The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-06-02
share of usurpation of privileges.
While unions have proven to be an in
aatimAhla h0on to labor to a great ex-

estimable boon to labor to q great ex-
tent, they interfere with legitimate
business to a greater extent The la
Dor unions say to the workingman:
"You must belong to our union or we
will not let you work." just as the
trusts say to the public: "You pay our
price or get along without our goods"
Again, the trust tries to dictate to the
laborer the amount he is entitled to for
his work, while the union tries to die
tate to capital whether or no it should
employ certain men in its factories.
But it is the strife that is being eter- /
nally waged between these two institu-
tions in the forms Of boycotts, strikes,
and lockouts, that the dangers of these
institutions to the public can be most
directly seen. The great waste, incon-
venience, and often suffering resulting
from these are more or less known to
all of us. Again and again, the en-
ployees of public facilities such as rail-
road men, and street car men, have
stopped for the time being the wheels
of our commercial activity. A strike in
the packing houses of Chicago can,
without moments notice curtail the
meat supply of most of the households
of our country.
Whom are we to blame for these
conditions-the trust or the labor
unionp Taking both unions and
trusts in the balance, we find neither
is wrong in principle, both have great
capacities for good, but in the unob-
structed sway of either lurk great
dangers to the people and our country.
Both have practically the same object
in view, to crush competition; one
drives the independent company to the
wall, the other knocks the scab on the
head. The union boycotts; the trust
black-lists; each limits its output; each
restricts membership; the one fixes a
minimum wage, the other minimum
liprfce.
But what are we to do with this
menace to the public welfare? Any
attempt to crush one or. both is the
height of foolishness; they are both
daily forming stronger and stronger
organizations and are making them
selves felt in politics. The num-
ber and influence of employers associ-
ations are growing day by day, while
the spread of unions throughout our
land goes on unhindered and is nov
reaching every conceivable department
of labor.
To try to stop the growth of the two
Institutions being clearly out of the
question, our present duty seems to be
to reconcile these two great elements,
capital and labor. But how is this
to be done? What shall we do to mod
lify existing labor questions so as to
lend towards industrial peace and still
be consistent with our democratic ideas
of peace and liberty?
No arbitrary scheme can solve this
great problem until there is greater
harmony between the two elements,
and until they have become convinced
of the democratic spirit of our demo-
cratic institutions.
i In order to solve this great prob
lem, each class must be educated
to the rights and needs of the other;
the employer must know that the la
boreri is not a commodity to be hired in
the cheapest market merely as piece
Of necessary machinery; while the la:
borer should recognize that the en-
ployer is something more than grasp
u ing individual who wants to get as
much as possible out of him. The
capitalist must be assured of steady and
capable labor; he must be made to, see
that he can depend upon his men for
, their best efforts and that they will not
-f0rsake him in the time of confusion
To labor must be assured steadiness OF
!, employment. He must have settled
place of abode so as to avoid the shift.
ing population with no local attach.
ments for the institutions they labor
! for. It is desirable to give them two
, things, voice in the discipline of the
!; works and a direct interest besides
| their wages; these should be indispen
! sable TO the working man. There must
j be recognition and assurance or
! the part of both capital and labor that
Il they are mutually dependent partners