The herald., 1897-03-23

character. the efficient man who can be
relied on to faithfully use his abilities
is always and everywhere cheaper than
the pauper oF the slave.
In the southern states cotton IL har-
vested by the same methods now under
free labor with wages as It was form
erly by slaves working for a bare sub
sistence. regulated by the owner OF the
slave. The peculiar nature Of the work
| of cotton harvesting has prevented the
profitable use of machinery In the In
dustry consequently the contrast be-
tween the cost Of production by slaves
without wages and free men with wages
is interesting. Cotton can be and Is pro-
duced today by wage-earners that ex-
cee6s In profit that of the slave labor
] without wages by between SS and 80 per
| cent. No where can one see more clearly
the advantage and cheapness of free,
wage-paid. labor as compared to slave,
unpaid labor than in our southern states.
Everything is in reason. The mere
payirg OF high wage does not insure
| effective labor. Some of the worlds
| grandest work was done without any
pay or wages at all.
| There are whole series of coneidera-
| tions that modify the application or
great principles. but never change them.
In regard to wages, several propositions
| may De lalu Gown.
| First-The maximum of the individual
industrial wage is what the Individual
produces. The wage cannot be greater
| than the product. Labor unions should
not forget this. 1t is a law the violation
| OF which must result in no wages for
| labor.
The points in this to consider what
| the individual product is are the cost
of rent, the reward to capital necessary
l TO eye.+, mo NJ the nlAnt. the
cost of distribution of product, insur-'
ance, etc In our complex and specialized
| Industries it is exceedingly difficult TO
| fix the producing power of each laborerd
| We are forced to average more or less
| the workers and to class them according
| to the skill and responsibility required.
| Secord-The minimum of the indi-'
vidual wage Isl the support of life. For
any heightened period the support OF
| life must be sufficient to insure repro-
duction. 1t may vary according 10 the
| exigencies of the labor.
| Third-A low wage is accompanied by
| a low efficiency.
| Fcurth-A high wage means one or
| two things-high efficiency or high op-
portunity to the man The effect of this
| latter is seen in new country with free
| land and rapid development. or re-
sources.
| Fifth-A prolonged low wage will pro-
! duce a low standard of efficiency; II Will
reduce responsibility with reduced hope.
| The general standard of life will be
| lower an0 the security of life and prop
| erty will be diminished.
Humanity ground down to the slave
stage is costly producer. Security of
| property no longer rests on the general
hope of the producer that he will lay up
| of his produce and be property holder.
| 1t rests on force, not on consent. Every
| one loses property owner, employer and
| laborer. Paupers and slaves and cheap
men as cheap producers are the contra
| dictions of the facts before US. Cheap
men are not cheap producers. The ca
| pable and reliable man is the cheap man.
| The man who will work for a mere
| subsistence is dear man. He may be In
our complex organization fearfully ex-
pensive, as in producing injury or dam
aging accidents. A reduction in the cost
| of the Individual wage, while the effic-
| iency is maintained, can only be tempo
rary. Any such unfair and unnatural re-
| suit is attained at the risk of property
| and social order.
The true interest of the employer and
| of the laborer is one. The employers
| interest is to obtain more results for
| less pay. But this less pay is not less
pay to the individual, but less labor pay
on the result. The only way to obtain
a part of the increase-of an increase in
his product Otherwise in no large or
prolonged sense can the employer in
crease his gains. His gains increase as
his men become more efficient They
| become more efficient by thought, prac-
tice and character growth. To en-
courage this, part of the benefit must be
given the man who produces it.
The interest of the laborer Is to get
more pay for the same or less work. The
only way to accomplish this is to pro-
duce more result by the same work.
Capacity and character must grow in the
laborer to dlo this
If, the employers and labor leaders
would honestly study out these points
they could not avoid seeing th9t in the
long run their interests are absolutely
mutual The laborer cannot expect en-
ployment unless the employer makes
gain in the venture. 1t is clear then
that the laborer in large and general
sense will get more constant employ
ment at better rates as the returnsto the
employer increase.
The laborer has no interest in seeing
his or any employer fail. His interest is
directly contrary to the injury or loss
to the employer. The interest of the
employer and of the general property
owner, who must be at least indirectly
an employer, is against large bodies OF
unemployed or men accustomed TO nlgn
standards and high efficiency put out
by men of low standard and low effic-
iency. Any gain from such condition
must be temporary. 1t is always dan
gerous and generally costs much. Dis
content disorder and riots are the re-
suits.
The protective doctrine is an immoral
fallacy that contradicts the condition be-
fore us, denies the progress industrialiy
made by increased wages and tramples
down every hope humanity holds OF the