The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-04-15

q Incl: the visit to St. Paul Of Tie
~ delegation Of business men and
the committee from the Trades
.As:t mbly and the repntad good results
brought about by the conference down
there we have heard considerable talk
about the Importance OF working IL
create a more mutual feeling betWte!.
the. two interests. This. OF course. II
arv fair minded person recommends
itself as he only proper thing to do
ar the present time and under exist
ing conditions.
There was Il time: not many years
ago. when the employer and the en-
pi..vc worked side by side and what Wa:
,, to the advantage Of one was equals
beneficial to the other. In those days
there were many small factories. Al
over the lanu we've dotted small lllm
Der and Touring mills. The black
smith. the shoemaker. the wagon max
cr, the carpenter and cabinrtnaker.
carried on small business and employ
cl a few workmen. The man who con-
d,ctcd the business was both employer
anc. workman. He knew what Il days
work was: he associated with his fel-
lows and there was a feeling Of mutual
interest which today does not exist
The contlitio loss have changed and in
til" natural course OF events changes
must follow to meet the present condi-
lions. The small factory is thing
OF the past and the small business IS
rapidly disappearing: compelled to
give way to the rich man who prefers;
to squeeze o,It all competition and his
attitude toward the Iaborer is an en-
1irely different proposition from that
which existed between the small pro-
prietor and his help. Instead Of aSso-
ciat ion. or daily contact with the work.
ntn. he scarcely ever sees them, pos
siEly visiting he workshops once each
month and in many eases not that Of
ten. He turns everything over to his
manager and the manager engages d
III all~tlriver" TO exact every moments
time from morning until night. There
is nothing but drive. When the big
wheel in the eng inc room makes its
to be 1T his post and there he must
remain and like the machine keep
moving until the day closes.
The employer does not know 1hos"
who are supposed to toll for his inter
est and they know him only as master.
The feeling of fellow interest is en-
tireIy gone. The old saying that lin
union there is strength is just as true
today as it was the day it was writ
te and only in union can we be
strong. Every year the breach be-
tween capital and labor grows great
e:. The capitalist on one side plans
kcW he can get the most out of
labor and the toiler figures for tn"
greater returns for his labor Neither
takes into consideration the others in
terest. They drift apart. The labor
'e:' looks on hi employer as Il thief and
tn employer considers the laborer his
patnra enemy. Why: Because they
do not get together and exchange
views upon the different issues that
vitality interest Them both.
The anti-boycott law which is now
under consideration at ST. Paul has
caused talk enough to settle the most
complicated question that ever came
before the people. Vet an hours con-
suItation between the representatives
OF the interested. parties convinced
both sides that they were not so far
apart. and that happy medium could
be struck that was entirely sutiSfac-
tory to all and neither would be in
u''->' .tii't ~ II SoSH. lLAtl one JFC-
o9i.izeS that Duuth'S capitalist and
laborer should work in harmony TO ar-
ccmpli~h the best results. The EN-
pirHer desires it and so does t he labor
e: and really neither can live or sue
rreu as well il this result is nos
thought about. Both have rights
Which the other is bound to respect
Vi course there are employers who are
Unfair and viIIianouS and Duluth has
Il few of them. On the other hand
II ere are wuuId-be labor leaders who
spin NOT. neither do they toll" zone
sparrow does not make Snrino."
Neither should one or two dishonest
employers or degenerate 'luhor fax
Ir> ui>orGanize the whole plan. The
one simple thin" for Duluth'S inrelli-
*'n; employers. employees and DuS:-
hes: men to do is 10 ger together. stay
together. and work oyethrr-m;]lr Il
general war upon the EMPLOYER VIII ,
does NOT treat his Worl,mtn fairly and
>rorablv and as a fellow human
she ulu be treated.