The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28

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! food, he has mona OF the comforts or
the refnements of home, he has lttle
| self-resrect, and he Is poor member
| OF society.
This country is spending enormous sums
OF money each year In popular education
| and the object Of this education is TO
Improve the boys and girls as they grow
| up. to give them taste for books and
| pictures, and for all that tends to improve
| tho mind and morals and character. AND
so 1t follows as logical necessity that
with this education comes demand for
a sufficient wage to maintain the pupil
when he has received his education In the
station for which his education fits him.
We cannot give OUR boys and girls these
refined tastes and yet expect them to
live in a howell on coarse 3oo6. Society Is
making new situation, society is. there
fore. responsible for the demands of the
working man for more pay, and In Amer
lea tho highest wages In the world are
paid.
We do not propose In this brief article
to go into any discussion in detail OF
the relation Of capital to labor. as the
expression goes, or to indicate what is
fair wage for n given days work In
given limo OF trade.
That is n question which must be at
last determined by the inexorable law OF
supply and demand. If any particular
occupation opens up opportunities to
great number Of persons, OF course, that
occupation will be sought by a multitude,
and the rule Of selection OF the f1ttest VIII
prevail, as we'll as the prevailing rate OF
wages. You cannot In such a case force
up artinclally the rate of wages. That
has been done In special and limited
trades, but skill and exclusion alone do
this when there is demand for labor
and skill
Every reasonable persons must be In
Sympathy with the workmen who
is trying to improve his condition
and irving to keep himself and his
family In comfort, So. IN that
sense, we are in sympathy with the
agitation that is going on among the
workmcn Of the country, in the organi-
cations which they have formed in their
own interest and to promote this de-
slrable end. 1t Is hopeful sign. Nothing
good is accomplished without agitation
and struggle
Thees agitations, when peaceful and rea-
sonable. mean life and health and pro
gress. 1t is stagnation that we are to
fear, for stagnatlon means death
But some of the methods that the labor
organizations are employing to further
their purposes, to help their cause. are
wrong and cannot help, but only hinder
the good work. They cannot afford to use
violent methods of any description. They
cannot afford to engage in riot. to destroy
human life and property, nor can they
afford to browbeat and intimidate by
the use of the boycott The most intelligent
labor leaders fully understand this. The
I Opinion, labor organ. now published
in the city of Richmond, recognizes the
fact and takes strong position against
violence and the boycott. In It's Issue of
yesterday 1t says
There Is a disposition to boycott some
of our business men for the position they
have taken This ls all wrong. Allow.
every man right to his opinion. Argu-
ment is what we want. Education Is what
we need, and what the public needs. The
fruits gathered from the tree of argument
and education will keep without being
sealed by hot air process"
That's the doctrine. 1t Is by education,
by argument. by appeal to reason, to
right, to justice that the cause Of labor
is to be promoted. The leaven is work
ing, as we have tried to show. and It will
continue to work In the interest Of labor
and Of the whole body polite. II the
workman will only be wise and prudent
in his conduct.
But II he shows disposition to brow
beat and intimidate and tyrannize. to
destroy life and property. to trample the
law under his feet. society Will soon
come to the conclusion that such a work
| ingman Is a menace, rather than help
to society and government, and that IN
| the interest of society and governments
he must be suppressed
Let us hear the conclusion Of the mat
ter. There Is a necessary conflict be-
tween capital on the one hand. which
naturally wishes to do the best 1t can
for Itself and labor on the other hand.
which naturally strives to do the best
that 1t can for itself. But 1t Is as plain
as the MONDAY sun that the workman
Is advancing, that his improved and i'm
! proving situation makes him demand all
that he can get for his work. and II he
will only continue ITO make real mental
and moral Improvement; II he will main
tain his improved situation and continue
to improve 1t, his wage will continue to
increase by the force OF circumstances.
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THE SOURCE OF GOVERNMENT
The news from Wilmington. Delaware.
is still full of interest. Arthur Corwell,
of Hartford City, Indiana. who was ar
rested on the charge OF completely In the