Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-04-20
The Discussions at New Orleans.

1t is always pleasing to hear the note
of common sense ringing out clear and
strong when there is a babel of nom
sense. Such note was the speech Of
the Hon. Carroll D. Wright, commits
sioner of labor. before the National
Association of Manufacturers at New
Orleans few days ago.
= AS our readers know, the New Or
leans meeting was noted for the hys-
terical speeches of some of the dele
gates on the manipulated labor ques-
ton. According to the more radical
speakers, the business of the country
is on the brink of destruction, because
the business men, the employers o.
labor in all its branches. are becoming
more and more helpless in the tyranni-
cal grasp of the labor unions. 1t was
alleged that the members of the
unions have surrendered all their indie
pendence and individuality and all
possibility of personal judgment or in
itiative in joining the organizat ions,
and have become mere tools in the
hands of ignorant Or corrupt, but al
ways dangerous. leaders. The business
men of the United States were implored
to organize against the tyrannical
unions, or prepare to see all business
throttled-to see, in short a repetition
of the hard times, idleness and dis
tress which prevail in the manufacture
ing centers of England because of the
restrictions imposed by the trade
unions.
While touching upon the manifest
and deplorable features which have
been developed in the industrial situa-
ton in the United States during the
last few years, and while not exagger-
judgment which has been shown by
the labor unions in some of their diff
ferences with their employers, the
more radical speakers were able to take
but one point of view. They lost sight
of the fact that greed and selfishness
are seen in the combinations of capital
as we'll as in the combinations of labor,
and that it is equally necessary that
of organized society. Above all, i'll
taking such a gloomy view of the fu-
ture the speakers neglected the grea,
saving feature of the questionable
fairness, honesty and sound sense OF
the American masses. The conserva-
tive expressions of Mr.. Wright more
nearly reflected the common sense
views of the country. Speaking of
modern combinations of capital AMI
labor, Mr.. Wright said:
1.-The combination has in it all the
elements of the corporation, for it Is
simply an enlarged corporation, en-
bracing more elements, more factions
and, therefore, it is more powerful for
good or evil than the corporation of q
quarter of a century ago. 1t recog-
nizes in it's development an effort to
democratize industry. Like a great de-
partment 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.
1.-The great combination enables So
ciety to secure it's commodities on i,
more stable basis than under the pre-
viOus methods. Its evils are those OF
management 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 its methods and its machinery of
production and distribution the welfare
of society, society itself will take care
of the matter. 1t is the result of devel-
opment of the idea of associated force
and, therefore, under it industry has
secy,red greater power 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 corporation
and the corporation into the combina-
ton the single workingman has devel-
oped along similar lines. He became
the employee of the firm with larger
number of fellow workmen. Then he
became the employee of the corporation
and the personal rela ton that previous
ly existed was weakened or severed.
Now he is grouped as the fellow en-
ployee of thousands and thousands I'M
der the great combination where he is
still farther removed in 4 personal way
from his employer.
Does this mean harm or does IL
mean good? The answer to this ques-
ton depends 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 pro-
fits or of interest and wages may be
raised or depressed artificially. but un-
der all normal conditions the profits to
capital and the remuneration to labor
will be regulated by positive economic
laws; but these laws are more elastic