Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-21
TO AVOID FUTURE STRIKES.

A New York dispatch credits ]. Pier
pont Morgan with a good plan for an
alliance between capital and labor Ac-
cordlng TO this plan several million doll
lars worth Of stock Of the steel cor
poration has been set apart and can be
purchased by the 10000 employees OF
the great trust 1t is claimed that the
plan was formulated before the strike
commenced, but as 1t would take about
two years to perfect the details OF it, it
was not made public.
There IS nothing improbable In these
statements nor does the plan contem-
plate anything Of an impractical nature.
There are some establishments both
here aud In Europe. where the laborers
are made co-partners and share, to
some extent, In the profits Of the busi-
ness. Perhaps such an arrangement
would insure permanent harmony be-
tween the employers and their men,
since the latter would hesitate to take
hostile steps against an Institution In
which they themselves are co-owners,
But the question Of the practical work
ings OF such a plan must be left to the
future. If 1t is carried through, its mer-
its or defects will soon be apparent. II
It WORKS well in the steel Industry, il
win work well IN other branches OF
business, and we would have an era
of cooperation between two forces
which naturally are allies, since their
interests are identical,
Attention Is called to the fact that
some years ago James j. NIL. the rail-
road king adopted a similar system on
the Great Northern road 1t is said
1t was viewed with suspicion by the
men, who thought they saw IN II IA
plan to tie them up 70 the road. But II
was gradually shown to them that
1t made no difference to the railroad
officials whether they took advantage
Of the proposition or not. and then the
better paid class OF employees made a
scramble to get the stock. Since then
there has been no general labor trouble
on the road.
Another concern that Is said TO have
tested the plan with success is the
Commercial Gable and North Ameri-
can Telegraph company, 1t Is claimed
that since the employees became stock
holders they have been very enthusiast
tic in pushing the business Of the COM
pany II is also thought that the pro-
position TO make the Carnegie workmen
shareholders has had the effect OF
keeping them from striking while other
steel plants were being kept idle.
There is no reason why a plan that has
succeeded, apparently, when applied
on a smaller scale, should not be bene-
fetal when extended.
As general rule II can be laid down
that whatever tends to unity, harmony,
and good win between man and man
Is Of benefit to the individual and to the
state, while that which tends to strife
and contention is ruInous. We hope the
present strike may be ended soon. and
that when the smoke Of battle is over
and both sides 90 to counting their
losses, the spirit Of Cancellation may
prevail and steps be taken for the pre-
ycntion Of further trouble, as far as
possible. And II II is shown that labor
wars cannot be averted by private
agreements Congress should take the
matter up. Arbitration has proved
a remedy In New Zealand. Why
should It not be equally effective In
other parts Of the world?