The Van Buren press., 1903-04-18
HON. CARROLL D. WRIGHT.
The Commissioner of Labor Talks to
the National Association of
Manufacturers.
WAS MOUTHplECe OF THE PRESIDENT.
The Antagonism Between Employer
of Combination In the Produc-
tive Industries and the Rise From
Ignorance TO Intelligence.

tive Industries and the Rise From
Ignorance 10 Intelligence.
New Orleans, April l6.-lnterest IN
Wednesdays session of the National
Association OF Manufacturers centered
in the report of the resolutions com
mittee, which was expected to result
in a definite understanding as to the
attitude the association will take to-
ward organized labor. The commit.
tee held three short sessions Tuesday
night and began its labors early
Wednesday morning, but the an
nouncement was made that it. would
be unable to complete its report At
the agreed hour, IL a. m. and the
chairman expressed the belief that
the report could not be made until
late in the afternoon.
When the forenoon session was
called to order, Hon. Carroll d
Wright WINS introduced and was given
hearty reception.
president Roosevelt had been in
ited to attend, and in declining,
named Mr.. Wright to represent him.
missioner virgins Address.
Mr.. Wright said in part;
The combination has in It all the ele-
ments Of the corporation, for II IL simply
an enlarged corporation, embracing more
elements, more factors, and therefore II
more powerful for good or evil than the
corporation OF quarter Of a century
ago.
but It recognizes in Its development an
effort to democratize industry Like a
great department store, II democratizeS
the handling of goods and enables the
purchaser to secure In one place all that
he may need In his shopping tour. All
this great combination enables society to
secure its commodities on more stable
basis than under previous methods. Its
evils are those OF management and not
of constitution, These evils may be han
died by lay and by society. We need not
fear them, for when the combination does
not seek the common good, and does not
accomplish by It's methods and Its ma
chinery OF production and distribution
the welfare OF society, society Itself will
take care OF the matter. 1t Is the re-
suit Of the development OF the idea OF
associated force, and therefore under II
Industry has secured greater power than
1t has ever received.
Conversely the single workingman
working by the side OF his employer, wai
his employers personal associate, but a,
the employer developed into the frm, and
the firm Into the corporation, and tht
corporation Into the combination, the sin
gle workingman has developed along sim
liar lines. lie became the employe OF the
firm with larger number OF fellow
workmen Then he became the empoyt
Of the corporation, and the personal re-
lation that previously existed was weak
ened or severed. Now he Is grouped as
the fellow empfoye OF thousands and
thousands under tho great combination
where he Is still farther removed In a
personal way from hts employer.
Does this mean harm, or does II mean
good? The angwsr to this question de-
pends entirely upon the attitude Of the
two parties In the new relation,
Capital may receive now and then an
exorbitant Increase In the way OF profits
or OF interest. and wages may be raised
or depressed artlncially but under all
normal conditions the profit to capital and
the remuneration to labor VIII be regu-
lated by positive economic laws; bu,
these laws are more elastic than natural
laws. and hence disturbances, misunder-
standing and bitterness arise. On the
whole, however, the remuneration to cap.
ltu Is constantly decreasing. and that Ia
labor constantly increasing. This In tho
result, so far ns capital W concerned, OF
the accumulation OF wealth which may
be turned into active and productive ca.
paci,y, and 80 far M wages are con.
cerncd, to the increased standard of Nv
ing, resulting from education and culture
which follows H.
The growth of the sentiment undcrly'
Ing the principles Of Justice outlined be
longs more thoroughly 70 the present
than to any preceding age, and viii over
come the labor difficulties which haras,
the public, injurc the worklngman ant
damage capital with the ethical spi'l
finding u Judgment the antngonlsm ant
anlmosities VIII be solftencd, II not re-
moved
"'rhe worklngman has risen from lgnor
ance to Intelligence, and as he ha,
reached intelligence he has become NOR,
or less n greater complication In Indus
trial Affairs In his ignorance he did no
strike, In his Intelligence he does strike
The next step IN the development of hh
Intelligence VIII be that he Will not strike
that he VIII be able to accommodate him
self to conditions. because he win know
thom and understand them better, II,
viii be able to recognize his rights IN re-
uton 20 the rights Of others and tt
know FUZZY what " necessary for success
ful production, where now he understand
only n part This means, Of course, The
organization, the continuance, the per
petuation of labor unions
Some Of the methods of the rlbor un
ions are 10 be condemned 80 are som,
Of the methods Of the capitalstlc organ
lzatiOn TO be condemned but because they
can not got on together does not NEAR
that either or both should be destroyed
They must got ON together That Is ,ht
necessity 81 the time, and Il l. 10 tAo Ia
tplllgCnco OF the leaders OF both INTEREST,"
that society NJ large looks for the dcycl
opmcnt OF Industry on basis Of socla
progross,
Tho great question for employers an,
employees ~, WIN thoy, IN the conduct
OF their mutual affairs, excite the mill
tant spirit or Invoke that peaceful con
alteration which Loads 10 the adoption NJ
the highest clements OF business inter
oats2'
A, noon the resolutions committee
announced that their report was
ready The labor question immcdi
ntcly came 20 the front In the shape
Of resolution cmbodying DECLARE
ton Of principles, declaring against
boycutts and lCckouts, recognizing
the right Of lnb0r 90 organize, bat
without Interference with the liber'
~ Of employers or employees" deny
ing the right ~ unions 90 llN wngc'
and plcdging 'hc association to 90
pose all legislation not In accord with
the foregoing principles, \ motion
to adopt ,hp resolutions brought d
protest from James T. Taller ~ Gin
cinnnti, who demanded that the rcso
luton be- printed and held over unit
Thursday Mr. Taller was supported
by Mayor Jones, Of Toledo, and q ri'
ing vote was demanded, The motion
10 defer action was Lost by heavy
vote and the resolutions were adopt
cd,
u..t.,.. <xi,n ...,, , Ma,