Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-11-04
THE TRUE STANDARD.

The Literary Digest OF October 81
reviews . recent volume by Dr. Ly'
man Abboit, entitled ChTls,ianiiy aud
Social Problems. In which the authof
deals with the great question OF the
dayi How are men 10 live together In
one humsn brotherhood II 10 a
question with which The beat thought
Of every age has been concerned aud
one which 10 likely TO engage much
attention in the near futur. People
are aroused TO q realization Of the tact
that God's earth is not % small
that the temporal happiness OF
the few eau be secured ly
through tho misery Of the many.
They undcrstand that \ ehiliastio ora
Of peace aud good will IL within the
reach Of intelligent beings rsnsotlnE
tho image q the Creator. snd spscula'
live thought aud practical experiments
win naturally be directed toward nnd'
inx the road 10 that happy goal.
DR.. Abotl In discussing labor and
wages points out tina, the question Of
Tho superiority Of tho present system
over ieudalism and slavery has been
se,tled long ago, but he finds that u is
deficient chiefly ir this, that II fails 10
provide steady work 10 all willing
lsbofers, and also to give a iAit squivs'
isnt In many cases. for labor. lie DO.
lisvss, however. that the existing con-
dilions are but temporary, anu the
industrial unrest Il tho result Of n
'blind struggle toward n democracy Of
wealth" which will finally result Ia
labor hiring capital. not capital labor;
aud In mep. not money, controlling
Industry, As they nov control govern.
msni.
the commonly accepted dootTine
hat labor IL q commodity and there.
isfe regulated m TO iis value ~
supply and demand, the author pro.
uouucss q heiesy, Economically false
aad sthleally unjust" On this point
No argues:
When a workingman comes 10 the
factory on Monday morning he has
nothing 10 soil, no 1. ompty-handed. he
has come In order TO produce something
by his exortlon, aud that something, whom
it IL produced, n to DO sold, and part OF
he proceeds Of that sale will Of right boz
long TO him, because he has helped TO
produce IL. And aa there IL no labor
commodity To 10 sold, 10 there IL no
labor market In which TO sell IL. A ffoo
market assumes a variety of sellers with
different commodities and variety Of
buyers with different needs, tho seller
a. perfect liberty - soli OF not 10 sell,
the buyer at perfect liberty TO buy or not
10 buy. There IL no such market tor la
Dor. The laborers aru In great major.
ity OF cases as nimly at achod To thor
town by prejudice, by ignorance Of tho
outside world and - needs. by home
considerations, by their lille posses. Ions
their houses and lot-and BY 70 igious
ties. a. II thoy were rootd To tho soil,
They have no variety OF skill to oiici; a.
rule. tho laboror knows how 10 do we'll
only one thing. uses well only Que tool,
and must nnd an owner for that tool who
wishes q lAbofsr TO use IL, or must be
IDLE.
Tue production Of commodities IL
TIE Teiuli, he further maintains, Of
three elasssf--,he follower OF capt..
aiisi, the superintendent or manager,
and the toolusef or labOter. lIlstht
business Of political economy 10 Ascsf.
tain how values eau be squliably 4,
viied between these. This IL the
whole labor question. 10 quote agalui
Il IN not true that tho laboror I, on q.
titled 10 tho whole, nor does lac doma i
g. whatever some OF the Wild advocate
ui his cause may have claimed for him,
The superlntendont IL entitled to hi.
share, and a large share. 10 direct suoh
an industry, 10 know what products are
needed In the world, 10 mud q purchaser
Tor ihen al price which will give falr
return Tor the labor Of producing them,
requires ilsoli labor Of high quality,
aud one which deserves n generous COM
pensatiou. Tho tool-owueT Is entitled 10
remuneration. Pfcsumpuvoly he, or
some one from whom he has received
MS tools, has saved tho money which
MS companions spent either la
present comfort or Ia dOubtiul pleasure,
aud he n entitled Ia % reward fof
his economy and thrln, though II may
D" question whether our modern In.
duarlAl system does not sometimes give
"'twHA W. kleht iuI thN NlftuO 81 ACs
cushion nnd 90 transform ViFtuo into "A
vice. The labOrer In entitled TO a com.
pensahon' Since the abolition n slavery.
no one IN theory denies this right. The
u'Wihlnauon how tho division Of tho
product oi this Joint Industry shall be
nhale N difficult one. Hut Il Is certain
lhat u l. not TO be made hy a systpm
when blds the capitalist pay as Hide
WAGES as possible Tor the services ron.
ieIeu, and the laboror render ne littlo
w,siee as possible Tor the wages received.
mbasssSsr may DO the right way, lhis !.
Tvs presumably OF great intsrss, I.
'u' readers to note the views aud ideas
m'Anesd upon question Of this kind.
"oN Of them arc familiar with IN,
nools efforts VI tho Cafthas, matty,