Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-16
though my development and success
/ NAV 4 a. 4

"
| The policy OF an enlightened sci.
| hshness must obtain until the milien.
MUM comes. Then, but not before,
can we exist under a government Of
sanctified socialism.
! believe that we need rather to
modify the holdings Of the courts as
TO the liability of the labor-union for
the acts Of it's members, than to far.
ther extend it. We must legislate
and interpret it for men who are sci.
1sh, aggressive and progressive who
are moderately honest, moderately
generous, moderately charitable, but
VINO grow in honesty and charity only
as these traits are attributed to them
as voluntary rather than compulsory.
The policy Of this country has been
FOR nearly half a century to constantly
enhance and ever maintain the wages
OF labor above the standards prevail
ing in other countries. TO this end
we have placed premium on the do
nestle industry and skill, by placing
tariff duties on all products Of labor
imported from foreign countries. The
ostensible, and only defensible reason
for such legislation has been to give
an advantage to American labor and
American capital placing them be-
yond the hurt of injurious competition
from those countries where the wage
of the man and the earning of the
dollar, alike are lower than the stand.
ard here.
To protet either and not the other
would be class legislation.
Those of lis who have favored this
policy have insisted that the legisia-
ton was general because it benefited
all classes and gave equal opportuni-
ties to all. The greed of capital, the
natural, the human selfishness would
defeat this beneticent object, SO far as
labor is concerned, we're not labor al.
lowed to freely combine and to use all
rational means to make its combina.
lions effective. Otherwise, capital
would arrogate to itself an unequal
share of the common product, and la
Dor would inevitable sink to lower lev.
els.
within the bounds Of respecting
the person and existing property
rights of the employer, labor should
be allowed to make its protest effect
i've. If the peaceable walk-out fails,
it should be allowed the whole range
of action in which moral suasion could
be made effective, even to the boycott
or the peaceful picket that keeps 1t
informed as to who of its members Is
keeping faith, or who is playing false
to the organization. If they respect
person and property, we cannot afford
to enter into the protection of future
profits. or losses of those who resist
their demands.
On the other hand, when labor is
allowed these liberties and this free
appeal to action, capital should not be
forced against dead wall, its arms
pinioned by injunctions. it's weapons
sequestered by writs and it's property
confiscated by statute.
If both sides are compelled by law
to respect and maintain the public
peace, and within these restrictions
are allowed to battle for their rights.
the problem will be solved wisely and
we'll. The consequent agitation will
prevent the stagnant calm of social
/ ism, and in the arena Of lawful strike,
in the gymnasium of strenuous bust.
ness life will develop the individual.
lead him on to a still greater and
grander progress. We may look for.
ward to the time when original genius
will plan the work and capitalize the
plant, that shall give renunerative
employment to the thousands who as
! yet cannot plan, create, originate,
maintain or manage for themselves,
taught by experience to deal gently
with their dependents as the part of
the highest wisdom.
i When a well-paid, aggressive, pro.
gressive and ambitious labor. receiv.
ing it's just share Of the common pro.
duct, shall desert the howell and the
cabin, and dwell in the cottage fur.
nished In comfort and maintained in
neatness and taste, with books, paint
ing, music and education to the chill
dren, with carpets where are now bare
planls, with decorations on the walls
where desolation once looked down
then we need not fear for the future
we'll being of our industries, the pro
gress of our country, nor market fol
our surplus, nor the obedience to OUT
laws, nor the patriotism of the masses
THE labor union should only be
held liable for the concerted violence
Of its members, and not for the effect
that its peaceful struggles bring II
their train, at the same time giving tt
combined capital the power to main
tain itself in the struggle, for its fall
would be .labors greatest disaster
The useful product is the result of in
dustry, while capital is the. accumula
ton Of economy, and both should be
fostered and protected That same
instinct of self preservation will Their
end the strife, by arbitration or com
promise, before either party has suf
fered irretrievable loss.
The choicest fruits Of peace have
ever sprung in fields fnllowed by the
iron share of war, SO the greatest pros
perity has ever come to the people
where lawful and orderly strife ant
emulous struggle had been tolerated
and encouraged.
"If unions and combinations are t.
be tolerated, let them be effective. 1
; would be better that they should b.
forbidden altogether, than that the;
should be blighted, tlwarfed and alb
: sorbed, by the interference Of the law
by the constent infringement of per
: sonal liberty. II were better to gt
back to the primitive simplicity Of I'm
Organized society than that we Should