The herald., 1895-03-31
THE MISTAKES OF LABOR


contributes twenty-five and labor seventy
five per cent to the production OF wealth
As it is possessed in such vast disparity :,
nine per cent of the population owning
seventy three per cent of the property.
the idea prevails that labor has been
deprived OF fair proportion of its earn.
ings. Therefore the laboring people have
organized for the purpose OF exacting
more wages from capital. 1t may be said
that has been the principal nature of all
labor organizations, and through this
means it is thought that the unnatural
disparity in the possession of wealth may
in some degree be red uced, and those
whose labor contributes SO much may
achieve better conditions.
The labor organizations created con-
fict with capital which has been carried
on for series of years with more or less
detriment to both combatants and to the
public in general. Strikes have been the
weapons employed to coerce capital, and
in numerous instances they have been at
tended by violence, destruction of prop
erty and disturbance to business. No
doubt by organization wages have been
kept up and some times advanced, but it
is questionable whether labor has not lost
more by strikes through voluntary idle
ness than it has gained in advance of
wages. Capital is more easily organized
than labor, and in that it has had advan-
tages difficult to contend with. Organi-
zation of labor is proper and probably
necessary, as a check upon the exactions
of capital, but strikes, as they have often
been conducted, harm labor quite as much
al hou oil to6
pathy and support from the large class
who are not parties to the contest but
whose interests have been interfered with.
No doubt labor has a moral and legal
right to strike, that is, to leave work
when terms are not satisfactory, but it is
morally and legally criminal to destroy
property, to disturb the public peace, to
forcibly prevent others from working who
are willing to do so on terms that are
offered by employers, and more espe-
cially to block the wheels of industry and
commerce. To persuade and argue are
inalienable rights and may be resorted to
without violation of moral or statute law.
1t is probable that no inconsiderable part
Of the violence committed has proceeded
from persons who are not members OF
labor organizations or who were not CO.
employees. and by those who are vicious
and inuendiary on general prime iples but
labor organizations are held responsible
for such acts. 1t has been a mistake of
labor, that. it has resorted to violence or
has countenanced it, Violence and in
cendiarism are un Am merican, for under
our institutions there are remedies for
wrongs in the courts and at the ballot
RavOD6 mo of
American people sympathze with the
toilers, and every act should be voided
which tends to ALLEVIATE that sympathy.
1t is undenable that the existing dis
parity in the possession of wealth has re-
suited in no small degree from privileges
that have been conferred upon capital
through corporation and other legislation
and from busines, methods calculated to
give capital an undue share of wealth
production. Our laws have been so lib.
eral as to allow the formation of trusts
and combines to control production and
distri button. 1t is true that some legisla-
ton has been enacted in restraint of
trusts and combines and that the courts
have enforced it in some cases with COM
mendable spirit, but whatever has been
done has had only the effect to embarrass
and cripple. The evil has by no means
been removed. For twenty-five years our
financial policy and legislation have been
adverse to the interests of labor and most
favorable to those OF capital, and whereby
the power of the latter has been enhanced
and that of labor weakened. The absence
of a sufficient volume of circulating
medium has restrained that spirit of en-
terprise so natural to the American peo-
pie, and has so narrowed the field of en-
ployment that all have large surplus of
labor which, through the enlargement of
competition, has strongly tended to re-
duction of wages. The excess of labor has
been increased through importation OF
cheap abor from foreign countries. There
are many other ways in which capital has
acquired advantages through erroneous
policies and vicious methods, which
should be corrected.
1t is mistake of labor that it has con-
fined its efforts to a physical condition
contest with capital and has not given
attention to a correction Of erroneous
policies and business methods. 1t has
allowed the most effective weapons to re-
main in the hands OF its antagonist. The
working people should make study of
public questions SO that they may be able
to act more intelligently. There is no
excuse for working people being ignor-
ant, for we have free public schools open
equally to the rich and the poor. This
is a government by the people, and evils
may be removed and errors corrected at
the ballot box. 1t is an interest and a
duty for every man to understand public
questions and the effect of the action of
government. If the laboring people will
act intelligently and unitedly they have
the power to bring about reforms tn at
will not only protect their interests, but
which will rebound to the general well
fare.
There are always in free countries men
of extreme views and passionate impulses
To follow their advice is not the best way
to remedy wrongs There are always
many things to be done-more things
than can be well done all at once. Most
people are naturally cautious and consent
to changes with deliberation and hesta-
ton. There are always things to be done
first. and the better way is to go no faster
than is practicable. Evolution in human
affairs is slow. as is demonstrated by his
tory, and it is probably wise that it is so,
for it is in consequence the more sure
Il