The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-25
Settling the Labor Question.

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
The Journal was kind enough, a few
weeks ago. to permit me TO commend SEN
ator Hanna for his heroic and unseIhsh
attempts to solve the problem which is
involved in the so-called conflict between
capital and labor, although there is no
such conflict, nor ever can be- and to
suggest that no solution of existing in
dustrial complications is possible upon the
assumption which underlies all his sug-
gestion. At the very bottom Of this scheme
is the absurd and inhuman assumption
that the Almighty or some other con-
trolling power has given to a few of us
the right to seize upon all profitable in
dustries, limit the number that may en-
gage in them. and then beat off, by sheer
brute force, the hungry millions who would
like to share profits with us. That is the
exact situation, and that only, hence the
contention is not between capital and la
Dor, even remotely, but between organized
labor and the whole human family besides;
and this truth must be recognized in any
scheme that contemplates a permanent set
Element of the labor question:; and the
scheme must recognize that every human
being has as much right to work in the
profitable industries as any other human
being has. For time this right may be
denied to some, but inherent God-gfven
manhood will ultimately assert itself and
the wrong will be righted at a great cost
II milder means prove inefficient. 1t was
not the negro whose emancipation was
sought in the civil war-that was a mere
lncident-it was the white slaves of the
North who, by political boycott for a CEN
fury, had become the mere serfs of the
ruling South 1t was an expensive process.
but 1t had TO come, cost what it might
Ii is as unthinkable now that the millions
of human beings who are under the heel
of organized labor shall forever remain
crushed and despised as it was fifty years
ago that the manhood of the free States
would never be the victim of STAKEHOLDER
arrogance.
For ways that are dark and tricks that
are not vain this organized labor is pe-
culiar, and continued success has made il
arrogant. Take one instance as illustrative
or many. A few months ago the owner of a
valuable business block wanted some slight
modihcation of the heating plant of the
building. Coming more directly under the
head of plumbing. he applied to a plumber
FOR bid on 1t The plumber figured upon
the cost and fixed II al SIS. The janitOr of
the building. hearing Of the figures. said
to the proprietor that he could do ii as well
as any plumber, and he would be glad to
put IN few spare hours for a little extra
compensation, and the job was given to
him. When finished il was as good as any
man could have made il, and it cost less
made hanDX
by the satisfactory perquisite In a lew
days the proprietor was notified that he
and all his business and all his tenants
were under the boycott Of the whole union
force of the city.
Who imagined. few short months ago.
when the Car, encouraged by the success
OF private boycotts, terrified the city au-
thOrltleS into submission by reading the
riot act to them. and demanding that no
more repairs or betterments on the city's
engine houses and their belongings could
h. III fl..fr
hours-that belonged exclusively to union
labOr-that in so short a time the ukase
would be extended to include every man
and woman, rich and poor, white and black
in the city? But now comes the official
proclamation that any man or woman who
employs nOnunion man TO paint fence
or shingle a woodshed. or patch pave
ment, or mend a window, shall suffer the
penalty of an eternal boycott, no matter
whether the offender be a washerwoman or
a day laborer; doctor or a lawyer or a
preacher. What right has a nOnuniOn man
TO live. anyhow? No wonder that 81 per
cent of the young men in the JeffersonviIle
RefOrmatory are from the ranks of nom
union meni They are not allowed to work
and they have no alternative but to steal or
Starve. Twenty-Five and three-Quarters
times rs many of those once hopeful young
men are from the ranks of nonunion men
as are from the carpenters, blacksmiths
and brickmssOns all put together; and %
per cent. of the youths i'm the Reform
School at PlainfieId are from towns and
from entering profitable trades But all
this counts nothing with the walking dele
gate and the cOwardly politician and
preacher who qualis before their lord and
master.
Until those interested in adjusting labor
10 capital-no. in adjusting labor TO the
wants and rights of the huneTy poor
come 10 recognize the great American
we'll as the central Bible truth that every
man has an equal right work. and
work In any industry his tastes or circum-
stances may dictate there will be no abid-
ing settlement of this labor question. Sen
dtOr HannaS zeal and ability and unset
hshness. II in accord with this eternal
truth. would go great way toward its
solution.
What, then, is the immediate duty of the
hour? | would say that. first of all it is
10 convince the hungry millions who are
driven from all profitable industries-prac-
that organized labor is their relentless foe:
whereas most OF them are in sympathy
with every strike and every other measure
OF unionism that binds upon them still
heavier burdens. IL took the firing uDOn
Fort sumner 10 convince the Northern
white slaves that they We're in bondage.
Perhaps this latest ukase Of the organiZa-
ton. denying nOnuniOn men the humble
occupation OF repairers of old houses may
prove 10 be the Fort Sumter of this con-
troVersy. Able-bOdied men will not ALWAYS
submit 10 indignities like this How TO
avert the worst is the burning question
or the hour- 1t may cost money. but il
may cost more blood than has vet been
shed In trying TO keep nonunion men from
working; but the adjustment will be made