The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-04-11
LABOR COLUMN.
Devoted to the Interests of the Laborer
H BRAGG Editor.
H. G. BRAGG, Editor.

to be occupied by themselves as
the rulers of the future.
Now that COmmercialism had
gained it's object, and had assumed
control of the governing powers,
it was not slow in asserting it's
authority and in a very short time
the free laborer found out that he
no longer owned the finish pro-
ducts which he had formely man
ufactured, but that they now be-
longed to the owner of the tools
by which these goods were pro,
duced. The laborer, then, instead
of being a slave, owned 10y his
master, as was the case previous
| to Feudalism-instead of belong
inc to the soil and giving up to
the landlord all he produced ex-
cept barely sufficient to enable
him to exist--he was now forced
to sell his labor to the owner of
the tools, and could only receive
in return sum sufficient to buy
back again a part of the goods,
which he, by his own labor, had
created.
Let us now place before us in
few words, the conditions of the
laborer in these three systems and
see how they compare.
The Slave was owned by his
master and was clothed and fed
by him.
The Serf was Joined to the land
and gave to his master all he pro
duced except sufficient to cloth
and feed himself.
The Free labOrer works for a
master from whom he receives in
return, a sum of money, by which
he can buy from other masters
only sufficient to supply himself
with food and cloths.
Where is the difference between
these three systemsg They are the
same in results, although their
methods differ.
In every economic system that
the world has ever tried there
has al ways been a warning ele-
ment. In olden times it was man
against man, and nation against
nation, for the purpose of plumber
In the Feudal system it was the
barOns fighting among then selves,
in order that they might increase
their landed possessions. And in
commercialism, every individual
whether he be a manufacturer or
a labOrer, must compete with each
other. If it were manufacturer,
he was rival with all others in
his endeavor to place his goods
on the market. If 1t were the
laborer, he must compete with his
fellow workman in order to hold
his job. This rivalry became SO
strong that cOmmercialism came
to be called-The Competitive
System.
1t was very soon discovered by
the leaders of cOmmercialism, that
in order to continue it's existence,
many markets must be found to
dispose of the surplus goods that
were always accommodating in the
hands of the employing class.
This was bound to happen; fol
the goods could not be all sold to
the laborer who produced them
he having Only received portion
OF their actual worth. The EN-
ployer retaining the balance as a
profit for himself.
] These surplus goods increased
so fast that it was impossible fol
the employers of labor to consume
them, so they must either stoT
their manufactures or find other
markets to dispose of them.
| We read in history that a period
of hard times existed in almost
every country Of Europe, caused
by a depression of business. and
that it was greatly relieved by
the discovery of America. When
we look closely for a reason fol-
this depression it is not hard tt
find. The surplus production hai
been so great that the people
were not able to buy the goods
produced and the wealthy class
had all that they wanted, so wher
a new country was opened il