The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1904-08-17

ON lne industrial Conflict" The text
was from Ecclesiastes ii:22: what hath
man for all his labor?" Mr.. Long said
The writer of this text was asking as to
a the rewards of life. Lot us accommodate
~ to the conflict now waging between cap
i iiial and labor. u is, the old question of
teachings of Holy Writ on .he question?
Here, as elsewhere, we believe that the
Gospel applies, for as Ruskin suggests, the
Gospel bears upon life at every point and
IS elther good Tor everything or good for
nothing.
Civilization is based upon lobor-human,
animal, mechanical What we call capital
IS at bottom only accumulated labor The
d9y laborer lays brick in wall; that rs
lapor, ne caves up q part of his wage,
Dor, by which most of the worlds work is
now done, as human labor invested in ma
chblnery, and working through the same
VI course, money or capital is secured
not only through saving and invention
but in many other ways: vet human effort
Is back of 1T all, and it becomes n sort of
call loan upon the bank of labor Was il
not Emerson who said, "He that hath n
dollar" ''
Vast fortunes have been piled up by
those who have invented machines by
winch mechanism may take the place of
hnm9n hands. Thus the inventor is en-
abied to draw tho wages Of thousands. We
all know how lar~.ly the machine has SUI
prrsedcd the naked hand in the manufoc.
ture OF thousand ard one articles Of
daily USE Take, Tor example, pins and
needles and nails
To be sure. many great fortunes bova
becn made by othe.' means than by ma
chlnery, but IN the main the wealth of
modern times is founded upon mechanical
labor.
Before asking what the letter or spirit of
the Bible teaches on the labor question, LET
n
labor and capital are il conflict There
arc strikes, and rumors of strikes Each
strike is a battle i'll the war.
II may DC well to observe that organized
iapor mas as yet only fraction of the total
labor army, but 1T IS ; fraction that is Ia.
creasing. " "
Why this warfare? Because labor on the
one hand IS dissatisfied with its share of
the rewards of industry, and because nm
the et"r, capital constantly seeks to re-
duce the cost of production by opDos;nr
the demands of labor.
Other factors, however, enter into the
SITUATION One arises from the develop
ment OF the modern corporation, Wheth
er corporations have sous or not. they lacI;
IN large measure the element of personality
ana the personal touch. Men who work
ffor corporation are working in the main
Tor an unknown entity Now. we venom
Der that among the old-timc Romans the
word tor stranger was also the word for
enemy. ava
Further, there has been much dishonesty
~ corporate dealings. Fake such things as
the corrupt purchase OF pubic franchises
below value, the Increase in cost o. ccrtai,,
necessites OF Ire by reason OF unjust com.
oinations to keep up prices. These and
o!ncF, shmlIar cIlmC6 against the commu-
nlty nave done much TO inhamc not only
tai. "e''''S' '"p'
Also, the rising standard of ife by which
tthe hvin2 wage gets further and further
from the meaGrc plttaucc that would sui.
uce 20 supporV the frugal Chmaman, leads
an6 more generous wage
gun 0ther grounds of hostility might be
referred to, such as the natural. ihouph
sinful envy of the rich by the poor; the
os'ehtau9ns luxury or the rich, the growth
OF class distractions between the poor and
the riGh - the inequality pf pccuniary
rewards. lhe Een who discovered the
prlcc!ess boon oI encSthesia-who found
mat SUI gerry might be rendered painless bv
'he use of such agents as chlorolorm AND
,ther- gained but little money from Their
hscoVtreS. They doubtless might have
;raded on ;ic worlds fear of pain. and by
lslng the patent laws and secrecy secured
weaith beyond the dreams OF avurice, but
20 thell honor they did not. On the other
hand, the men who introduced such i'm.
proved and chcapencd methods as the Res.
semer process OF producing steel gained
money by the hundred millions. SO pco.
PIE aye tempted to ask, "Have not some
men, been rather selfish, to say the least
In the acquisition of their wealth? And
may theE not have obtained a little more
than their share"
bclore we 60 further let us ask what is
70 be the PROBABLE outcome of the war hn.
tween labor and capital? Is il an irrrnrcs.
siD.e CONNECT, or can the opposing interests
be rcconc;ied? The answer is n,rcnJy I've.
ing gwen. lake such situation as NAV
10" De seca IN the coal trade oi CHICAGO
nul l,, =.
iSeahiStcrS nave come together TO monopo.
lze the coal trade OF the city and Eacn ON,
an competition. Wages and profits have
IDeen1 put up at the expense OF the Outside
more. N
The ultimate outcornc, un,css tha tend.
ency is checked, viii be organization nil
along The line until we have co!!cctlyism--a
vast organized machine, in wnlcn r.cn viii
De coss and individual Iut!atiNc and per,
!ii so!Iiiatity WA he restricted to an cAtcnt that
tion. ~ Wv MA
=. But let us take a breath and Turn to the
blo.c' Nhat arc the teachings OF the B,b,c
IN regard to labor and wealth? The O.d
1estamcnt IS p.ain!y anti.caDitalistir In
proof ot This YOU Rave but to read the la,ys
regarding oa!Ital ~ the Book of Leviticus
laws tn&t, II enforced, would compcl
pam iIvtng as surrey as the iroa coin of
sparta. Lear what w&s laid dGwn there.
Land was allotted III small parcc,s to Inc
families of the tribes, and cou,d not he
aiicn2tcd except for the term o. inv wears
And yc shall hallow TINS hft.eth yca;.,
and proclaim liberty throughout ali the
!an1 n1 unto az the inhabitants thereof: it
snail be jubilee unto you; and We shall
return every man unto his POSSESSION. and
ye shaiI rctdrn every man IN, his iainily."
(Leviticus XIV. l0)
:, Interest could not be charged on .oons.
And II Thy brother be waXen noor. and
fallen in decay with thee; then tlou shall
relieve INN; yea, though he be stranger
or sG}jonmcr; that he may live with