The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-05-30
WORK AND WAGES.

SpfNNt -lNT NllNh 'h'N r'''
compensation something will he gained q
in the education Of conscience-Puhlic
Ledger.
What we quote is editorial comment
upon discussion in the Presbyterian
General Assembly. upon the general
toptc Of supply ana support, The first
division being II lament that 50 compaH-
lively small Il number of young men
enter the ministry because Of the lack Of
loppnrtunity to make fortunes: ANA the
lnttpr part of it, Il vehement denuncia-
! lion If what the speaker called the
''ouintrSscncc Of meanncsS," IN me
churches Indifference toward the proper
support Of the cold guard in Us nm
li>try. So much for the genesis of our
ltaxt.
We think the quotation expresses y |
truth Of general application. lher" y
Inc truth which can apply to the church
I'M m abridgcmcnt Of the world-in which
men amid women strive for the applira-
tion, III lis say, Of the Divine law Ia
human relations. TO eXcmplify the idcnl
III III these relations, that is not equally
applicable to human society IN general,
= With this explanatory preface W" Suggest
! the application Of the rule stated to ~
:: or conditions. ancnt the strike now III
y progress for the establishments Of the
;, ninrholtr day. The primary object OF
!, this ,,trike--tha is, tho expressed OBJ
Ii rct-is 10 shorten the labor day. The
2 remote ana as We think tho major OH
(" icct, is to increase the value Of Il day s
:, IIhnt the employers cannot afford H. We
!. think this objection il identical with the
il axcusc given by the church for its neglect
!, III lis ..old guard" ministerial servants
n ihc objection aud The cXcnScarralike' IN
~ tcnnhlr The statement Of our text Is rs
n ,mr Of the business world as il is Of th'
~ church world inadequate compensation
"a to labor in either, is m element Of !
re- system Of pauprrization.
~ The average wages Of labor il made
n puatc We mean to say, that the aver
IL gc wages Of labor does not supply thu
of amount aud quality of food, clothing
~ holter AMI leisure necessary for tn
ira development and application, To the van
III ions labor avocations of life Of the higl
am est capacities of the workers. This
~ the fact that lies behind labor agitation
i'm the appreciation Of which is the frrti
Nh source Of Tie apparently mapprasah
ony discomfort nf labor. This discomfort
- irDLclIium AGAINST the theory not alt
-thur alaudoncd--,hnt the value Of !
: hur is no moro than ia" bare cost of 81
aistrncc. That WAS the slave code thco
~ political economy. as il related to we
- and wages. 0u own history proves h
pN sltvc labor could not compete with Fl
FhA labor, rycn iii the lines whore it had
9S"t monopoly. The industrial progress
h''S lhia country hls proven that there
l'H'' something inspiring and sustaining
"p, thr mrrr ract u freedom ana polit
W" equality. II is now recognized that
~ mechanical ahlity sc tho North, M
ions than tho vHor If the soldiers Of
y" I'ninn defeated thr south III its rel
: v lion AGAINST the theory Of free lnl
~ 1t must nov H. recognized that /
er I same free labor Of the North
Id"" achieved thu mechanical ana commcr
Mr' supremacy IF this country over it~ W.
Nidc competitors. Tho basis Of this
lgpnacy n IN tlic superior skill and
No"ity Of the American workingn
tlnc. lhis worIiingmnn too II hc hisl
f thr paid. AMI demands moro for adrUr
AMI su-trnancc than any worker the 81
over over. III, is such hrcnnsr Of his free
hilip from he expressions common to III
: tho elsewhere expressions that alridgc
, iuSt III a.una freedom, That denies him
let Of qHarr compensation and converts
! H. NurI, into absolute drulgcry
court II Is thcsc differences Of condition
Il its has given thr Ameri"an his superior
on Of and capacity. With his achievement
after cumr Tie industrial awakening Of
Paris whole world Competition is 10 he il
!, GOV siIi,d. II hold what HAS boon won
IF the irlAahh all lhat American labor cai
10 he III skill and capacity must hc mere;
ainnd liuwI II is evident that the wilc
{ thnf yorgrnl existing labor conditions cl
Iw tho NJ cqHIiz"d hy the lowering Of
i trr standard; MOI hy Il scheme of low W
once nii nv tile stimulation Of those fncl
.ovc,n- which make for skill and capacity,
NJ not paradoNirul H. il may seem Ii
Y citi- VICES anu more leisure freedom
States. want. from continual depressing 4
. trade piiuns, aud from the drndgrry
tatcs mnuolonons, l"isurcle,s labor, mn,
$50 tar assured. These are the things y
Nj mn work for.
onac, That which raises the stanlal
these ~ W. NV aN9't',S ''in l'."s"l''ll :
l0r adequate To- these elevated stan
work and wages 90 related thcs
lie sources u the inspiration and
lltiun ~ effort that wiIl H. need
s., keep America Enthusiastically Suprcn
noratcd
.