Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-09-07
INE LODGE KANSAS, WEDN NESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1892.

people to creep into bitches or under
fence corners for shelter, where they
died by hundreds, more cruelty muir
dered than as if the landlords had
plunged knives into their hearts
What excuse was offered for these out
RACES which have occurred in our own
time?
freedom of contract must be pre-
served! The right of every man to
pleases, and at what wages he pleases.
must not be infringedP was the cry of
the English capitalist
But at last, after these landlord muir
ders had begun to shock the whole civ
ilized world, the English parliament
made the important discovery that in
some cases there really was no free
dom of contract
Will it take as severe lesson to teach
our congress that labor has rights
which capital must be made to respect?
Capital is organized.
Capital has been organized for cent
uries; and SO thoroughly organized,
that until recently it has refused labor
ers the right to organize.
Capital is intensely selfish.
We have little reason to hope or ex-
pect that American capitalists would
prove kinder or more merciful than
English capitalists English landlords
compelled Ireland to ship its grain to
foreign markets to get the money to
pay rent, when thousands of Irishmen
whole families, including men, women
and children-were dying by starva-
tionl
Organized capital cheerfully grants
to organized labor but one right-the
right to die Every other right which
labor gains it must fight for.
Labor has gained the rights which
capital now acknowledges. not by the
aid of capital, but in spite of capital!
| We are told that there should be no
conflict between capital and labor, and
! 1t is true! But when we are told that
there Is no conflict between capital and
labor, the statement is false
! There Is a bitter and lasting conflict
between capital and labor which will
never cease until their interests are the
same until the rights of labor are clearly
defined and as willingly recognized as
are the rights Of capital
In country as free as this, when the
laws are unjust, when the laws favor
; one class at the expense of another,
every voter Is In part responsible for
this condition of things. Uaul the law
! recognizes and the government en-
forces the rights of labor, capital and
labor are, and will remain, enemies.
| When justice and law are synonymous
terms, the conflict between ca pital and
labor will be over
Capital is thoroughly organized
Labor is but partially organized
Organized labor must not only fight
capital, but it Is also under the neces.
sity of fighting unorganized labor.
There are still men who are so short
sighted that they cannot see the bene
fits of organization, or so selfish that
they are not willing to help share its
burdens Whether short-sighted or self
ish, the result remains the same. They
are helping capitalists to lower
wages, and thus injuring the
cause of labor, even when they
are not base enough to take the
places of brave men battling for theil
rights. To meet with the highest sue
cess, the ranks of labor should be able
to present to capital an un broken front
But" reasons some unfortunate
laborer, who has hard work to furnish
food and clothing for his family, 60
would be satisfied to get even less thar
some of those men are getting"
No doubt you would No doubt
there are plenty of men who would be
glad to obtain work at less wages than
some of these men receive. But the
question stands like this:
Are you willing to aid the capitalist
in his fight against labor?
Is that the side on which you wish tc
be counted?
Do you consider it right to take the
bread out of another mans mouth?
Don't delude yourself with cheaI
arguments, but try to put yourself il
these mems places, and think whether
you would be willing to have youl
wages lowered that millionaries nigh
build more castles out of the profits OF
your labor. Think if you woulC
be willing to change the time
of contract at the order of your EN-
ployer, knowing that the change woulC
be to your disadvantage? When you
employers business was prosperous
when his profits were so large that h.
refused to make them public, woulc
you think it right for him to lowe
your wages? Would you think it righ
for the government to help him lowe
your wages? What would you thinl
of the men who should come and tr,
to take your placer Do you not Sc
that they would be working for capita
and against the interests of all labor
That they would be enemies to labor
That they would be deserters from tn
camp of labor?
How long would it take you to ear
a million dollars?
If you earned 5000 per month, an
worked twelve months in the year,
would take you more than 416 years Q
: constant labor to earn 81, 900, 900.
If you earned 800 per month,
would take you over s3S years of stead
labor. If you earned $50 per month,
would take you 1,66o1 years to earn
million dollars After supporting you
: family out Of your wages, how Ion
| IL CdhC you W Save d 10
: lars?
Do you think wages are too higf
when the profits on your labor max
millionaires of your employers?
Farmers are as much interested i
: this question of wages as other labor
ers. The capitalist who lowers wage
. takes out of the farmers pocket-bool
besides taking food and clothes fror
a the laborer. When wages are hig
: times are good Laborers are able I
, buy and use what their families neet
l This makes a better market for tn
! farmers produce and the merchant
goods A better market means bette
: prices and more comforts Ia the hous
p of the farmer.
The unnecessary reduction Of wage
Is crime against the nation and shoul
5 be so considered, because it strikes