New-York tribune., 1902-12-11

titled TO protection for its rights.
Law cannot create or compel the investment
Of capital any more than it compel labor
20 work outside of penal and charity institu-
fions. But unwise legislation prevent the
reasonable demands by labor upon capital. If
persisted in, can do the same thing.
ARBITRATION NO REAL REMEDY.
Voluntary arbitration Of dtsagreements be-
tween employer and ernploye, well enough in it
sef, only settles, however, the existing dispute,
whlch may occur again in the same or diff
ferent form, often the old disagreement
may have been settled
Compulsory arbitration between employer and
employe would be usurpation Of the inherent
rights Of both by the lawnaking power. And
could II lawfully be done. the tendency would
be. on one SIDE TO prevent the investment Of
capital and on the other TO a final establish
fnent by law Of q system Of peonage for all
labor Law can no more compel capital to pay
70 labor specified rate Of wages than il can
compel labor to work at q fixed rate Of wages.
But il the proportion that ought to be paid to
labor out Of net profits in q business could be
escertained with mathematical exactness it
would moi be q determination Of the real rela-
ton Of American labor TO capital The s.sat
question in this country. in addition TO that Of
profit sharing, is TO determine how high the
wages OF labor can go without destroying Ia Dor
itself
The higher the wages of labor and retain the
market for its products. the better 1t is for
everybody. To that point in all cases the en-
ployer can go. But beyond that point it is an
iu1possibility. For labor cannot be paid In the
production OF an article more than the article
itself VIII sell for in the market The market
price for an article and the wages of labor in
its production are not fixed by this country
alone. In respect to both market price and
wages. this country is IN competition with the
markets and the labor Of the world. A wise ad-
.ustment Of tariff duties On the ir7aportations of
the products Of foreign labor can. certain
extent, prevent the reduction Of prices in this
country 10 a point ruinous to labor. But the
wages Of labor can reach high as to be be-
yond the power of tariff duties 10 overcome the
n he Lab of he
world. Free trade with the nations would give
70 labor everywhere the lowest wages paid any
where.
In the countries of Europe there are to-day
twenty millions more OF ahoFers and artisans
producing articles for human consumption. And
their daily wages are greatly less than those
paid TO labor in this country in like employ
r7ents. It would cost any one Of these laborers
artisans TO remove from his home in the
$50 For every such person who should
come there would be for one less Ameri-
can laborer, provided there is American labor
enough to supply the demand for labor.
The great attraction heretofore for emigration
20 this country has been that il is the land o.
liberty, home OF the oppressed. and asylum
for the exile. in addition. make il by undue
stimulation the most attractive country for high
wages and short hours for work and how long
would II be before our home labor market
would be overstocked from these beehives Of in
6ustry. beyond the power Of legislation or the
capacity OF consumption TO save American labor
from the low wages Of the Old World? To de-
terEDine the point TO which the increase Of
wages IN I1lS country can go ana not produce
such result is the real solution Of the prob
lem Of American wages
ENTITLED TO FAIR CONDENSATION.
The employe is entitled in all cases to a fair
compensation for the time he uses his brain or
muscle. or both, for the benefit of another The
time thus consumed and paid for belongs TO the
employer. and he has the right to direct the
aaode and manner Of its use. The time not paid
for belongs TO the emplcye, 10 do with il within
legal limits as he pleases. And the employer
has no more right to say how it shall be spent
than has the erploys 70 say TO the employer
whom ne shall hire how he shall conduct his
business The right OF the employer TO control
the tine the acts OF the ern2loye ends where
payment ends These are the relative rights of
employer and ernploye. and they cannot be vio-
lated by either without injury to both. Either
has the right 10 organize for the purpose of
improving their condition prospects in life
But no voluntary organization association
has any greater power or rights than the indi-
riduals composing It. Any attempt TO exercise
ely greater power rights than those pos
attack upon society Itself. which, in self-de-
fence, Il there other reason, orderly gov
ernrnents must repsi and prevent II they would
preserve their own existence.
Labor whether OF brain muscle. has two
1ndefeasible rights, both entitled to full. abso-
lutte protection under any form of government
One is TO contract for employment on such
terms may be satisfactory: the other. to re
fuse al employment provided no application 1.
made the community for personal supper.
Every person self-srpporting and law abiding
has a right to work or not to work. This Is a.
individual right. which the laws of free gov
ernmept are bound to protect. But person
has a right TO prevent another person who de
eres to work from doing Every person ha
the tight to work without uolestation. bin