Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-18
NEED NOT FEAR COMBINES
hopeful Address of Hon. Carroll D.
Wright Before National Associ-
alton of Manufacturers.
He F0RESEES The DAY OF NO STRIKES.
Says Remune ration of Labor IL Con-
stantly Increasing The Great
Question for Employers and En-
ployes-Text of Resolutions Adopt
ed by Conventions.

plOyek-Text of Resolutions Adopt
ed by Convention.
New Orleans, April 16.-Interest in
Wednesdays session of the National
Associa ton Of Manufacturers CEN
tered in the report Of the resolutions
committee, which was expected to re-
suit in definite understanding as to
the attitude the association will take
towards organized labor. The COM
mittee held three short sessions Tues
day night and began it's labors again
early Wednesday morning, but the
announcement was made that it would
be unable to complete it's report at the
agreed hour-11 a. m.
When the forenoon session was
called to order by President Parry,
Hon. Carroll D. Wright was introduced
and was given hearty reception.
President Roosevelt had been in
vited to attend the convention, and in
declining named Mr.. Wright to repre-
sent him.
Wright's Address.
Mr.. Wright said in part:
1.-THE combination has in it all the
elements of the corporation, for it is
simply an enlarged corporation, en-
bracng more elements, more factors,
and therefore it is more powerful for
good or evil than the corporation OF a
quarter of a century ago. But it rec
ognizes in it's development an effort
to democratize industry. Like a great
department store, it democratizes the
handling Of goods and enables the pur-
chaser to secure in one place all that
he may need in his shopping tour. The
great combina tiOn enables society to
secure it's commodities on a more
stable basis than under the previous
methods. Its evils are those of man
agement and not of constitution.
These evils may be handled by law 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 it's ma
chinery of production and distribution
the welfare of society. society itself
will take care of the matter. It is the
result of development of the idea Of
associated force, and therefore under
it industry has secured greater pow
er than it has ever received.
conversely, the single workingman,
working by the side of his employer,
was his employers personal associate,
but as the employer developed into
the firm. and the firm into the corpora
ton, and the corporation into the COM
bination. the single workingman has
developed along similar lines. He be-
came the employe Of the firm with a
larger number of fellow workmen.
Then he became the employe of the
corporation and the personal relation
that previously existed was weakened
OR severed. Now he is grouped as the
fellow employe of thousands and thou
sands under the great combination
where he is still farther removed in a
personal way from his employer.
docs this mean harm or does it
mean good? The answer to this ques-
ton depends entirely upon the atti-
tude of the two parties in the new
relation.
Economic Laws Regulate Wages.
"Capital may receive now and then
an eXorbitant increase in the way of
profits or of interest and wages may
be raised or depressed artificially, but
under all normal conditions the profits
to capital and the remuneration to
labor will be regulated by positive Geo.
nomic laws; but these laws are more
elastic than natural laws, and hence
disturbances, misunderstanding and
bitterness arise. On the whole, how
ever, the remuneration to capital is
constantly decreasing and that to Ia
Dor constantly increasing This is the
result, SO far as capital is concerned,
of the accumulation of wealth which
may be turned into active and produce
tive capacity and, so far as wages are
concerned, to the increased standard
of living resulting from education and
the culture which follows it.
1.-THE growth of the sentiment under
lying the principles of justice outlined
belongs more thoroughly to the pres
ent than to any preceding age, and will
overcome the labor difficulties, which
harass the public, ihjure the workman
and damage capital. With the ethical
spirit finding a lodgment, the antago-
nisms and the animcs sites will be soft
ened, if not removed
The Laborer's Advance.
1.-THE working man has risen from ig-
norance to intelligence, and as he has
reached intelligence he has become
more Or less greater complication in
industrial affairs. In his ignorance he
did not strike; in his intelligence he
does strike. The next step in the de-
velopment of his intelligence will be
that he will not strike; that he will
be able to- accommodate himself to
conditions, because he will know them
and understand\them better. He will
be able to recognize his rights in rela-
ton to the rights of others and to
know fully what is necessary for sue
cessful production, where now he IN