The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28
TAXATION AND LABOR.
HOW IT SHOULD BE PLACED TO
BENEFIT HIM.
Freeing Natural Opportunities to
the Use of Capital and Labor
Why Men Accept Low Wages-No
Conflict Between Capital and La
Dor.

It may be that the conflict between
labor and capital tends to disappear.
Many, like Prof. Gillis, believe that it
does. Still, the fact that this is still
open to question, whilst the three fac
tors, land, labor and capital, which
make wealth, are still abundant, goes
far TO show that we have not yet tried
the true solution for the difficulties be-
tween capital and labor.
This is only what might have been
! expected, for suppose that restrictive
or repressive laws, or compulsory ed
ucation, or trades union or arbitration,
or any other corrections did work all
right-we would still have labor I'M
able to find employment, unless by
accepting the terms or extorting the
consideration of those who control the
factor, without which neither the SIM
plest nor the most complex work can
be done
It is necessary that both capital and
labor, whether Independently or or
ganized, should have easy access to
the land. This would, on the one hand.
/ create such opportunities for the use
/ of capital. as would greatly increase
wealth, and deliver business from that
! Gu throat competition which forces the
emp oyer to grind his workmen, and
woulo,A on the other hand, raise the
rdte u wages anu open the UoOf u
| quiet escape to those who think the
employers conditions too hard.
To make this remedy effective, it Is
not necessary that all should work at
gardening or small farming, even if
they could get the land near the cities,
though many would do SO. reAevefng
the labor market, cheapening produc-
ton and SO increasing the gains Of
capital.
Capital is created by the concerted
work of a number Of men. One knows
how 20 sink a shaft, others to dig the
coal. to build the furnace, smelt the
iron and make the engine; their
united work results in the machine and
the factory; but to do any of these
things separately or united, they must
have land.
The remedy for uncertain employ
ment, therefore, is to open whatever
disable land is not nowilsed to those
necessary to tax it as heavily as if it
were used. Then in the hands of the
present owners, or in the hands Of
those to whom it will be profitable to
sell it, it will afford a place to work,
and materials to work with.
There is really no conflict between
capital and labor. One might as well
talk about the conflict between the dry
goods shop and yourself. You buy the
goods if you think them cheap and
suitable; if not, you go elsewhere. The
shop man sells them, if you can give
him little more than that for which
he can get other equally desirable
things. But suppose that one shop
controlled all the goods in the coun-
try; no others to be had at any price
why at once we would have conflict
between buyer and seller; the buyers,
who are the larger number tryig by
laws and boycotts to force the seller
to charge moderate prices; the shop
keeper naturally trying to wiring, from
necessity, all that he possibly could. |
The contest is really between labor, on
one side, and monopoly on the other. |
In Pennsylvania, today, thousands of
coal miners are out of work and per-
ishing for lack of fuel-it lies all about |
them, but 1t is held by few who will
not let them dig and use it; while
even those who have employment, are |
striking for better wages. There is a |
laoor problem! Could those men re-
sort to the unused coal lands, thew
could warm themselves, and get all |
their labor is worth by working on
them. As soon as the men concluded |
they could do still better working for
the company, they would quickly re-
turn. AS soon as the companies saw a
profit in doing so, they would offer
enough to bring the men back. Where
then, would be the need of a strike?
Where would be the use of a lock-out2
But it is more profitable to Speculate in
coal lands, whilst they are taxed ar
- per acre, than even to hire them out
20 labor. So it is everywhere. ONLY
those who can, by direct or indirect
ownership, or by renting, Command fba
use of the earth and its materials. can
employ either themselves or Others.
Until we peacefully obtain access 10
whatever land others are not using.
we cannot settle the difficulties bs.
tween capital and labor. 1880 De
New York, April, 1895.