The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-12
In Labor's Field.
A REJOINDER TO
BISHOP POTTER
LOCAL LABOR LEADER TAKES
EXCEPTIONS TO HIS VIEWS.
He Thinks the Bishops Premises Are
Wrong and of Course, Therefore,
His Conclusions-Says Further that
the Bishop Does Not Give Organized
Labor Enough Credit for Results.

Interviews dealing with the various
phases of the labor question, giving
the views of prominent men thruout
the United States, have been appearing
in the daily press. of late. One of
these articles, containing an interview
with Bishop Henry G. Potter, head of
the Protestant Episcopal church of
New York has caused considerable ad-
verse criticism locally.
The interview in question quotes
Bishop Potter as saying that 1.-The
struggle now going on between labor
and capital is serious one, but
have no doubt that time and forces at
issue will bring it to successful con-
clusion. Neither the labor unions nor
the employers seem to regard the
greatest factor in it. They forget that
the majority of our people are neither
laborers nor capitalists. The capital
list class is small, and it is estimated
there are 100000 people dependent
on the wages of organized labor We
have population of S0,000,000, leav-
ing 100000 outside. That 76,0OO,-
900 may allow organized labor to in
convenience them for a time, but they
will never permit it to rule. AS soon
as the inconvenience becomes too
great, they will rise up in arms and
other.
Answering the suggestion that labor
creates the wealth of the country, the
bishop says: TT is ridiculous to say
that the wealth of the United States
has been created by mere muscular
force. The men who furnish it might
toll a thousand years and have a
product no greater than at the end of
the first day. Labor is getting more
every year and capital less. This is
especially so as to the real profits;
that is, the commodities that can be
bought with the money received from
capital and labor. In 1850 $4,000
could be put into safe bond which
would bring per cent or $3.50 a year.
Suppose man received 81 a day for
his work and that he worked 800 days
in the year. His income would be
$500 a year, or $50 less than the earn
ings of the $4,000. It is estimated
that since 1860 wages have increased
about 60 per cent, so the dOllar-a-day
$3.50 or $3.50 more than in 1860. The
earnings of the $4,000 have been re-
duced from per cent to per cent
and the income from it is only $3.50,
losing $3.50, while the workman has
gained $3.50. That is an example of
how labor is annually getting great
er share of the profits"
A Rejoinder.
A local labor leader of prominence
sends the following to T h e jour r.
n a l concerning the interview quoted:
THE views of Bishop Potter on the
struggle between capital and labor as
presented in an interview by Frank G
Carpenter, certainly go the limit
Next to D. M. Parry, they strike me
as being the most radical, unreason-
BILE and unchristian of anything
have ever read. When he says that
the forces now at issue will bring~i it to
a successful conclusion, he no doubt
means by that that the organizing OF
the capitalistic forces thruout the
country will soon crush organized la
Dor out of existence, and then the
struggle will be over. But in, that
think he will find himself very much
mistaken. Then he says there are
, only about 100000 of our people de-
pending on the wages of organized Ia
Dor. He is surely mistaken in his
figures. Ten or twelve million would
| come nearer to it. Then there are
ten or fifteen millions more. working
men and women who would gladly
| unite with organized labor if they
were not prohibited from doing so by
their employers. Then there are mil
| lions of overWorked and underpaiC
clerks and bookkeepers and office helI
| of all kinds. farm hands, WOOdsmen
rivermen and common laborers of al
kinds, whose sympathies are with or
| ganized labor, and who would organ
ize if they could and dared do SO. AL
men and women who work for wage
are interested in and benefited by or
ganized labor.
when the bishop speaks of the s.
per cent increase obtained by labo
since 1860, he fails to give credit t
whom credit is due. I doubt tina
there are many who are so unreason
! able but that they will not admit tina
the greater part of this gain was OBJ
tanned by the eternal and unceasin!
struggles of organized labor; and un
organized labor has received the bene
fit as we'll as organized labor.
! "But the bishop, no doubt, expresse
the feelings of his caDitalistic asseci
ates. In his exalted position he doe
not come into contact with worlin
men, and, of course, we could not ex
Epect his sympathies to be with us; bu
! he can, no doubt, give us good adVic
! at long range, and admOnish us t.
pay no attention to the trials and trib
ulations of this wicked world; to per
form the tasks of our masters faith
fully and uncomplainingly; and Shout
we be snitten on the cheek, to meekl
turn the other: to consider the lille
of the field, etc., and not to worry owe
4 the good things of this world, but
lay up our treasures in heaven. A
the same time I feel safe in sayin
that the reverend gentleman is "a
deavoring to enjoy more Of the lux
uries and ease of this world than tn
average working man can afford, a
he puts it. at $3.50 a year, and n
doubt is laying UP some of the treas
ures Of this world besides. Such view
as these, coming from high dignitarie
of the church, will probably solve tn
| question:: Why don't more workin
men attend the church 90
CAPITOL INJUNCTION