The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-01
CAPITAL AND LABOR

". .
The Topic of Discourse by Rev.
Samuel sch,snrm Mt the English
Lutheran Church-StrcctC Car Strike
and Arbitration. 4
Capital and Labor" was the theme
OF n discourse delivered last evening by
Rev. Samuel schwarm. at the First
English Lutheran church. The street
car strike was not discussed, aside from
the thought that in giving public fran
chlses the city should see to It that there
was @ board OF arbitration or some
body, TO settle disputes OF this charac-
ter; and the speaker made one other al
fusion when he said the company should
pay more wages II It was able to do so,
The use OF machinery had done much
to make the modern labor problem. said
Rev. Mr.. Schwam; and not as much
the machinery as human greed. Capital
and labor were inter-depenlent. Each
has Its rights, among them the right OF
combination. But a combination should
be effected from proper motives. a
trust might be boon to the public. be-
cause combination OF capital could
make certain articles cheaper and still
pay the laborer more. But trusts WIRE
formed. Il seems, for the benefit OF the
few. and run for the enrichment OF cap
ital!sts, the oppression OF the laborer,
and to fleece the public.
Continuing, the speaker said labor had
n right TO organize for protection, and
TO effect better conditions. Rev. Mr..
Schwaun failed to see whv capital
wouldn't treat with a union OF men as
well as with an individual, for capital
should listen rather to the many than
20 the few.
There should be Just distribution OF
the products Of labor, and cone but cap
ftat and labor could determine this dis
trlbutlon. but the speaker said the pro-
l-ducers ought 10 have enough to proper
" clothc and maintain and educate their
families, with sufficient wages to pro-
vide for rainy day, and II there was
any surplus above Just share TO the
capitalist the employees were entitled to
share In this surplus. 1t didn't seem
fair that the many must be content
with poverty or q constant fight againS,
1t. while the other party to the contract
enjoyed winter and summer palaces,
yachts. etc.
The capitalist owed duty to God and
man. The Creator never intended that
the earth's resources OF coal and ores
and oil and gas were to become the pro-
perty of a few and operated as against
the benefits Of the many. I'VE ore to
love one another" said Rev. Mr..
Schwarm. land share each others bur-
dens, II capital and labor would follow
the spirit Of the Word OF God, mutually
dependent as they are, there would be
no friction. no bitterness, but instco d
there would be peace and content and
happiness"
There were three solutions, said the
speaker. OF the labor problem. First, to
make the iaborcr chattci slave. a
theory that wouldn't work In this ad-
vanced age: second. to assume that the
| laborer has no say as to the price he Is
to get ior his work: lastly, TO trea. the
labor problem according to the spir!, of
Christ. Capital and labor should deal
Justly and honestly with each other.
Rev. Mr.. Schwarn concluded with the
| thought thai employers are responsible
for the welfare OF their employees, and a
few general remarks on public fran.
| chiscs.