New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-12
CORPORATIONS AND LABOR
rPTSTS AND LABOR UNIONS SHOULD
BOTH BE AAIENABLE TO Law
WHY THE LATTER SHOULD
BE INCORPORATED.
he Editor OF The Tribune

Sir. Steam and electricity within the last halr
century have changed the system Of the worlds
commercial and industrial methods and have
circulated progressive improvement in nearly
al the avenues Of human activity, invading the
domain Of science art and literature. These
e-ororoic forces have recreated and reorgan-
,yas the great corporations popuIarly uisnalned
+--,s4s. which are absolutely Indispensable to
,s-+orro the work Of our time. No individual
has oapitaI sufficient 10 build a railroad across
he Continent or e construct feet Of steam
ebfns Of the present ocean going capacity: con-
seouently The corporati tons, opposition notwith-
standing. with their mingled benefits and hard
ships, are here TO stay
The same progressive instinct has with equal
reason called into being the labor unions and
i must he admitted that with varied success
and failure. they have sensibly an1eliorated The
conditions Of the wage earners and have vim
6icgted their right to continued existence.
The labor unions as well as the corporations
have become q mighty force TO be reckoned
with by the philosopher and statesman. In
deed. their proper combined regulation chal-
ienges the thoughtful consideration Of all good
citizens.
The President Of the United States has in q
series Of able speeches considered the relations
and obligations OF corporations 10 the public
welfare. Il is matter Of regret that he has
uCL given SIlellDO 10 anu HlaOb SAe1tSb-NA-S
regarding the possible regulation OF the labor
unions in the same wise and generous spirit
that has characterized his remarks regarding
corporations. Especially as 10 the lynch law
applied TO the so-caued "scabs" and the tyran-
meal persecution Of the non-union men and their
families on the part Of the unionists, as il
Illustrated il the present anthracite coal strike.
The inherent weakness Of labor unions IS the
want Of compact organization.
By reason Of the absence Of a legal organiza-
ton under some general OF special law. the labor
unions are justly chargeable with being without
moral ana pecuniary responsibility fer the spe-
ci7c performance Of contracts. Corporations
can be sued and damages collected for violation
q contracts; agreements made with labor
unions are practically non-enforceab bic.
The labor unions are governed by town meet
tngs" in which the majority, often under excite
nent, instigate proceedings without regard TO
The wishes Of q more conservative minority;
they lack the influence in deciding important
questions which comes from the calm delibera-
tons OF board Of officers and directors legally
constituted, with responsibility for their acts
4 corporate organization tends 10 make its
president ard officers more directly answerable
10 its shareholders than in the case Of the leader
Of voluntary association.
Friends Of the labor unions have often urged
upon them the desira bilty and ADVANTAGE Of in
corporation Mr.. Gompers. one Of the most in
teligent Of The union leaders, replies to such
suggestions that he was opposed to it because
Il might deprive them Of the right TO strike" Il
might deprive 4 leader Of the right 70 order a
strike without more ceremony than the calling
Of town meeting, and would probably deprive
professional agitators and walking delegates Of
their undue influence with the wage earners.
The statistics Of the State OF Pennsylvania
show the number Of employees Of all grades and
ages employed in and about the anthracite
mines to be between $4,000 and $4,000.
The total amount paid by the Delaware, |
Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company 10 |
their mine employees during the year 1901 was
S5.741,000
That company produced about II per cent Of |
The total tonnage mined. Assuming that the |
cost to the other producers Of labor a ton Of
coal was substantially the same as that OF the |
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, it would |
make the total wages paid mine employees Of all |
the anthracite companies between So 100000 |
and S55 100000 Per annurn
suppose, for example that the IA 600 mine /
workers mentioned above who are, at this writ /
Ing. idle or account Of the strike should form |
corporation under general or special law
adapted 10 their needs. and should each sub |
scribe 50 Z share. making an aggregate capital |
q s12u0UG. and as directors. when elected |
might order the capital to be securely invested |
Il bonds paying 80 or per cent until such !
tine as il might be desirable to make other in
Vestnent. they might find II wise TO buy or lease
coal lands and work them themselves.
There would be little danger Of q strike under |
such organization. and there would be an op- /
poFtunity - show operators how to remedy al /
leged existing abuses.
The following extracts from President Roose- /
Vets speeches regarding the regulation Of cor /
porafious give fair idea 10 what extent he !
would Try 10 remedy corporate abuses:
II BY trust we mean merely q big corporation. /
men ask you TO ponder on the utter folly Of /
lhe man who either in d spirit Of rancor or in |
Sbt-l O ic4Iys says, Destroy the trusts,
N-C3out giving you an idea OF what he means /
VIII go with him. if he says destroy the evil .
n the trusts. gladly. I Will try to find out that
nave already outlined in other speeches But
4 ms policy. from whatever motive, whether
AeiIro- fear, panic just sheer ignorance, Is /
- -, destroy the trusts N a way that VIII Destroy
z! our prosperiIy-no
80 that the man who advocates destroying
tils trusts by treasures which would paralyZe
me industries Of the country is at best. quack'
a9Q al worst, an enemy OF the Republic.
Il remains true. however, that certain cor
poTations are handling themselves so as TO be
menace 10 the publ4c--sornetimes 10 one part
o. the public sometimes 70 another 1t is The
nerest uuisrn 70 say that the corpora ton IS the
creature Of the State. The trouble is that under
cur system il is a little difficult 70 say exactly
whose creature the corporation is. we nave
corporation created in one State and II doeSh
90 any business in that State-it does business
IN TWO three others
think we can get laws which will measurably
Increase the power Of the federal government
oTer corporations but. gentlemen, oelleVe
hrH7ly that in the end there viii have 10 De an
amendment 10 the constitution OF the naton
comforting additional power upon the tederal
government TO deal with corporations 10 get
that viii be matter of difficulty and 4 matter
CT time
81 ne f.