, IS q WISE
and jus; resulation-perhaps the word
restriction would he unAiEericau--of
foreign immigration. Wei considered
measures 10 This end wor ! p.-onlote the
interest CT our uagcwcrlsrs. What
those measures should be VIII net at
tempt TO sey. There has always been
sorae legislation tending ia that dlrec-
ton. This is in some degree ezIerl-
mental and may lead 10 something more
tangible and definite.
believe the social and moral con-
dition of all people. in al countries.
is growing better. | am not a pessi-
mast do not think the world Is goicg
backward. ] am what might DC called
q conservative optinist, looking always
10 the better side Of things and seeing
improvement and progress wherever
they csn be found. Speaking in gen
eral way, the worl5ing-nsn has alwrys
had hard time of il. lie has never
received his legitimate share Of the
product OF his labor. This has been the
result of existing conditions and not of
any fixed purpose on the part OF his
employer 10 dcfrard Linn. or Of pre-
suIned hostility between capital and
labor So many factors enter into the
price 81 labor that |. is hard 10 say
why n man Is paid 30 nue., or SO little.
uc CuAti silsotiO1 IN titt i@h 'i pun
lem Of to-day is: How shall the worker
receive his just and equitable share Of
production? That we are nearing the
point OF a faircr distribution ] firmly
believe. Just what the changes viii be
by which this most desirable condition
may be brought about it is quite i'm
possible now 10 define. The problem
must solve itself IN its own way. Legis-
latioa cannot DO IL. There arc I'M
written economic principles and laws
which must determine. There has
long been a gradual narrowing Of
profits to capital, resulting from the in
crease Of wages, competitive rivalry
and other causcs- Interest is lower
than formerly. and this is in the line OF
equalization, being to the advantage of
tho borrower at the expense Of the
lender. There is at TIE same time a
general cheapcning OF many mnnuiac-
turcd articles. which helps the con-
SINNER. All these elements enter into
the question and foster the hope Of q
solution al no distant day. This is the
plain logic of events
IL is a favorable sign of the times
that never before has been such gen.
eral. sincere and deep-scatsd sympathy
with TIE laboTing class. and desire 10
better THAR condition in every prac-
ticablc way. There will always be
misfortune and vice. poverty and want.
bat wc may regard hopefully the work
OF Legislators, the press and the pulpit
for the improvement Of mankind. En-
ploycrs are more ccns.icrate of the
men AMI women who toll for tson.
Everything is ia the line Of elcvating
labor instead OF degrading it. With
this in view, the department Of labor IS.
as said at the beginning, IA e1aca-
tional force. It does not put dollars
directly into the pockets # The work
ingrnan. but !; does eivc him material
aid IN .ways that are quite as effec;usi
believe the era OF strikes W this
country for the present practically over.
They have been expensive educators,
cxsctinp large tuition bills. but they
have taught labor ard capital each Il
respect tie rights of the other Much ne
they arc 70 be deprecated they have not
been ar uornixed evil. They have he'd
their part in working cut the perplex.
ing industrial problem.
----.
Both Alike.
First Visitor lat realistic waxwork
sliow Are you war
secosd Visitor-No. are you7--Lcn-