The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-09-19

ing the cost of living, and at the same
Tune Keeping wages stationery, if not
reducing them, compelled the working
man to seek protection in organization.
Ihey have awakened him from his
pleasant slumbers of security, they
have thaught him that unity of effort is
vitality essential to his well-being, aye,
that it is essential to his very existance
as free man.
With a zeal which might prove bene-
tlclal to humanity were it exerted in
better cause, trust advocates try to
show the workingman what superla-
lively beautiful things they are, and
how they are calculated to promote his
interests.
They are wasting breath. A few
visits to the butchers or grocers' shops
Will do more to convince the working
man of the real meaning of the working
to him, than all the graceful rhetoric
or subtle logic their ablest opponents
can advance. The trusts motto is
economy in production, and even
though it results in diminution of
prosperity for the workingman.
They are not very sensitive on that
point; it seemingly is no concern of
their. But let them ponder and weigh
current events. The result of the an
thracite coal strike should have taught
them lesson it would be we'll for them
not to forget-that, in the final test,
the supreme power inheres not in the
classes, but in the masses.
Is not there something as silly as
we'll as impotent in the efforts which
many employers, such as those repre-
sented by D. M. Parry, make to disrupt
labor organizations? They will not or
cannot see that they are chiefly re-
sponsible for the formation of organ
lied labor bodies, because they have
brought about conditions which COM
pei men to organize. They cannot
deny the fundamental right of labor
to organize, yet on every possible occa-
sion they seek to destroy labor organ
lzatlons. They would render inoperate
the law of cause and effect. Let them
pause. If labor organizations are not
suited to their taste let them remove
the causes that lead to organization.
The supreme aim Of organized soci-
ETY. is to make reason and Justice gov
ern hauman affairs. 1t is true that
society, to some extent, is still dis
trustful of the labor movement, owing
to it's newness; but it's welfare will best
be served by winning public favor. and
the labor unions to gain that favor
must merit it. This view. I am sure.
IS supported by every true man in the
LABOR movement, but it is incumbent
upon them to not only disavow any
sympathy with lawlessness, but to con-
vince the entire membership that it is
really not approved by organized labor.
|z s@: It Hlszn not my purpose to make*at law
yer's plea for the union, to emphasize
it's good points and hide it's weaknesses,
The labor movement possesses such
elements Of strength that its deficien-
cies can be candidly admitted in order
that they may be the sooner corrected.
AS organized labor gains in power
and strength, and gains in experience it
tends to conservatism. Its occxst nal
rashness is but the evidence of Crude
ness; and the hard and stern cong itions
confronting it can be relied UPON to
keep 1t within bounds. The problems
which trade unions raise are but the
problems of democracy. Where people
try to assert and govern themselves
there is trouble at first. The simplest
condition is despotism, political or in
dustrial. It just consists in allowing
someone else to decide for you what is
best for yourself. Democracy is the
stormy sea over which the bark of
humanity must sail. Better progress
under difficulties then the dead calm
| of subsection.
The Get Together Policy.
The stronger we grow, the more the
sentiment among even large employers
| seems to grow in favor of arbitration.
American sentiment is not in favor of
compulsory arbitration, but we have
| always stood as a body in favor of
voluntary arbitration. It has been our
policy from the very conception Of our
movement. l have always entertained
the belief that much of the friction be-
tween employer and employee was due
to the fact that they did not understand
each others disposition. They have
drawn farther apart as questions in
volving their relationship to each other
have arisen instead of seeking mutu-
| ally fair and acceptable solution
through full, frank and candid dis
cussion of the subjects.
IL - pIOpcI lI1dL Tie american work
men should have a voice in fixing the
terms of his employment and compen-
sation. It is his right; and it is per-
fectly 'enatural that he should be dis
posed to exercise that right and be I'M
willing to surrender it.
The growth of our corporations make
it impossible for each employs of a
large corporation to be heard, as an
Individual, in discussing questions af-
fecting his employment. It is neces-
.sary, therefore, that the employees be
represented by their associates chosen
for that purpose. Some employers have
yielded this point with very poor grace:
some have sttibbornly refused to yield
it at ALL but the number who recognize
the right of the employe to be repre-
sentated, just as the stockholder is
represented by the directors, and the
directors by the manager, is steadily
and rapidly growing larger
Experience teaches us that where the
representatives of the owners Of the
property and the representatives Of the
employees have joined in an effort to