The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-06


now such as the most important of
those of the ante-bellum period We're
in their character; they do not appeal 4
so much TO the moral sense or 10 hui
name considerations; they are not of a /
sentimental nature, nor calculated TO /
arouse mems sympathies and passions: /
they appeal rather to the matters of
fact and to work day life conditions; /
they are questions of an economic and /
business character, or fall into the
category of sociological questions; the
prominent and pressing questions of
the hour are those of finance, labor and
enterprise.
Men and parties are not contending
now for the triumph of any moral or
humane cause, as much as they are for
the lettering of their material fortunes,
or the achievement of an advance, or
for commanding place in business or
political activities. The discussions re-
late TO the conditions relatively of cap
itaI and labor and their respective de-
mands: TO the relations of corporate
and individual enterprise; to tariffs,
revenues and currency, and Of govern
mental participation in public improve
ments. Questions of tariff schedules, of
coinage, of laws for the regulation of
commerce and the compensation of Ia
Dor are now demanding the greater
share of public attention. Perhaps the
gravest of these questions is that which
relates to the conditions and compensa-
ton of labor. The labor market is in
many localities and often overstocked;
there are in many communities large
numbers of the unemployed. There is
an influx of undesirable immigration
and of cheap labor from some of the
over populated countries of Europe,
and this complicates and intensifies the
labor problems, especially in the East
ern States. Yet labor is loud in its de-
mands for more generous recognition
and larger reward, and the conflict be-
tween cautious and sometimes greedy
capital and aggressive and insistent la
Dor is often severe and fraught with
mischievous consequences. While these
conditions continue we must not be sur
prised if we hear periodically of strikes
and other mischievous interferences
with the progress of our industries; but
the final solution of these difficulties
will be found only when certain truths
are generally recognized and made the
basis of practical remedial action.
Capital must learn and admit that the
a
days wages for fair days work, and
| must be willing to accord to labor at
| least that much of reward. Capital
| should also understand that labor is in
a most important sense it's co-1aborer
and helper, and that the interest of cap
ital is best promoted when labor is most
satisfactorily compensated. Labor, or
| the working man who is it's personal
| embodiment and representative, needs
| to learn that each individual working
man is the sole rightful master of his
own labor, and that he has an indefeas-
| ible right to dispose of that labor as he
may please, without any interference
or dictation from the capitalist or his
| fellow workingman.
| If these two lessons can be respect
| ivetly learned by the representatives
of the two parties to what is called the
labor controversy the peaceable and
satisfactory solution of the troublesome
labor problems will then be near. The
greed of capital will be moderated and
| the unjustifiafible interference of labor
| organizations with the free action of
! the individual workingman will cease;
| then, and not till then, will the unwise,
| often unlawful, interruption of indus
| tries by strikes, boycottS and lockOuts
| come to an end; cooperation instead of
| conflict will become possible and the
! industrial conditions of our country
will assume a much more satisfactory
phase.
That this will be the trend and tenor
of events in our country and that the
condition will ere long be better, rather
than worse, 1 hopefully believe. Wise
legislation may render material assist
ance in bringing about an improved
condition. That there will be some
effective measures adopted to restrict
undesirable immigration from Europe
| is, 1 think, extremely probable, and of
the beneficial effect of such legislation
there can be no doubt.
Our industries, vast and varied as
they are, should receive from the Ma
tional Government any fostering care
which they may need for their develop
ment and increase, and public senti-
ment in the United States will demand
that governmental action shall be guild
ed on this subject in accordance with
this rule.
I am therefore hopeful, nay confident
that our country and it's people are
about to witness a return of the con-
ditions of material prosperity, and that
there will be ere long ample occasion
for congratulation on the advent OF
better times.
i To one more important and cheerful
truth let me direct your attention; to
a fact that is, in part at least, result
of that great test and trial to which
our Government and institutions were
subjected in that comparatively recent
period of domestic strife; and this is
the fact that the American Republic
has now a worldwide and much more
important and valuable recognition
than it had previous to the issue Of the
great war; that contest advertised us
to all the world as nothing else could
have done The nations of the earth
; now recognize, as they did not before
the United States of America as one OF
tho great mowers of the earth. as a ma