The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-02-01
LIVE ISSUES.
The Impending Slavery.

In all the progressive nations of
the world, civilization is to-day
rocking amid the throes of indus
trial revolution. What is the
matter?
In America, in England, in Ger
many, in France, and in other
countries the story is the samoa
persistent, unceasing, tumultuOus
grapple between Labor and Capital.
The Nineteenth Century, which
was ushered in amid the tumult
and storm of political revolution,
seems likely to go out as itcame in,
except that it is social and indus
trial rather than political revolution
that the world has now to confront.
The Anglo Saxon race is one that
has achieved its world wide dOmi-
nance by fearlessly looking issues
in the face, and not by shutting its
eyes and speaking softly and pre-
tending that the issues do not exist
or are not serious or will soon pass
away.
Here is the stern and solemn
truth that cOnfrOntS the world to-
day We are drifting steadily and
swiftly. into condition of indus
trial slavery.
Let us state the case in few
words. The development of steam
and electricity in the last half cen
fury has revolutionized nearly every
form of industry. To-day, the first
requisite of success in any branch
of industrial activity is a costly
outfit of machinery. 1t takes cap
ital to buy it. In Massachusetts
alone machinery is doing the work
of one hundred million men. 1t is
fast becoming impossible for men
without extensive capital to remain
their own masters. The little
tradesman becomes swallowed up
in the mammoth store, and eX-
changes his independence for the
position of an employee. The arti-
IAN of skill and intelligence who
might have hoped in former years
by the acquisition of a few tools to
become his own "boss," now must
content himself with being fac
tory "hand" or a mill " hand"
with the prospect of never attain
ing any other relation to his work.
The concentration of capital goes on
in a geometric ratio, capitalists
unite in corporations, corporations
unite in trusts, and anything like
close personal relations between
employer and employee becomes
impossible. The employer class
becomes more and more contracted;
the employee class becomes more
and more extensive. The hope of
independence becomes vain hope
for larger and larger proportion
of people, and the inspiration that
goes with that hope is lost. The
sense of individual responsibility is
lost also in large measure both by
the capitalist employer and the
wage earning machine that calls
itself an employee.
Now, what does all this mean ? 1t
means just this: That swiftly and
surely we are coming to the pass
that all the avenues through which
men can earn living and keep
body and soul together here upon
earth are to be controlled by Cap
ital. Those who own the capital
can alone purchase the machinery;
and those who own the machinery
control the labor which is applied
to it. Herein lies the secret of the
struggle going ON all over the world
"a struggle on the part of Labor
against the absolute control by
Capital of all the opportunities OF
earning a livelihood.
What is Labor contending for?
For better food, better clothing,
and better shelter! MOI The fight
is not primarily for these things.
The laborer of to-day is better
housed, better fed, better clothed
ON the average than ever before,
and it is where he is best fed and
hest clothed that this struggle is the
fercest. Why, then, this intense,
deepening feeling of resentment !
The answer brings us to the very
core and center of the whole strug-
gle. The fight is not one for higher
wages or shorter hours or better