The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-19
Timely Counsel on
Subject OF Labor
From the Philadelphia Times.

II opposite conditions of business
ii when industry and trade are high
lily prosperous and when they are
severely depressed. Human nature is
the same in employers and employed,
and the natural instinct of all is to get
the best of the bargain. We have
passed through n protracted season Of
severe industrial depression. ldlenes5
was enforced on a very large propor-
tion of willing workingmen and only
starvation wages were paid to many
of those who could find employment.
Labor was then superabundant and
employers had the power to make the
severest eXactions in the reduction of
wages. Today we are in a tidal wave
of industrial prosperity with employ
ment for all competent and willing
workers at fair wages, and it is only
natural that organized labor should de-
mand n fair share in the increased
prosperity of employers, and like en-
ployers will want to make the best
bargain possible
o
The rights Of employers and employed
are clearly defined by the law, and the
justice of the law is not questioned by
any except those who precipitate
themselves into lawlessness. These
rights may be tersely summarized as
follows: 1. 1t is the absolute legal and
moral right of the workingman to de-
mand increased wages and to decline
employment unless his terms are ac-
cepted by his employer. Whether his
claim is right or wrong, reasonable or
unreasonable, it is entirely his own af-
fair, and none have the right to ques-
ton him. His labor is his property, and
the law will protect him in disposing
Of it in such manner as he shall deem
best in any legitimate employment 2.
When the wOrkingman declines to con-
tinue with his employer because of a
disagreement as to wages, his cOnnec-
tions with his employer end, and every
other man, high or low, black or white,
has precisely the same right to accept
or refuse employment that the striker
has declined, and the law will protect
him in the exercise of that inalenable
privilege. 8. Whenever a labor strike
is prostituted to lawlessness by violent
interference with other workingmen,
or with the business or property of a
former employer, the strikers place
themselves not only beyond the pale
of the law, but they forfeit the SYM
pathy of all good citizens who regard
the majesty of the law as essential to
the safety of person and property and
| good order for ALL 4. The closer en-
| ployes are brought into relations with
| their employers the better it will be
| for ALL and the chief danger of labor
| disturbances comes from the officious
int a Il i1Cr Of 1n
| PEELED to precipitate labor troubles to
| insure for themselves a generous live
| lihood without working at all. There
are few instances in which honest and
manly conference, face to face, between
employers and employed would not re-
! suit in reasonable justice, and great
| industrial enterprises can be success
full only when there is free intercourse
and mutual trust between the working
men and their employers. 8. As work.
| ingmen in most instances are compelled
| to suffer the severest loss in periods
of industrial depression, it is only
reasonable that they should have lib
eral advance for labor on returning
| prosperity, such as we have today.
| Broad-minded and just employers
| would themselves propose a proper add
| vance of wages where there has been
severe reduction in adverse periods.
| Where they fail to do so, the employees
| themselves should present their COM
| plant, and if an agreement cannot be
| reached in a large majority of casez
arbitration could be attained by such
free conference between the only par
ties in interest. None can be compelled
to arbitrate, but it is the common
sense solution of a doubtful dispute,
and with rare exceptions would reach
substantial justice to all.
o.
The nation is now enjoying a sea
son of unusual prosperity, and the
workingmen of the land are entitled ia
a generous share of it, There should
be q liberal advance Of wages in every
instance where wages were reduced by
the business and industrial depression
Of the last few years, and employers
should be the first to recognize II and
act upon it in the spirit Of manly jus.
ticc. If they shall fail to do so, tho
workingmen have it in their power tC
command Just compensation for THEN
labor II they are careful to command
the confidence of employers and of the
public, and avoid lawlessness in theil
contest as they would avoid pestilencC
in their homes.
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