The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-12-08

Unequal Contest Between Man and
Machine Be Settled: Will Work. +
men Own the Machines:
Invention has filled the world with /
competitors not only of labor but of /
mechanics-mechanics Of the highest +
skill. Today the ordinary laborer is for /
the most part of a cog In a wheel. He
works with the tireless-he feels the in T
sa:tiable. When the monster stops the t
man is out of employnent-out of bread I
He has not savedanything.. The ma
chine that he fed was not feeding him +
the invention was not for his benefit. T
The other day heard man say that /
it was impossible for thousands of good /
mechanics to get employment, and that /
in his Judgment the government ought |
to furnish work for the people. A few |
minutes after, I heard another say that |
he was selling a patent for cutting out !
clothes-that one of the machines could I.
do the work Of twenty tailors, that only |
the week before he had sold two to a
great house in New York and that forty |
cutters had been discharged.
On every side men are being discharg |
ed and machines are being invented to /
take their places When the great fac |
tory shuts down the workers who in |
habit it and gave it life, as thoughts do |
the brain, go away, and it stands there |
like an empty skull. A few workmen
by 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 con-
vinced that they have not had their
share of what their labor created. They
feel certain that the machines inside
were not their friends. They look at
the mansion of their employer, and
think Of the place where they live.
They have saved nothing-nothing but
themselves. The employer seems to
have enough. Even when employers
fail, when they become bankrupt, they
are far better off than the laborers ever
were. Their worst is better than the
toilers' best.
The capitalist comes forward with
his specific. He tells the workingman
that he must be economical-and yet,
under the present system, economy
would not lessen wages. Under the
great law of supply and demand, every
saving, frugal, self denying workman is
funconscionsly doing what he can to re-
tduits ana t6I1p t1iJtn 0f hiYhself ah1
This fellows. The slaves who didnot wish
Ito run away helped fasten chains on
those who did. So the saving mechanic
is certificate that the wages are high
enough. Does the great law demand
that every worker should live, on the
|least possible amount of bread? Is it
his fate to work one day that he may
get enough food to be able to work an
other? Is that to be his hope, that and
i-death?
Capital has always claimed, and still
claims, the right to combine. Manu-
facturers meet and determine prices,
land demand. Have the laborers the
|,same right to consult and combine? :?
1.-THE rich meet in the bank, clubhouse Or
tparlor. Workingmen, when they COM
bine, gather in the street. All the or
ganized forces of society are against
them. Capital has the army and navy,
the legislature, the judicial and execu-
tive departments. When the rich COM
bine it is for the purpose of "exchang-
ing IDEAS" When the poor combine it
is conspiracy" If they defend them
lselves it is treason" How is it that
the rich control the departments of the
government? In this country the poll
tical power is equally divided among
men. There are certainly more poor
than rich. Why should the rich con-
chr 1o1 1,c
combine for the purpose of controlling
the executive, the legislative and judi
cial departments? Will they ever find
how powerful they are? A cry comes
from the oppressed, the hungry, from
the downtrodden, from the unfortunate,
!, from the despised, from men who de-
!, spair, and from women who weep.
There are times when mendicants be-
come revolutionists-when a rag be-
, comes banner, under which the mob
lest and bravest battle for the right.
How are we to settle the unequal con-
| test between man and machine? Will
. 1.-The machine go into partnership with
the >laborer? Can these forces Of nature
; Ibe controlled for the benefit of her suf-
) |fering children? Will extravance keep
: l'pace with ingenuity? Will workmen
> become intelligent enough and strong
| enough to become the owners of, ma :
: chimes? Will these giants, these -Titans
: shorten or lengthen the hours of labor
f Will they give leisure for the industri-
, 5ous, or will they make the rich richer
: and the poor poorer? Is man involved
in the general scheme of things? rs
. there no pity, no mercy? Can man be-
= come Intelligent enough to be generous
j, Ito be just; or does the same law f;ot
/ lfact control him that controls the ami
, Emal or vegetable world? They're oak
l steals the sunlight from the small trees
J. the strong animals devour the weak
V Everything at the mercy Of beak, and
: Eclaw, and hoof and tooth--of hand and
4 |club,s Of brain and greed-inequality
Injustice everywhere. The poor horse
: standing in the street with his dray
! loverworked, everwhfpped and underfad
. Iwhen he sees other horses groomed lik,
: Emirrors glittering with gold and silver
t lscorning with proud feet the very earth
Y Iprobably indulges in the usual social.
: ltstic reflections, that this same horse
: worn out and old, deserted BY Its mast.
=.