The Minneapolis journal., 1902-09-26
lnLabor' field
SHARE IN THE STOCK
Plan for the Prevention of Labor
Disputes Supported by T. v.
Powderly.
What Anthracite Strikers Might
Have Done With Money
Spent in Strike.

T. v. Powderly, recently commissioner
of immigration and formerly president OF
the knights Of Labor, in recent address,
took up the differences between employers
and employees and made a suggestion as
to the best method Of settling disputes.
The following extract from his ADDRESS
gives his idea:
I have long entertained the opinion that work
ingmen should invest rs much of the proht OF
their labor in the stocks of the corporation
they work for as they afford. In doing this
they add to their income and secure STEADY
employment. The man who has no more interest,"
In the coal earth he lifts upon his shovel
than the shovel itself has, cannot expect to take
deep interest in the success or welfare or the
corporation employing him; but let him invest
his money. be it much or little. In the con-
Germ, let him become part of 1t and he then
realizes that portion of every shoVelfull OF
earth, coal other material produced by his
labor Is his. and it will then be to his interest
not only to produce the best results but 10 pre-
vent cessa ton Of operations through misunder-
standings. TO have voice in directing the ar
fairs of the corporation; to have representative
among the directors would insure confidence and
the organiza tions of labor and capital would
then find it to their interest to cooperate IN
finding and keeping market FOR their joint PROD
uct, for they would then be bound by ties OF
selfnterest. Say what we WILL selfshness lies
very near the base Of every human effort to pro-
duce results, and If workingman secures an In
terest in the concern he works for he Will put
forth extra effort to advance the interests or
his company and thereby add to his own In
come.
If it is questioned whether workingmen can af'
ford to invest their earnings in the corporation
they work with, point to the strike now going
on in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylyan1n
That strike began on the 18Th Of last Nay Ma. tha1 dnd
it has been carried at cost to the mlnc
workers in loss of wages of $25,OOO,OOO. This
vast sum of money has been contributed directly
by the WOrkingmen battling for a principle III
which they believe, and If they could not ar
ford to contribute that amount they could not
have remained on strike so long. Until very
recently they did not ask for or accept rel1ef;
they fell back upon their savings, maintaining
themselves and families during this period of
idleness. The impression prevails in some places
that our coal miners imDrovdent and thrift
less. but nothing be further from the truth.
They are economical, thrifty and temperate.
With the exception Of the alien element, that IN
tends to go back to Europe on the accumulation
of u small of money. they aim at owning
or already their homes. l spent the
best years of my life among them and know
that a more law-ablding, peaceable industrious
and economical body of men does not exist than
our English speaking and German miners. When,
therefore, these men comprising this one calling
afford expenditure Of $25,O0O,O00 which
in the channels of trade will never return tc
having confidence in the concerns they worn
for, they could afford to invest portion of thai
vast sum in the stocks and bonds Of the Goa
companies and thus become sharers as we'll as
producers of the profits.
1t is absolutely certain that the remedy fol
our Industrial ills does not lie in return
to the old snail-like methods Of production. The
partnership and the corporation did not come be
the individual desired it, but because he
could not help it, and he need never agail
hope to carry on separate business with his
capital and In his little shop. He
should direct his attention to something to con
sUtute its economic equivalent and the owner
ship of many shares of stock as he can for
in of the present-Clay corporations will ap
proach nearer to- that end than anything tha
now suggests itself to my mind. Capital ant
labor in the hands of the individual produce,
united under favorable conditions ant
laws they may again be united in the SAINT
hands To bring about such a condition the mel
who make and those who own should la.
aside ut least part Of their preiudices. Here
tofore each side has distrusted it's neighoor
They looked at each others virtues through
telescope, but in examining faults they use
microscope. Could they come together, as me
in the same business should, they would realz
that the labor question has two component parts
the capital advancing. directing part and th
performing, capital creating part.