The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-06

wages, then the Steel Trust would
pay the highest wages to it's miners
and afford them continuous employ
ment; instead, the Steel Trusts Mes
aba and Michigan mines have been
closed by this aggregation Of capital,
while at the same time large UNDER
takings are hampered by the high
prices of steel products, and the small
stockholders are being frozen out by
this company.
Labor Contends That the Productive
Capacity of Labor Is Far in Ad-
vance of the Markets Possible I'm
der the Present System of Distribil-
ton Incident to Long Hours and
Low Wages.
In industry there are two processes,
| production and distribution. Pro-
duction devolves upon labor in the
strict meaning Of the term. and dis
tribution upon capital. How we'll
labor has solved it's problems the
| thousands of labor-saving machines
attest, and the marvellous skill with
which the modern workman does his
work bears witness Capital has
Of distribution. Every laborer can
reason sufficiently to know that there
| is enough produced abundantly to
supply everyone with food and cloth
ing, and shelter and luxuries to a
greater or less extent. In fact the out
put of everything could easily be
I doubled by the present productive
forces running at full blast turnout
the entire year on the present basis,
and yet a, large portion of the people
Is either in want or compelled to be
content with the bare necessities, and
labor Is confronted by the demorallz-
ing periodic hard times due to the
accumulation of products resulting
from the unequal distribution erron-
eously termed overDroduction.
To bring about more general dis
tribution Of products, organized labor
has fought strenuously and consist
emily for shorter hours and undimin.
superficial thinker can understand
that this principle carried out viii
give continuous employment at e
larger compensation to larger pro
portion of workingmen. and thus
bring about a more perfect and uni
form distribution.
If Mr.. Parry stands for "prima
{ rights" let him and his friends SEE
, to it that Rockefeller, an accoun
of whose high-handed operations i
at present being published, and al
!, capitalists and employers like him
are punished as quickly as a work
man who commits a petty Offens
: when goaded to desperation by pres
2 ent and impending privation afflictin.
: his family. Unfortunately, for MI
: Parrys plan to allow supply and de
e mand a free hand in the employ
e ment of labor, it is not the liberia
e and considerate employers who sc
t the standards of treatment of work
e ingment but the unfair and tyranni
: cal employer, for the latter can suppl
demands for his goods cheapest if tn
$ former does not introduce as low
wage scale and as Inexpensive con
ditions for the workmen.
How to Widen the Market.
z Business on business principles
:. demands that both labor and capits
- strive to improve the market fo
9 products. Each individual is a maj
II ket for products, and the ideal cor
IS dition is the one that develops eac
j. individual to be the largest possibl
d market for necessaries and luxurie
= Of all kinds and making an immens
l. aggregate demand for products. TIL
it condition is nearest approached in tt
e United States, because America
1T workmen receive higher pay fl
shorter hours than any in the worl
IF and the American home market is tt
4 most comprehensive and extensive p,
Of capita that has ever existed over al