Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-04-29
The Coming Strike
BY CLINTON BANCROFT.
1CCNTINUED.I


81 mean the men, replied Dalton warmly,
going straight to the meaning OF the question
without evasion. 1.-The time has passed TO
attac the system that permits them and to
devise and establish another. The danger is
too imminent. We are cut off already from
all such remedies. The people are bound
hand and foot. The wealth of the country IS
already practically massed into the possess
sion of men who use it so unscrupulously and
powerfully agans us as to defeat easily by di-
rection or indirection every peaceable plan
for relief. All capital of every kind: all ma
chinery and machines of production; all the
natural sources from which wealth is created
and life sustained; the highways of the land;
the means of transportation and travel in city
and in nation; the connecting avenues be-
tween producer and consumer; and lastly, the
money of the nation, that life blood OF clvill-
cation so Indispensable to our intricate and
specialized system of production and distribu-
ton; to all these there is no access on the
part of the masses except by the consent of
our industrial despots. They are owned and
controlled and worked and manipulated by
lawless few who constantly use them against
us, without regard to conscience or patriot
ism or law or the common decencies of hui
manity not to say its rights. The people can
actually and practically do nothing lawfully
They are poor. They must work. Day by
day they NEST toll for the bread they eat.
Night finds the earnings of ten long hours of
toll, consumed. Tomorrow they must work
again for tomorrow's scanty food and raiment
- II u
who find work to do. And they must work
for these owners of wealth and capital, not
for themselves. They are in no condition,
Mr.. Cavendish, to attempt a new system or to
attack the old except by violence. And un-
loose the dogs of civil war in this country
and in their frenzy the people would con-
found friends and foes together and blood
would flow like water, In a reign OF terror,
the like of which the world has never dream
ed. We must choose between this terrible
and unnecessary and innocent bloodshed and
the men who have brought our present con-
dition upon us. 1t is their lives or the life of
the nation. And as for me | have chosen"
II am panied to hear you say that" said
Cavendish, 'for l believe there is peaceful
and happy way out of our troubles
Through the American Trades Alliance
and cooperation | suppose you mean" re-
turned Dalton, with touch of irony and sar-
casm in his voice
''And why not?" asked Cavendsh. "Why
can the people not join their labor together
and make success of co-operation?"
"You know why, Mr.. Cavendish: you know
better than l. that there are many reasons
They haven't the capital to start upon, in
the first place, to inaugurate business and
live upon until they can realize upon their
labor. That is perhaps the most serious rea-
SON."
But the reports of savings banks and
other institutions" interrupted Cavendish.
show that the aggregate savings of the
poor, their capital is really very large
80 it is" responded Dalton, but it is all
primarily an emergency fund and not availa-
bic for permanent investment. 1t is aot capt.
tai in the true commercial sense. 1t is not
regarded by its owners as capital but as a
savings in time of need, in sickness or acct
dent or death or when loss of employment
throws them back on their little reserve.
And these funds must always be where they
can get at them at once when the necessity
arises. But surprising plan could be devils
ed whereby these savings could he made both
capital aad emergency fund, there isn't the
organizing capacity among the people TO col.
lect it from so diversified and numerous a eli
entage and use it for the common benefit
II believe you to be mistaken in that par
ticular," said Cavendish in his deliberate,
decisive way. plans not only can be devised
to convert the savings Of the poor into both
capital and emergency fund as you term it.
but such plans are now actually in large and
successful operation. The savings banks
themselves are devised and used for such pur-
poses, so are the great and numerous build
ing and loan associations that are so phe-
successful in their way besides
the great number Of stock companies that
sell their stock and bonds on installment
plans so that the very poorest may invest
their little savings capital and yet at a mo.
ments notice convert that capital into money
or credit. | have been too modest OF course
to call your attention to the plan of tho
American Trades Alliance that is proving
very cifectual along the same lines and which
have great reason TO believe can and will be
developed into so perfect system as to
overcome what you termed the greatest OBJ
lection to general cooperation. The fact is
hat any enterprise that win incorporate and
ISSUE its capitalized or sell its bonds ON the
nstallmcnt plan or in small denominations.
AN utilize these great sums held by the