The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-31


must lose if it wants to
I've. and that is the present warlike
feeling between capital and labor. No
doubt there is fault on both sides,
Employers sometimes, though rarely,
are arrogant. More often they arc 50
busy with PERSONAL affairs that they
d" not give the thought which they
should 10 tho affairs of their cm-
rl"ye$, and do not try to cultivate a
$ympa h"tiC relationship. ON the
either halrl many conscrNatiN" work
ingmcn. who in their hearts should
known better. have listened :" long to
the voice Of agitstors and have read
So steadily the literature of discon-
tent that they are inclined TO magnify
their own grievances and take an I'M
justly suspicious and c"ndemnatorN
view of employers as a class, more
especially Of corporations.
As matter of fact Scranton would
never have existed but for corpora
tions. and today its entire welfare is
staked directly upon the prosperity
and growth of incorporated enter
prise. Remove the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western and the Delaware
and Hudson and Erie railroads and
Scranton would be isolated. Drive
away the silk mills, knitting mills,
mctal-wo,kinG mills and other me-
chanic industries operated by corpor-
aicns in this city and valley and in
five years the bats would build nests
in two-thirdS of our buildings. Nor
is it true that upon the whole the
corporations have dealt uniustly by
scranton. Corporations like indivld-
uals look out 70, number one; but
the hiatniy of their relationship to-
ward local charities and bcncvolenccs
is a chapter of magnificent liberalilN;
their managers. with few exceptions.
have been among our most public
came thr fashion in Scranton
for speakers and writers To tear
the life out of the corporations, We
enjoyed far better ratio of growth
lLan las prevailed since, or Is likely
To come on the wings "f 2ir-sawinS
agitation.
The laborcr is worthy of his hire
and If he goes for ii the right way
he viii generally get il. Rut the right
way iG by he avenue of patience, self
Improvement and reason, not through
diFcord. i'll feeling and civil war. The
more he can earn the more he can
#pcud and Therefore high wages mean
l,. I ~,
this rcagoE publ" sympathy approved
better pay inr the miners for the street
railway employees, and for the skilled
siit; wcaNcrs and the wisdom of the
increase has been demonstrated in the
better state Of business since it went
rto effect. similarly public opinion
approves better pay for the ma"hinists
and other metal workers and hopes
they will reach an early ana fair adj
iuslmcnt of their demands.
Rul public opinion is not ready to
have its normal activities continually
Interrupted by the declaration, often
on artificial grounds, of hlacklists boy
colts aud strikes ii is losing faith in
tho permanent value of force and vio-
lencc as panaceas for economic ills;
and il is especially dissatisfied with
the professional type of agitator whose
mission appears to he tn undermine
peaceful industry and blow it up in
the hope of getting his pockets full
or the fragments. Wherever this type
of mischief maker appears he must he
eliminated from lahor's confidence and
superseded .hy, conservative, iudicious
leadership which recognizes that labor
and capital can only prosper while
working hand in hand, The toma =
hawk must give way To the pipe of
peace.