Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-09-22
Wages a Prosperity Test.

OF discussion, Tree from those terms, define
prosperity as an abundance of commodity,
fairly distributed among those who pro-
duced them
Wages n Prosperity Test.
Coming to the wage question the speaker
claimed that the best test of the prosperity
of country was the rate of wages paid
the workingmen. He held there could be no
good wages without abundant production
and equitable distribution, and said that
while he did not think labor unions adj
vanced wages he considered them Of ex-
treme value in promoting industrial peace.
Labor strikes, which he denounced as more
destructive than war, too often came from
trivial causes easily arranged at the start
and seldom from disputes over wages, and
he urged that If employers would more
often treat with their employees as the lat
ter wished few strikes would occur. Hence,
in his remedial statutes he would include
one compelling large combinations of cap
ital the largest employers of labor, to
make public the cause of their disputes
with employees, holding that IAN unjust de-
mand fails the moment it is formulated"
His Suggestions.
"These are my suggestions: Publicity
for corporate mismanagement;p prohibition
under penalties for special favors; right of
ice is suspended, except an absolute defense
proved that 1t was at all times ready to
discuss with its employees questions at issue
between them, by agencies of their selec-
ton. All men are engaged in civilized life
in great scheme of cooperation in which
the activity of every mans hand is Of vital
Importance to all the rest. We are told to-
day that this closer cooperation would
bring around socialism. I have no fear OF
that word. If the greater development of
mans mortality and genius brings him SO
far as he will work as well for the common
good as he would for his own, and we have
just the same impetus for industry as we
have had, socialism would not frighten me;
for, my friends 1 believe we are all bound
together by one common tie, one common
Industry, IN one common partnership. Our
patience, our vanitieS, our hopes, our am
billions, are but delusions which bind us to
the car of human progress. making each
one of US discharge some tribute which we
owe to all humanity.
"If l were asked to define the economic
effect of humanity, that which makes this
civilization Christian civilization, I should
say 1t was substitution of free labor for
slavery The change from slave labor to
free labor has worked extraordinary
change throughout this world. The free
laborer enjoys a fair share of prosperity
which has been created by his toll. Thank
Heaven, we have turned away from the
question of foreign wars and exterior
boundaries to internal conditions and do
nestle prosperity, do not fear any Ques-
ton that arises from this prosperity. We
must extend the principle of brotherhood
and cooperation into our Industrial system
for it is that which underlies it.: Its origin
of this industrial system was built upon
freedom enlarged; not merely the field of
man in citizenship, but his partnership in
industry, and then the height to which
man has already risen will be the point
from which we can survey with confidence.
with strength and determination the still
greater heights that shall ennoble him."