The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-11

I myself am a union man, am in favor
Of unions. But while I favor unions,
do not favor all that trade unionism
does. There must be perfect right for
man to join union without intimida-
tion. He must be interfered with by
no one. The same applies to the free
laborer who wishes to sell his produce,
his handwork, to any manufacturer.
ETe must be free to do so unhindered.
unincumbered In every shape and form.
| And were / a manufacturer, if any at
tempt was made to interfere with that
freedom in my factory I would fight 1t
to the bitter end. would close my fac
tory rather than submit to it. Unless
we have freedom on both sides. both in
unonism and in free labor there can
be no progress. But while unionism is
u point that I am very much In SYM
pathy with there are many things in
connection with it that require the con-
sideration of the labor leaders. They
must be free to organize. because j
think the problem of organized labor Is
good for the world. / think the organ
ization Of capital equally good for the
masses. would rather have to plead
personally with organized capital on
one side and organized labor on the
other than a scattered mass of small
manufacturers seeking to cut one AN
others throat in an unhealthfu COM
petition. and labor unled, undisciplined
and underpaid, such as we have seen it
in England in the past and as we
should see 1t to-day were 1t not for the
power of the unions which. I think, as
a whole, have done great deal of
good
Trusts have been very much abused
in this country from the standpoint of
those who l do not think have suf-
flciently looked into the proposition.
Personally, do not view trusts with
any distrust I think it is making for
a better state of things, both for the
manufacturer and the workngman.
The small manufacturer cannot give
conditions to the workingman such as Il
large manufacturer with unlimited cap
ital and unlimited organization has at
his command, and / believe that the
workingmen of this country will study
their best interest if they help the So
called large corporations-which we call
corporations in England-which you
call trusts here. They are not in my
opinion, any menace to the country.
They may tend to raise prices a little.
If they Go, the Workman will claim
his share and will get it. We have seen
only within the last few days since /
the railroad companies have stepped
forward and offered higher wages un-
asked by their men. That is a prin
ciple that think will be followed and
if they do not offer the workingmen
will ask and will receive, higher wages
because it is their due, as the prosper
ity of the country increases These
trusts will largely work their own SAL
walton for good or bad. We have. for
instance, the oil trust. 1t is one of the
first trusts, and, l think, the most pow
erful, perhaps in this country. What
has been the effect of it? AS far as l
have been able to ascertain, we get bet
than we did before, and that trust has
accumulated q large capital, which cap
ital is again employed in variety of
industries throughout the country to
extend and improve this great empire
and has helped build up many of the
large industries of to-day, which en-
ploy a very large amount of labor. If
on the other hand, the trusts abuse
their position and give the public Il
worse article at a higher price, it will
work it's own cure. No corporation can
for any length of time Cell its article at
q fictitious price. 1t is bound to bring
in competition, and that competition
will break down of it's own weight the
corporation that seeks to enslave you
and make you pay an unfair price for
your goods
1t would be difficult to compact more
horse sense into fewer words.