Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-05-06

udV Lie ordinary IdDOIeT Is, 1Or
the most part peg in the wheels.
He works with the tirelcss-he feeds
the unsuitable When the monster
stops, the man is out of employment
out of bread. He has not saved
anything. The machine invention
was not for his benefit.
The other day l heard a man say
that it was impossible for good me-
ehanics to get employment, and that
in his judgment the government ought
to furnish work for the people. A
few minutes later heard another say
that he was selling a patent for cut
ting out clothes, that one of the ma
chimes could do the work of twenty
tailors, and that only the week be-
fore he had sold two to great house
in New York. and that over forty cut
tiers had been discharged.
On every size men are being dis
charged and machines are being in
vented to take their places. When a
great factory shuts down, the work
crs who inhabited it and gave it life
as thoughts to the brain, go away,
it stands there like an empty
skull. A few workmen by the force of
habit, gather about the closed doors
and broken windows and talk about
distress, the price of food and the
coming winter. They are convinced
that they haven't their share of what
they created. They feel certain that the
machines on the inside were not their
friends. They look at the mansion of
the employer-buth have nothing them
selves The employer seems to have
enough. Even when employers fail,
when they become bankrupt they
are far better off than their laborers
ever were. Their worst is the toilers
best.
The capitalist comes forward with
his specific He tells the workingmen
they must be economical and yet
under the present system, economy
would lesson wages.
Under the great law of supply and
demand every saving, frugal, self-de-
nying workmen is uncOnsciously do
ing what little he can to reduce the
compensation of himself and his fell
lows. The slaves who did not wish
to run away, helped to fasten chains
on those who did. Lo, the saving
mechanic is a certificate that wages
are high enough. Does the great law
demand that every worker should live
on the least possible amount ofbread?
Is it his fate to work one day that he
may get food enough to be able to
work another? Is that to be his only
hope-that and death?
Capital has always claimed, and
still claims the right to combine.
Manufacturers meet and determine
prices, even in spite of supply and de-
mand. Have the laborers the same
right to consult and combine? The
rich meet in the bank, club house or
parlor. Workingmen, when they
combine, gather in the street. All the
organized forces of society are against
them. Capital has the army and the
navy, the legislature, the judicial and
executive departments. When the
rich combine it is for the purpose of
exchanging ideas" If the poor COM
bine it is conspiracy. If they act
in concert, if they really do something
it is a mob. If they defend themsel-
yes it is treason. How is it that the
rich control the departments of the
government? In this country the po
litical power is equally devided among
men. There are certainly more poor
than rich. Why should the rich con-
troll? Why should not the poor com
bine for the purpose of controlling the
executive, the legislative and Judicial
departments? Will they ever find out
how powerful they are? A cry comes
from the oppressed, the hungry, from
the downtrodden, from the uniortu'
nate, from the despised, from men
who despair and from women who
weep. There are times when medi-
cants become NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
rag becomes Il banner, under which
the noblest and bravest battle for
the right
How are we to settle the unequal
difference between man and machine
Will the machines finally go into part
nership with the laborer? Can these
forces of nature be Controlled for the
beniit of her children? Will extrava-
gance keep pace with ingenuity
Will the workmen become intelligent
and strong enough to become the
owners of machines? Will these
giants these titans, shorten and
lcngthen the hours of labor! Will
they give leisure for the industrious, or
will they make the rich richer or the
poor poorer? Is man involved IN the
general scheme" of things' Is there