Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-04
THELABoR PROBLEM.
Unionism Contains Much That Irs G Cd
and Some Bnd.


How to secure fair treatment alike for
labor and for capital, how to hold in
check the INSCRIPTIONS man, whether
employer or empluye, without weakening
individual initiative, without hampering
and cramping the industrial development
OF the country, is a problem fraught with
great difficulties and one which it is OF
the highest Importance to solve on lines
of sanity and tar-sighted common sense
as we'll 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
1t is constant tendency of these cor
Dorations to grow larger, so it is often
necessary for laboring men to work in
declarations and these have become i'm
portant factors of modern industrial life.
Both kinds of federation, capitalistic and
labor, can do much good, and as nee
eH%ary corrollary they can both Go evil.
Opposition to each kind of organization
should take the form OF opposition to
whatever IS bad in the conduct of any
tacks upon corporations as such nor upon
unions as such; for some of the most
far-reaching beneficent work for our peo-
pie has been accomplished through both
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 III the long run
the interest of each must be brought
into harmony with the interest of the
general public and the conduct of each
of obedience to the law, of individual
freedom. and OF Justice. and fair. dealing
toward all. Each should remember that
In addition to power it must strive after
the realization of healthy lofty and gem
erous ideals. Every employer. every
wage worker. must be guaranteed his
with his property or his labor SO long
as he does not infrinoe uppn thesripFts
of others. 1t is of the highest impor-
tance that employer and employe alike
SlDlilI en1enVOr anDreci1fn zach ia
viewpoint of the other and the sure dis
aster that will come upon both in the
ual an attitude of sour hostility and dis
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
continually to bring about a good under
standing of this kind. based upon wisdom
and upon broad and kindly sympa thy be-
tween employers and employed. Above
ALL we need to remember that any kind
of class animositY in the political world
is, If possible: even more. wicked. even
than sectional, race or religious animos-
ity. We can get good government only
upon condition that we keep true to the
founded, and judge each man not as "a a
part of class. but upon his individua
merits. All that we have a right to ask
Of any man. rich or poor, whatever his
his residence, is that he shall act well
and honorablv by his neiehhor and BY
his country We are neither for the rich
man as such nor for the Door man as
such; we are for the upright man. rich
or poor. 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 eyar-
cised in conformity with the principles
above set forth.
Recommends Department of Com
merce.
1t is earnestly hoped that a secretary OF
commerce may be created, with a seat in
The cabinet. The rapid multiplication OF
questions affecting labor aEG capital, the
growth and completely OF the orgaEiza tons
through which both labor and capital now
find expression, the steady tendency to-
ware the employment of capital III huge
corporations, and the wosderful strides OF
this country toward leadership in the in
ternational business world justify an ur-
gert demand for the creation of such POI
sitior Substantially all the leading com,
| mercial bodies in this country have uniteC
in requesting its creation. 1t is desirable
that some such measure as that which has
| already passed the senate be enacted into
| law. The creation of such department.
| would in itself be an advance towarG deal.
| ing with and exercising supervision over
| the whole subject of the great corporations
| doing an interstate business; and with this
| END in view, the congress should endoW
! the department with large powers, which
| could be increased as experience might
| show the need,