The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-12-17

VI penal and charity institutions but
unWise legislation can prevent the in.
Vestment OF capital and may de.
troy 1t. Unreasonable demands by
labor upon capital, if persisted in. can
do the same thing.
voluntary arbitration Of disagree.
ments between employer and employe
well enough in itself-only settles.
however the existing dispute, which
may occur again in the same or a
diherent form as often as the old dis.
agreement may have been settled.
Compulsory arbitration between
employer and employee would be a
usurpation OF the inherent rights of
both by the law-making power And
could 1t lawfully be done, the tend.
ency would be on one side to prevent
the Investment Of capital, and on the
other to a final establishment by law
OF system Of peonage for all labor.
Law can no more compel capital to
pay to labor a specified rate Of wages
than 1t can compel labor to work
at a fixed rate of wages.
But if the proportion that ought to
be paid to labor out Of the net profits
in a business could be ascertained
with mathematical exactness Il would
not be a determination of the real
relation of Americon labor to capital.
The great question in this country
in addition to that Of profit sharing.
Is to determine how high the wages
of labor can go without destroying
labor itself :
The higher the wages Of labor. and
retain the market for It's products, the
better It is for everybody. To that
point in all cases the employer can go.
But beyond that point It is an i'm
possibility, For labor can not be paid
in the production of an article more
than the article itself will sell for
in the market The market price for
an article and the wages Of labor
in its production are not fixed by this
country alone.
In free government there Is no right
in any citizen to combine for the in
jury of the general welfare, whether
capitalist or day laborer. In this re-
spect law applies alike to both. The
primary object ip establishment and
maintenance Of free government is the
general welfare, and in It's administra-
tion that Is paramount TO all else.
While all have the right TO work or
not no one has the right to prevent,
or attempt to prevent by word, act, or
deed, the prosecution by others of
any lawful pursuit or the development
Of any industry useful and beneficial
to mankind Nor has anyone a right,
by word or deed TO aid or abet in any
way persons engaged in obstructing
or in hindering the prosecution or de
velopment of enterprises and indus.
tries calculated to promote the gen.
eral welfare.
Boycotting, as II is called, I'm any
business rests on the assumption that
nobody has any rights except the boy.
cotter and that he is privileged to fix
the terms on which labor may earn
It's daily bread by It's daily toll, and
the conditions on which all business
in a community must be conducted.
The fundamental principle upon which
free governments rest, and without
which they cannot exist is the protec.
ion OF the inalienable right Of every
person OF life, liberty, and the pursuit
II happiness. applause
The lnalienable right Of life and lib
srty is OF little consequence without
he inalienable right of the pursuit Of
happiness. The pursuit Of happiness
Includes the right in the individual 10
pursue any legal employment in a law
al way without hlndrance, molesta- !
ion or intimidation In any form. Laws |
n Just governments are made for the |
OF these fundamental
lights and whoever violates them or
attempts TO is subyerting the spirit
md genius Of free institutions Who.
,ver prevents or attempts 10 prevent |
he development Of an industry bene-
icial 10 mankind. or prevents or at |.
empts 10 prevent the prosecution OF
uch industry by others becmes a
against the general wei,
are just the same as a combination |
4 capitalists might become injurious
o the general welfare Of their combi.
ations.
A disagreement between the en-
loyer and the employe as TO the wages |
4 labor is no more a war between cap |
tai and labor than is a disagreement |
etween the merchant aud his Gus
omer as 70 the price OF articles I
hered for sale a war between the |
roducer and the consumer.