Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-07-10
THE TRUSTS AND LABOR.
Organized Workers the Mighty Force
That VIII Protect All the People.

That VIII Protect All the People.
"The politicians and political econo-
mists will see nothing but ruin In the
trusts unless constitutions are changed
and all manner of laws enacted to pro-
tect the people are not taking into ac-
count that mighty force which has al
ways defended the people in war as
well as in peace" said General Won
Niemand at the regular meeting of the
Economic club, says the Cincinnati En-
quirer.
What Is the mighty force? 1t Is or
ganized labor. No. l am not going to
make labor union speech-just illus
trate a fact as l see 1t. 1t is admitted
that the industrial combinations in
clude vast amount of water and that
the people must pay dividends on the
water. That Is true. The consumer
pays the dividends which enrich the
combinations. But we must not lose
sight of the fact that labor is the main
consumer of the products of the trusts,
so that when prices are advanced labor
has to pay the bulk of the burden.
When prices are pushed beyond the
reach of the laboring classes, strike
for higher wages follows. If the strike
succeeds, the workers divide with the
trusts the money forced out of the
working classes. When the laboring
element has sufficient reward for its
toll, it meets the advanced prices to
all those who live between the trusts
and the toilers by spending the in
crease of their wages. No matter how
high prices may be, If labor Is Justly
compensated the equilibrium Is main
tained. When labor is not justly COM
pensated it Strikes and it thus fights
the battles of every other class which
is opposed to trusts. The man who
takes the place of striker not only
wrongs himself, but the entire nonpro-
ducing class and all other working
men.
Il believe in public sympathy and
support for strikers in cases of de-
mands for increase of wages when
prices of commodities are advancing.
Every advance In prices touches the
working classes first, because they are
the principal consumers who have no
SURE ldlu Dg lOE SuCn tlliltS. w HtL
prices are declining, the wages are al
ways the first thing cut in order to keep
shops moving, and labor has to accept
the condition. In fact, the public de-
mands that labor shall accept the re-
ductions when prices are declining.
The prices of commercial commodities,
like agricultural products, depend upon
the cost of production with n reaSona-
BILE profit added. No law can prevent
extortion in prices when the output is
controlled by monopoly, but the labor
can stop production until it receives a
share of the eXtortion, and as labor
cannot hoard 1t must divide the share
1t gets with all other classes. There
fore labor Is the army which must fight
the battles of all the nonproducers who
live out of the commissions between
the producer and the consumer. When
labor demands more than a just share
of the profits, it destroys the employer
and in turn destroys itself. The public
could safely leave in the hands of labor
the fighting of all the antitrust battles
l ask you, gentlemen of the Economic
club to think of the practical workings
of the idea | am presenting and see If
you do not reach the same conclusions
which have"