The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-30

force outside of themselves or for motives
born of their knowledge of their dependence
| upon labor they would show but little mercy
to this class. The necessity of each for the
other and the mutual dependence of each
| upon the other is the chief present reliance
for justice and fair dealing, but the laborlng
classes are at a great disadvantage IN the
struggle, as the present conditions prove
DR.. Hathaway postulated two courses for
the laborers' condition, viz. -lgnorance.
caused by so much immigration, and the
saloon. He wen on thus:-
STRIK IDEA.
"But aside from all this, the wage-earne1'
is almost wholly at the mercy of capital.
The strong arm of the law has not yet come
to his rescue as it should and must do. His
present best and only weapon appears to be
ia the union or federation of his forces, and
the expression of this is the strike, and as
long as the doctrine prevails that labor is a
commodity to be bought and sold in the
market and must depend for its rewards
upon the supply and demand, a strike is of
no avail. A strike that does not injure and
cause loss to capital is but the means of
labor's W suicide.
awhile strikes are to be deplored and
nearly, ii not always. result in loss and de-
feat to labor, they have resulted in great
good by the agitation of the subject, which
they produce, and the dread of their re-
currence lodged in the mind of capital. This
last and recent strike appears to us to have
been the most indefensible and foolish OF the
series, and yet it Wilt has resulted in
much good. 1t will advance the cause of
labor by the attention which it has called to
the subject, which will %eventuate in laws
being enacted and way and means provided
to secure a larger measure of justice to both
parties. Much allowance must be a for
labor IN connection with these strikes by
reason of the great disadvantages under
- L -1--1I u 10 AaI -s-lx
of capital to cover its profits and to advance
its gains at the expense of the people are
legion, beside which those of the heather
Chinee are not a circumstance. The whole
community is interested and there is not a
man, woman or child in ordinary life who
does not pay daily tribute to advance and
swell the i'll gotten gains of the money
powers.
''rhe only practicable means for the pres
en1 to avoid the strike and all its eoncoIuit-
ant evils is the enactment of laws chat are
inspired by the spirit of our text. Laws
such as the one recently enacted by the
British Parliament. which takes the ground
that the principle that labor is worth what
it will fetch in the market is untenable and
unjust, and that the true principle is that
labor should receive what it is worth to the
employer: that there should be a just digi-
sion OF profits between the employer and the
employed, without reference to the number
of unemployed who might be willing to
work for much less. | have not time here to
elaborate this point, but it is ono vital to
this subject and sound in principle, which
you will find if you study the subject.
Is LABOR a COMMODITY.
Zone of the greatest fallacles of this Whole
question lies in treating labor simply us a
commodity. What right has ono maj or his
company to absorb all the profits even
though he be able TO employ other men for
less. The difference between paying labor
simply what it will fetch III the market and
paying what the employer can afford is the
differences between dealing with la6orers as
men OF as beasts. This act OF the British
Parliament is a great advance and recog-
nizes the principle OF my text and must pre-
vail.
Another great advance will be that these
great corporations cannot be considered and
conducted simply as private property for
private gain. There are many interests in
volved, and they must submit to govern
mental control. The principle is already
recognized that our railroads must
be subject to such regula-
toni; this must be increased
until they and the men employed upon them
shall be compelled to such a measure OF the
law Of our text as shall prevent public dis
uress, such as the late strike caused, and in a
larger degree threatened. Such laws protect
and direct ship owners, their commanders
and sailors. fhe principle must be recog-
nized and established that such corporate
bodies are not and cannot be simply private
enterprises for private gains. Then Mr..
Pullman could not sit in one of his many
palaces and say this is my business and none
of yours, or fiddle while Rome burned.
When this principle is recognized that great
corporations are not independent and must
submit to governmental control, and the
laws shall be inspired by the spirit OF our
text. we shall advance to the time when this
law shall be written in mems hearts, for only
by this law thus learned or thus enforced is
the solution of this and all kindred questions.
s'The evil is not in the aggregation of capt.
tai, it is only when this is operated for the
benefit of the few at the expense of the
DnanY.n