The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-02-16
"A Benefit Is both
Labor. and Capital

amount Of leisure, giving opportunity
for intellectual development must OF
necessity be a people who are the
Wealthiest in all that constitutes the
highest state of civilized life.
Every invention is essentially demo-
cratic in it's character. 1t will do for
the many more than it will do for the
few. If the foregoing reason is cor
rect, then I am warranted in making
the following reductions:
First. The reduction of the hours of
labor results in increasing the compen-
sation of the workers..
Second. That this increase Jun wages
again influences the development of
more machinery, and so these two
forces, acting and reacting upon each
other constantly tend towards the
greater production and diffusion of
wealth, and an increased leisure for the
masses.
1t is the number of needs that the
wage class as a whole must satisfy
that constitutes the attraction that
determines the proportionate part of
the wealth produced which shall con-
-stitute their wage. Every enlargement
therefore, of their intellectual and ar
tistic tastes adds to this attraction and
elevates their standard of life. It is or
this reason that depreciate the action
OF organized labor, so frequently in
dulged in during the century, of strik-
ing against the introduction of labor
saving machinery. Over and over
again have the organized forces OF
labor sought, like Mother Darlington.
to sweep back the onswelling tide of
mechanical inventions; and over and
over again has the same tide swept
aside their puny efforts. g"
The nineteenth century is distinguish
ed from all others in the multiplication
of it's labor saving devices, and no
power can arrest it's progress.
In architecture we are still drawing
our chief inspiration from the ancient
Greeks.
In poetry, it is questionable whether
we have yet reached the flights of
Homer. In the realms Of pure reason
and philosophical discussion, we have
certainly not surpassed the ancients,
and it is doubtful whether modern
times has produced man equal to
Plato.
ginal about US, however advantage
ously we may modify. But while the
ancients could chisel an image from
marble and still fascinate the connois-
seur of art, and do all of the other
things that I have mentioned, they
could not make either a good wheel
barrow or good wagon wheel.
It is in the realm of mechanics that
modern civilization offers such Won
derful contrast to preceding ones: I'm
fortunately these improvements, under
present economic conditions, are lar
gely mOnopoliZed by the privileged few
and the blessing it is intended that
they should confer upon mankind have
not been realized. Under present mall
adjustments they constitute both the
hope and despair of the world. But
while students, agitat0rs, and dOctrin-
aries of new social systems are seeking
to convert the world in favor of sweep
ing revolutionary changes, the trades
union movement as such, while invite
ing and encouraging the most radical
thinkers in its midst, must pursue a
course of practical ameliorati0n and do
today and tomorrow that for which
it can interest conservatives and radi-
calls alike.
No school Of economic thought is
either so radical or conservative that
it cannot conscientiously aid in secur-
ing the reduction of the hours of labor.
This reform, then, offers the widest
field upon which to combine our eff
forts and welt together in one har-
monious whole the most diverse minds
in industrial reform.
In a democratic country like ours,
with it's institutions resting upon the
sovereignty of the individual, and
where the enlightenment or ignor-
ance of it's citizens determine it's veal
or woe, it is of the greatest Importance
sion Of knowledge, without which
democracy cannot flourish.
At no period in our history have such
momentoue problems confronted this
republic. Civilization itself is ap-,
preaching crisis. Shall this crisis
witness the new birth and the better
day, or shall it be the grave in which
will be buried the achievements Of the
past?
At no time has the trade union move
ment been charged with more sacred
ponsibility.-George A. Sch:lling in
Leather Workers Journal