The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1902-11-06
LABOR AND CAPITAL.
A Possible Combination that
Would Bode No Good
to the Consumer.
From Worlds Work

Whatever else stands still, the trust
does not; for Prof. John b. Clark Of
Columbia University, one Of the most
practical and instructive economists
that We have, has pointed out the in.
eyilablo approaching alliance Of con
teltda.sa .=;.,i-. with consolidated Ia.
b)r. II consolidation OF manuiae-
lsTers Of any given commodity can
secure n monopoly OF the market or
an approach to monopoly, and II the
labor union Of that craft can secure
monopoly Of that kind Of labor OF an
approach 10 monopoly, there Ia moth
ing to hinder a combination Of the
manufacturing consolidation with the
labor union. II tho labor union de-
mands an increase 10 wages, It is cas-
Ter 10 add the increase 10 the price Of
the commodity ihAn u Is 10 suffer
strike. Prof. CLARK explains the situa-
ton thus.
"Whai men 10 particular indus
try can get depends on what the in
dustry as 4 whole can get, and that
depends on the prices Of It's products;
and the disquieting fac, In the situa-
ton Is that where a trust alone can
exact from the public more than a
moderate amount, Il can get far more
when it is backed by strong union.
When Il comes 60 taxing consumers,
the interests of employers and employed
are at one. The men may say, Give
US more pay aud charge It to the pub
lie. Put up the prioo Of your goods;
aud II this eau easily be done, the
employers have no strong reason for
refusing to do it,
lie cites the case Of the glass blow.
ers. Skilled men at this trade are
scarce and they are well organized
The manufacturers cannot get labor
enough. Although the union aud the
employers have certain differences of
their own TO settle. Il Is TO their COM
mon interests 10 keep at work, aud
they keep at work on terms which
force the public to pay rouudIy for its
glass.
II the trusts succeed in securing
monopoly, aud the labor unions so
restrict their membership as alss to
secure a monopoly of skilled labor,
such a combination Of them against
the public will be inevitable The
conflict will then be less between la
Dor and capital than between organ
lied capital and labor on one side and
the unorganized independent, pFoduc-
ers and unorganixed labor on the
other "a prOleiariat such as Amer
lea has not yet SEEM" says Professor
Clark, "may easily be created by the |
Joint effort Of trade unions that keep |
men out of their ewn fields of labor
aud trusts that keep down the output
Di goods within those fields,
When thus set forth 10 broad eco
nomie terms this combination Of the
agains, tho uRorganized par,
u the community may foreshadow
lire results. hut bow natural Il Is ey-
Try man may see for himself. II he be
! skilled glass blower. for instance, he
wishes TO get as high wages rs he eau
IA high ''as the traffic will brar;"
", II he be q glass manufacturer, be is
Wiling that his workmen shall receive
higher wages than 1--WE wII! suppose) |
yorkmen at other such trades receive.
provided his own profits be large and
he public will pay the bill The
Ehole question Is How can the pub
lc defend Itself
A man who thinks TO solve either
be problem Of trusts or The problem
{ labor. has 10 make 4 neE adjust.
aent Of his remedies before he can
airly formulate them---so swift are
be changes 10 problems. In iAe:,
here arc no solutions. We are rush
ig forward--or are rushed forward
y great industrial forces at 20 swift a
ate that we have not yet got our
earrings.