The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-07
Combination and Organization.

Combination and Organization.
The address of Justice Brewer, of the
United States Supreme court, on ''Indi-
vidual Liberty at Rosaline Park, Conn,
on July is attracting good deal of at
tention. 1t deals with a subject that oc-
cupies prominent place in the public
mind and concerning which there has
been a vast amount of discussion and
considerable legislation. In the course
of this address Justice Brewer said:
The most noticea BILE social fact Of to-day
is that of the com bination of capital and
the OrganiZa ton of labor Whatever may
be the causes, and whatever the results,
good or bad, the fact is beyond dispute
that the trend of the two great industrial
forces of capital and labor is along the
line of consolidation and cooperation.
| am not here 10 deCry this tendency.
A capital combine may, as is claimed,
produce better, cheaper and more sat
isfactory results in manufacture trans
portatlon and general business; but
too often the combine is not con-
tent with the voluntary co-Operat ton
Of such as choose to join. 1t grasps at
monopoly, and seeks to crush out all com
petition. If any individual prefers his
l.
refuses to join the combine, it proceeds to
assail that business. With its accumula-
ton of wealth, it can afford for awhile to
so largely underSell as to speedily destroy
it. 1t thus brushes or swallows the indi-
Vidual, and he is assaulted as though he
were an outlaw.
So it is with organizations of labor;
the leaders order a strike; the organiza-
ton throws down its tools and ceases 10
Na y-il 4 mo.
| have family to support, / prefer to
work; but is forced TO go with the gen
eral body. Not content with this, the
organization too often attempts, by force,
to keep away oJher laborers II stands
with It's accustomed power of numbers
no. merely to Coerce its individual NOM
bers, but also to threaten amy outside $
who seek to take their places. Where
is the individual laborer who dares as
sart his liberty, and act as he pleases in
the matter of work; where is the indi-
Vidual contractor or employer who can
carry on his business as he thinks best}
1t is true that the tendency of capital
is to combine and create mouopolies and
that the chances for individuals to sue
coed by Independent effort are steadily
growing smaller, and it is equally true
that labor organizations are so tyrannical
that workingmen have little or no free
dom of action. They must do as the
organization to which they belong bids
them, however injurious to their own in
terests compliance with the organiza-
tons orders may be The organ
izations seek to control to a certain
exten1 the various businesses in which
they are employed They do not know
and cannot know whether or not com
plianco with their demands would bring
financial ruin to those who employ them.
They maize a scale of wages and adopt
regulations which they insist shall be
accepted. A refusal to accept them re
suits in troubles that arc in furious TO all
parties concerned.
Has Justice Brewer a remedy for the
owls he points out SO clearly, If he has
his services are greatly needed. Congress
and the courts have cudcavored To deal
with them, but without success Their
existence was well known before Justice
Brewer called attention to them, but
what he said viii have the effect of max
ing the people think Of them more
seriously. What is needed. however, is a
remedy for them. VIII a remedy be dis
covered, or will they have to be endured
until a point is reached at which reform
will come through violence
On one of the principal streets Of this
city a young Italian has Il fruit stand.
Passers-by have noticed that. when
not dispensing fruit, he is earestly
engaged in coming a book without
binding, which he holds open be-
tween his thumb and fingers, after the
Innnnal. TINT tho rnns.nr.rnl. hl,- inn