The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-03


Il organized labor of evil
dences of it's progress is in
accord with the spirit of our times,
which recognizes increasingly the in
Independence of all classes if the
community and appreciates that fair
gain by one is real gain for all.
1t takes all kinds of people to make
a world and the predetermined a
man is the less he will be inclined to
think that any man or group of men,
whatever their work or station in life,
possesses a monopoly of good or bad
qualities. a lesson for both labor
and capital to learn, and one worth
considering today, is that human ma
ture is not determined wholly by the
contents of the pocketbook and that
true manhood is entitled to the
worlds respect wherever found.
We are hearing a good deal just now
about labor and capital as if they
We're on the point of going to war
with one another. 1t is unfortunately
true, and why? Can any man doubt
that a principal reason is in mutual
misunderstandings? A COMMITTEES of
miners waits on an operator. Dis
torted reports have Influenced in ad-
vance the minds of both. Each has
a wrong impression of the other. If
one, therefore, is curt Or snappish, the
other is quick to take the same cue
and in a short time trouble develops
where a little patience and tact would
have smoothed everything out. There
are operators who, without provoca-
tion, swear at their employees as il
they were so many dogs and no de-
cent man, whatever his position in
life, can have anything but contempt
for such men. But these operators
are exceptions to the rule. On the
other hand, there are sometimes en-
ployes who wear a chip, looking for
trouble, and these make a lot of mis-
chief, but they, also, are exceptions.
Care should be taken not to judge the
many by the few; not to fall into
the unjust habit of calling all en-
pOyers scOundrels and robbers, just
because they are employers, or of
considering that every wage-earner
who joins union in the hope of bet
tering his condition in life, is there
fore a plotter of agitation and an enc
my of the man for whom he works.
Whatever tends to embtter the en-
ployer and the employe, to make ill
feeling between them, is to be de-
plored as harmful, not only to both Of
them, but also as hurtful to the gen.
eral public, whose interests call loudly
for peace; and he is the best friend
Of labor, as well as the best friend of
capital and the truest benefactor of his
race, who helps to remove intervening
errors and to promote a harmonious
settlement of differences, man to man.
There is another thought worthy
of consideration at this time, a
thought which should make Labor
Day one of the proudest days in the
calendar. 1t is that in America no
iron bar Of caste dooms the son of
a workingman to follow in his fathers
footsteps regardless of inherent apti-
tudes qualifying him to rise in life.
In the old world the rule Is that where
you are born, there you must stay,
and the exceptions 10 it are few; but
in this free country, in spite of all our
temporary woes, which ebb and flow
in every walk of life, harassing rich
and poor alike, the grand fact remains
true, Notwithstanding what dema-
gogues may say to the contrary, that
the roads to promotion are open to
all, and ability, not circumstance OF
bKth, is the password. Who are our
rising young men? Are they the
spoiled darlings of inherited wealth OF
the striving and ambitious children OF
the poor? Take the big men in this
very community. Where did they
come from? From palaces or cabins
Labor's lot Is often hard; nobody
knows it better than one who has
gone through the mill. Inequalities
and injustices are many and exas
perating; but that is true in all voca
tions and stations. The laborer works
for his daily pay; his work is hare
and his pay seems small. But wheI
the weary task Is over he can go homt
10 his wife and children with the con
ISOLATION that his responsibility for tn
day is ended; while often the anxietie
of his employer then only begin.
It is not in the book of fate for hin
to change his place In life the boy a
his freside has an unbounded vista o
open opportunities, some of which tn
lad will realize II he has good stun Il
him. Finally labor as well as capt