St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-08
THE ORGANIZATION OFLABoR

THE ORGANIZATION OF LABOR
Some things are so true that to re-
peat them is like quoting the element
airy principles of political science. One
of them is that every employer has the
right to hire his labor In the cheapest
market, and to make with his help such
contracts as they may mutually agree
on. If he can find men willing to work
for little or nothing, that is his gain,
and such men should be allowed to at
tend to their duties without interference
or mOlestation from outsiders. If any
do not care to accept the terms he offers
they are at liberty to refuse them, and
to remain in idleness, if they SO prefer,
Or to seek employment elsewhere.
AS an abstract proposition it may be
accepted as settled that competition and
the law of supply and demand should
govern and regulate this department of
industry as they should every other. 1t
may be hard for laborer to see his
means OF subsistence cut off because
some one whose standard of living is
lower than his will take his place and
ask smaller compensation than Will suf-
flee to support him. Such experiences
do induce the formation of trades
UNIONS and the Institution of strikes and
the intimidation of low-pIiced competi-
tors. But these things are wrong from
the economists point of view. Organ
lied labor holding out through artificial
devices for high wages is only species
OF cornering the market. and measures
in this direction are as reprehensible as
are combinations which may be made to
control the supply and enhance or de-
press the price of commodities.
Nobody disputes the theoretical value
OF these propositions, but unfortunately.
they are not for the present capable of
practical application in the United
States. The nina OF the average Amer
lean citizen is thoroughly permeated
with the notion that somehow it is the
duty Of the state to lend its assistance to
individuals for the acquisition of wealth,
and for this purpose to int rpose barri-
ers against unlimited competition in
various lines of industry. Within the
| past quarter of century there
| has developed popular convic-
ton that it is a proper function
of legislatures to enable every capitalist
to get more for his products than he
would it the government held off its
hands. And so astounding is the char
acter of this delusioD that this extra
profit which goes into their pockets as
the result of legislation is believed to be
created by the legislation. 1t seems
| prima facle impossible, but the fact is
| that whom uOndc oro inoroocoA
by tariff impostS the average man thinks
that the Increase is not paid the pro-
Queer by the people who consume his
goods, but is gift from miraculous
source called into existence by the fiat
| of some lawmaker.
The consequences of this delusion are
very wide-reaching. The consumer of
most commodities is not permitted to
purchase them in tile cheapest market.
This right, if 1t is right, is denied him.
For years and years although ordinary
matches could be made and sold at
profit in this country for cent box,
and could be had anywhere in Europe
at this figure, the American was COM
PEELED by law to pay five cents or more
box for them, and the extra four cents
was so much velvet for the establish
ments which were making them.
This is only an example of a
condition which obtains in a
great many fields, and it is due
wherever it exists to the limita-
lions placed by the statutes on compe-
titlon in trade. Competition being
limited in this artificial way, combina-
tons OF the existing producers is made
an easy matter. If the ropemakers of
| foreign countries could sell their wares
in st. Paul they would cut down the
price which is charged for such ma
teriaIs. But since they cannot come in,
we have only native manufacturers.
| These, not being very numerous. have
| effected an alliance which is known as
| trust. The trust drives other
Americans desiring to embark in
the industry into bankruptcy, suf-
fering temporary loss itself if
necessary for the purpose. 1t
| fixes the price which labor shall receive
in the factories devoted to the business,
so that employers no longer bid against
each other for employees. If rope threat
ems to decline in price because too much
| is on sale, it orders all further produc-
! ton to cease until the market RECEIVERS
its tone. In general, under the prevail
ing system the purchaser of rope in St.
Paul can get it at wholesale at one store,
and one store only, and pays for it not
| necessarily what it is worth, but what
its owner chooses to demand for it.
70 put the matter little more broad
ly and without the distraction of illus
trations, our tax laws have been so
framed that the organization of capital
is very simple thing, and because it is
so simple, capital is completely organ
lied. Further than this in every de-
partment where there is any chance of
! competition from abroad. with one ex-
ception, our tax laws operate as a boy
cott on such foreign competitors
and compel the country by threats
of fines and imprisonment to pa
tronize home producers. That is
| to say the economic truths which
the GLOBE has said as applied to labor
are so elementary as to be hardly worth
reciting, have under prevailing habits of
thought in this country no value in the
| case of any other cOmmOdity Put as