The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-02-01

In his candidacy for alderman Of the
Fifth ward, some of Mr.. McEwen's op-
ponents have very tactfully used the
argument that he was a labor agita-
tor, and would not be a good man in
the city council. This can best be an
swered by a reproduction of the fol-
lowing editorial, written by him in
recent number Of the Labor World:
THE enemies of fair play between
the employer and the employed char
acterize the editor of this paper as
labor agitator. We are proud of the
distinction as coming from such
source. If by labor agitator is meant
one that believes in the supremacy
Of law, equal justice to rich and poor,
to the employer as we'll as to the en-
ploye, then we accept the title with
all that it implies. The labor agitators,
far as we know, (and our acquaint-
ance with them is by no means limited0
are lovers Of their country, of good
government of American institutions,
and bent on perpetuating those bless
ings of civil liberty and justice that
have made the American nation what
it is today, and which if adhered to
will continue to bless the people for
ages yet to be. Whatever else the labor
agitator have their political prefer
ences like other men. They may hon.
estly differ in their judgment Of the
most desirable political methods to at
tain wished for ends, but there exists
among them a community Of interest
nevertheless. They favor law and or
der and when avarice imposes upon
labor burdens too grievous to be borne,
the so-called agitators are the first
to counsel moderation, obedience to
law and the peaceable solution Of con-
flicting interests by arbitration. Every
fair minded man must admit that in
every instance of oppression in this
generation the oppressed were more
easily prevailed upon to submit the
matter to arbitration than was the
oppressor, and the much abused labor
agitator was on the scene as a peace
maker and not as a disturber. Labor
and capital are gradually getting near
er and nearer to each other. The
friendly attitude is the attitude of sue
cess for both. No man has any stand
ing in labor circles today who shows
a disposition to stir up antagonism be-
tween labor and capital. They are
and must of necessity be friends. The
labor agftatUr knows this and he puts
forth his best endeavors to keep them
friendly. Certainly this is nothing to
be ashamed Of. The man who would
throw a straw in the way of the
friendly feeling that should exist be-
tween labor and capital is a dangerous
man and an enemy to both. The occa-
sional instances Of the oppression of
labor by individuals of the money class
as we'll as the occasional instances of
injustifiable uprisings by individuals
Of the laboring class, point to the nee
essity Of a higher standard of enlight-
enment and justice for both, and the
labor agitator is putting forth his best
efforts in that behalf An individual
must be as blind as a bat who does
not see that there has been vast i'm
provement in industrial conditions in
recent years, and that the labor agita-
tor was an important factor in bring
ing these conditions about. Nor would
we overlook the friendly assistance
given to the cause by very many capi-
talists and employers of labor. In
telligent discussion, universal educa-
tion and the benign teachings of
Christianity are the lovers of civiliza-
tion, and their uplifting influences are
year by year manifesting themselves
more and more upon the lives and
conduct of both employer and employe.
TO the philosophic mind the occasional
descriptions between labor and capital
today are but the rafting Of interests
once diverse but now assimilating and