Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-12-05
THE LABOR PROBLEM.
UniOnism Contai ns Much That IS Good
and Some Had.

and some Had.
How to secure fair treatment alike for
| labor and for capital, how to hold in
check the INSCRIPTIONS man, whether
employer or employee, without weakening
individual initiative, without hampering
and cramping the industrial development
OF the country. Is problem fraught with
great difficulties and one which 1t is OF
the highest Importance to solve on lines
of sanity and far-sghted common sense
as well as of devotion to the right. This
Is an era OF federation and combination.
Exactly as business men find they must
often work through corporations, and as
It Is constant tendency of these cor
porations to grow larger. so II is often
necessary for laboring men to work in
declarations, and these have become inn
portant factors of modern industrial life.
Both kinds OF federation, captalistic and
labor, can do much good, and as a nee
essary. corrollary they can both do evil.
Opposition to each kind of organizat ton
should take the form of opposition to
whatever Is bad in the conduct of any
given corporation or union-not of at
tacks upon corporations as such nor upon
unions as such: for some of the most
far-reaching beneficent work for our peo-
corporations and unions. Each must re-
frain from arbitrary or tyrannous inter-
ference with the rights of others. Or
ganized capital and organized labor alike
should remember that in the long run
the interest of each must be brought
into harmony with the interest of the
EtueTdI puDllC. anu tne COnuuct Oh edCn
must conform to the fundamental rules
of obedience to the law. of individual
freedom. and of Justice and fair dealing
toward all. Each should remember that
In addition TO power II must strive after
the realization of healthy, lofty and gen.
erOus ideals Every employer every
wage worker must be guaranteed his
with his property or his labor so long
as he does not infringe upon the rights
of others. 1t is of the highest impor-
lance that employer and employee alike
should endeavor to appreciate each the
viewpoint of the other and the sure dis
aster that will come upon both in the
long run If either grows to take as habit
trust toward the other. Few people de-
serve better of the country than those
representatives both of capital and labor
and there are many such--who work
standing of this kind. based upon wisdom
and upon broad and kindly sympathy be-
tween employers and EMPLOYED. Above
all. we need to remember that any kind
of class luminosity In the political world
is If possible. even more wicked. even
more destructive to national welfare.
ity We can get good government only
upon condition that we keep true to the
principles upon which this nation was
founded, and Judge each man not as a
part of class. hut upon his individual
merits. All that we have right to ask
of any man, rich or poor, whatever his
creed, his occupation, his birthplace, or
his residence. is that he shall act well
and honerablv by his neighbOr and bv
his country We are neither for the rich |
man MS such nor for the poor man as
such: we are for the upright man. rich
or moor. So far as the constitutional
powers of the national government touch
these matters of general and vital mo-
ment to the nation. they should be exer-
cised in conformity with the principles
above set forth.
Recommends Department of Com
merce.
II is earnestly hoped that a secretary of |
the cabinet. The rapid multiplication of |
growth ard completely OF the organizations
through which both labor and capital now |
lind expression, the steady tendency to-
ward. the employment of capital In, huge |
ard the wonderful strides OF |
this country toward leadership In the in
ternationa business world justify an ur-
gent demand for the creation of such po-
sitior. Substantially all the leaCing COM
mercial bodies in this country have united
in requesting its creation. 1t Is desirable
hat some such measure as that which has
already passed the senate be enacted into
aw. The creation OF such a department
would in itself be an advance toward deal
ing with and exercising supervision over
The whole subject of the great corporations
LONG an interstate business and with this
end In view, the congress should endow
he department with large powers, which
,ould be increased as experience might
show the need