Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-30
A CRITICISM.

employers and employees.
The workmen have organized trade
unions, claiming to justify their action by
the plea that they do not receive just re-
ward for the labor they do.
On the other hand the tendency is for
capital to aggregate and industrial opera
tions to enlarge under the direction of
number of capitalists.
The coal strike has been a subject that
has been discussed from a variety of
sources. Affecting as it has the whole Of
the people, its discussion may be taken as
a fair index of current sentiment concern
ing the relations of the disputants.
The press, the most notable men in the
church, statesmen, politicians, moralists,
representatives of the wage earners, rich
and poor alike, have had their say, all
claiming to be anxious to find means Of
adjusting the matters in dispute in a way
that will be just to both interests.
Mr.. Mitchell, speaking for the miners,
says that the strike was entered upon to
secure to the miners wages that will enable
them to live in accordance with the Ameri-
can standard of living.
Mr.. Baer, speaking for the operators and
capitalists, said that it was impossible for
them to concede to the miners demands
without loss to capital and extortinn
upon the consuming public
The matter has now been referred 10 a
commission of eminent men for adjus nicnt
and as each side have agreed to abide by
II, fI,oA +l;e NAV rand.
its decision will doubtless affect settle
ment Of the present strife, but what assnr-
ance have we that this award will be just
to either side.
From my standpoint, Cancellation and
arbitration, as now practiced, are simply
means by which disputants may be induced
not to destroy each other; both imply the
need for a definite standard, as basis by
which to determine with certainty what is
just.
When we have determined the share
that should justly go to the various ele-
ments that enter into and go to make our
industrial life then the public has the right
to enforce its mandate, and want to say
that these conflicts will never, nor should
they, cease until this is done.
Now, what is the current thought con-
corning the rights of labor and capital i?
What does society concede to the wage
worker as right beyond mere subsist-
ence?
What has Government done to ascertain
whether they even obtain sufficiency for a
healthy subsistence or not?
What is the first thing we hear when men
go on strike? Why, it is how much wages
do they get? And if it is found to be
higher than the average of wages in other
employments, society will say that they
should be content, for they can live well
off the wages paid them.
1t never occurs to anyone to ask whether
it is Just or not. nor do we inquire how
much the capitalist have made off of the
product of labor, or whether he could
not pay more wages.
A Pullman or Carnegie may amass mil
lions of dollars off the products of under
paid workmen, and Morgan may realize
one Thousand per cent. per annum in bank
stock, extorted from the productive force of
the country, but this we say is a private
affair that the public has no business to
concern itself about. Now, it seems to me,
chat it is just as pertinent to ask how much
profits capitalists make as it is to inquire
whether wages are sufficient for man and
his family to subsist on.
Excessive gains of capital are no more
justifable than is underpaid labor. Low
wages affect the individual workmen while
excessive gains of capitalists is spoilation Of
the community.
As an instance CT this it is said that by
the sale of the Union Steel Plants to the
United States Steel Corporation, property
that cost its holders $l2, 900, 900 was raised
to $28, 600 600. A net Increase of SIG, 000,-
600. By this transaction the purchasing
company, in order to meet the annual
interest at 6 per cent. on the excessive capt.
talization, will absorb the labor of ], 1920
workmen, earning $500 per year each, and
this they do without adding one dollars
worth to the actual wealth of the state.
Another instance, Mr.. G.. B. Brown,
Superintendent of the State Bureau of
Railways in Pennsylvania, says there are
2, IT'S miles of street and suburban electric
car lines in the State capitalized at $780,
1874, 476, or $l28, 1926 per mile. which is
doubtless more than six times the amount
that they could be duplicated for The
estimated cost per mile for such enterprises
according to competent authorities is 500,
600 per mile.
These figures, therefore, show an over
capitalization of 1926, 694, 476, sum equal
to the earnings of 473, 339 workmen, each
earning $500 per year, and the present
holders will now expect to absorb the
labor of %, 403 workmen, each earning
$500 per year to meet the lawful interest
ilOne.
Now, if one of these workmen should
stop a citizen on the highway and compel
him to deliver his purse of SIS he would be
sent to State Prison for term of years, but
these capitalists are allowed to block the
highways and extort millions of dollars
from the public without protest.
Now, this is a fair illustration of current
thought regarding justice. Morally one is
20 more justifcable than the other. The
difference is simply the fact that the indi-
vidual highwayman commits breech OF
the law while the capitalist is acting in
accord with law.
1t is well known that the coal lands and
the transportation companies are capitalized
at three to four times the amount paid for
them. But the commission now setting to
adjust the coal strike say that they are moi
authorized to inquire into the profits that
go to capital.
The Civic Federation, another body pos
ing to deal with the question, composed as
it is of representative men in the church,
prominent capitalists, and high officials in
labor organizations, met to formulate what
they shall do, and the first thing they de
cided upon was, not to inquire into any
abstract question, now, as justice is an
abstract question, they do not propose tc
even ask themselves what justice is
Here is a specimen of the wisdom given
out by high officials and men whom we
elect to represent us those who pose as
leaders and statesmen.
GOV. ODELL'S INAUGURATION.
NEW YoRK's CHIEF EXECUTIVE sPE KS
FOR JUSTICE TO CAPITAL AND LABOR.
Albany, n Y, Jan. /, 1903.
Governor B. B. Odell, Jr., was to-day
inaugurated for his second term as the
Chief Executive of this State. The occa-
sion was an unusually brilliant one, mark
ed by the presence of many distinguished
visitors and the participation of a large rep
resentation of the National guard. Crowds
of people from all parts Of the State
attended.
''In his address Governor Odell said that
capital and labor should be in thorough
accord, and that there should be no legis-
iation which seeks to advance the interests
of one at the expense of the other, because
such discrimination would inevitably lead
to results and conditions which would be a
menace to the welfare of the State. J"