The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-23
LAND AND LABOR.
Joseph Dana Miller Criticizes the
- -Cauae af Sfrikea


6JournaI1-Cause of Strikes.
To the Editor of 'The Jersey City News"
Mr.. Pangborn is still writing the edi-
torials on the Journal" and they are the
| same old editorials.
Why is it that your true Republican
protectionist never fails to exhibit his
enormous hatred for the laboring man?
Mr.. Pangborn in Wednesdays issue of
the Evening Journal writes on ''The
| Strike Folly" and this is what he says
Another case of the -workingman un-
dertaking to m~onopolize the conduct of
business and to. dictate to the men, who
furnish adj the capital that makes the
employment of labor possible. the terms
on which they shall be allowed to con-
struct new buildings.
al the capital that makes the employ
ment of labor possible" How does capt.
tai employ labor? Who furnished capital
to Adam in the Garden of Eden? If CAPT
| tai is necessary to the employment of
labor, then must capital have had a
priority of existence.
Is the implication sought to be conveyed
| that capital is so kind to labor as to
furnish it with employment? Why has
not labor a perfect right to force terms;
and why may there not be a question that
in this instance as in others the terms
sought in this way to be enforced are
just? And If their demand are just
and this is really the only question at
issue-will Mr.. Pangtborn please explain
how such terms may be otherwise en-
forced than by a strike?
The situation is,of course, altogether I'M
fortunate; but this unequal conflict must
go on to the detr1ment of both capital
and labor, until unnatural social condi-
lions are replaced by just and natural
ones. A strike is labor's sole resort; and
though often f~H-advised and often un-
successful is still all there is left to labor.
Mr.. Pangborn is ignorant of the causes
underlying this unnatural conflict; he is
equally ignorant of how strikes are de-
cided and entered upon. He assumes that
the walking delegate orders 1t, and as
serts that he profits by it. Perhaps this
is a conscious Misrepresentation, but at
least many of the readers of the Jour
nal' who are members of trade and labor
organizations know better.
He asserts that these strikes pay no
heed to the rights and wishes of other
men.R But have not these men a right to
Mr.. Pangbcrn would be indignant If they
Should attempt to prevent anyone TAX
Ing one OF the places left vacant by the
strikers. His plea would be-ahd Justly
that such an individual had a right to go
to work. Then, by the same token. have
each and all a right to quit work, and
such right of necessity can infringe on
no other man right.
Strikes must continue until their cause
is removed. The cause is private prop
erty in land, which holds opportunities
for employment out of use, and makes
labor dependent upon capital for work;
and it is the superficial observation of
men like the Journal" editor that at
tributes such conditions to the folly of
labor; and it is the superf1ciality of most
labor leaders that attributes in their turn
such conditions to the greed of capital.
Capital and labor are both at the mercy
of land ownership. The abolition Of the
primary injustice would do away with the
secondary acts of injustice that spring
from it. This may easily be lone by. the
operation of the taxing power in the
taking of the economic rent of land for
public uses.
JOSEPH DANA MILLER.