The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-17
MR.. PARRY ON
| LABOR PROBLEM
Continued from First Page.

Who owns this productive capital is really quite
immaterial. The material point is that 1t be In
creased, and no system could be devised that Will
more surely result in its being increased than
that of individual ownership. Another way to
increase the per capita production is thru educa-
ton and training of the Individual to the end
that he may become more efficient as wealth
producer. Hence the need for industrial schools
Wages cannot be raised. metaphortcally speak
ing, either at the point of a gun, by legislation
by the decisions Of, arbitration courts or by the
mandates Of labor unions. The cause of labor
is not to be advanced by physical strife, by the
monopolization of employment by unions, by re-
stricting the number Of apprentices, by striving
to bring about socialism, anarchy and the confs-
cation of wealth, by seeking arbitrarily to limit
the hours of labor and to fix wages despite the
operation Of laws that are beyond the power of
the part of organized labor which tend to reduce
the per capita production, to put life and proper
ty in jeopardy and to destroy individual enter
prise and American freedom.
1t is to the self interest Of every right mean
ing American citizen to fight for those vital
principles Of his government that have made
this the most prosperous and progressive nation
in the worlds history.
The Closed Shop.
Speaking of the closed shop Mr..
Parry said:
The closed shop is against public policy and
is of doubtful legality. The liberty of the indi-
vidual would be impossible If he is debarred
from the right to contract for his services be-
cause he does not belong to union. believe
that this truth will become generally recog-
nized and that the day must come when no indus
try will be allowed to the closed shop
plan. Any set of men have right to contract
in a collective capacity for the sale of their
labor, but they cannot be upheld in making
contracts which exclude other labor from the
right to contract
Fighting Eight Hour Law.
Mr. Parry went into some detail as
to the work accomplished by the as
ISOLATION during the year, and made
a special point of the fact that, largely
due to the work of the association
| neither the eight-hour nor the anti
injunction bills were reported out by
any of. the congressional committees
Mr.. Parry declared both Of these
measures to be socialistic.
Gain in Membership.
Mr.. Parry touched lightly upon the
subject of reciprocity and spoke ia.
vorably Of the good roads movement
| the Improvement Of rivers and har.
bors and the development Of the irri.
| cation system. He announced tina
sand members In the last year, bring.
ing the total membership UP to 5000
Features of the Meeting.
One of the most important feature.
Of this meeting will be the adoption
Of a new constitution for the organiza
ton. The executive committee of the
association has been at work since
the last meeting preparing the new
constitution, and 1t will likely b,
adopted with but few changes
There will probably be no change!
| made in the officers of the associa
| ton for the coming year, and D. M
Parry Of indianapolis as president
| Marshall Cushing of New York a
secretary and H. r. Stillman of New
! York as treasurer, will be elected a
/ the closing session Of the convention
/ Thursday. New vice presidents ma,
i be selected and the executive commit
tee changed slightly.
The treasurer's report shows a bal
ance Of about $4,000.