Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-09-05
LABOR THE GREAT ISSUE.


This is the day American Labor Gel.
ebTates II has much cause for gratif.
cation over what has been accomplish.
ed in past years; II has a great work
cut out for the future. On the fair
ness which American Labor receives
and gives depends a great measure OF
the successful progress Of our country.
The late Senator Vest occupied ths
last hours Of his life writing reminis.
ccnccs OF leading men with whom he
had come in contact during his long
and successful public career. One Of
the last articles he wrote dealt with
General Grant and senator Mark Han.
ma. whom Vest regarded as the two
great generals Of their generation.
In speaking OF Hanna. Mr.. Vest
quotes from the last conversation he
had with the Republican leader. Vest
believed Hanna was not candidate
for President, and quotes Senator Han.
mas words as follows: mo; am NOT
ambitious to be President. and shall
devote the remainder OF my life to do.
ing what | can toward healing the
breach between capital and labor,
which is the burning issue Of the day.
Here was the greatest civic general
OF our day speaking his conviction. not
TO gain votes or personal prestige. for
he probably would not have been quot.
ed had death not stepped in to close
his career. It was personal CONVEX
sation with personal friend though
political opponent. The ripe Judg.
ment of this man who had marshaled
great national forces and fought ire
mendous political battles, placed the
relations between labor and capital AZ
the leading issue Of our times.
Many there are who would belittle
Labor, stamp It's demands as impos-
sble, charge its leaders with advanc-
Ing sociaiistic ideals foreign to our In
stitutions. There may be enough &C.
casional truths In the position taken
by some representatives Of Labor to
give color to the charge. When, how
ever, we contemplate the heartless at
titude assumed by capital. the fearful
oyercspitaliZation with which captains
Of industry" have loaded down indus.
try and for which capital expects labor
TO pay the penalty, It Is certain that
the fault Is not entirely with Labor.
As Golfers Weekly has tersely put It
in a discussion Of the Chicago meat
strike: Therefore the first great prac-
teal step Is to give the final blow tn
Iaw.breaking monopolies In food and
fuel, and We can turn our attention to
other combinations when We have seen
the result Of drastic treatment OF
those which cause the greatest suffer
ing. What kind Of freedom is 1t when
group OF round-beliied magnates,
meeting In some small ROOM can die.
tate terms by which the people freeze
or starve?"
It must be admitted that In conse-
Quence OF the terrific power of the Al
mighty Dollar, Labor is at an appar
ent disadvantage. Corrupt capital can
work with apparent lawfulDess by In
direction. Labor, on the other hand.
has only the physical force OF mum.
beers with which to work and all too
frequently for Labor's good the radical
spirits among the toilers let loose in
acts of lawlessness which furnish food
for excuses offered by lawless capital.
The general public has been inclined
to cry. "A plague on both your houses"
when passing upon the combats of La
Dor and Capital. This doesn't settle
the problem. The people must event
ually delve into the facts and take q
vigorous hand In the dispensation OF
justice. The contest Is reaching q
point where financial oligarchy and
anarchy, its handmaiden, are possioil
tiles.
The progress OF the past gives con.
fidence that we will have neither oil.
garchy nor anarchy, but will keep
right on maintaining the liberty OF the
citizen, be he yotary OF Labor or
Capital. assuring him freedom of indie
pendent action and fair return for
the labor of his hand or brain. The
spirit of the country Is naturally with
Labor, but Labor can destroy its pros
poets for recognition by becoming as
arbitrary In Its operations as the
forces from which 1t seeks fair play.