Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-01-09
OUTLOOK OF YEAR
PROSPERITY AND THE ATTITUDE
OF LABOR.
Retrospect and Forecast Of the Mississippi Val.
ley lumberman on Business Conditions.
Start Business Of New Year on a Fair Basis
Of Understanding.

Of Understanding.
During the past year labor has been
forced to take notice OF some very point.
ed facts. The one OF greatest Importance
is that when feeling OF conservatism 80
far gains control of the minds OF the peo-
pie OF the country as to cause shrink.
age In prices for all other commodities,
labor must share the shrinkage. There
are two ways in which this result can be
brought about. One is the employment
OF less labor. The other is the employ
ment Of the same amount OF labor at
lower cost. Under usual circumstances
either OF these may be chosen. for con-
sumption can be kept up by the lowering
of prices, and thereby labor can be kept
employed; or, profits can be kept up at
a reduced rate OF production, and
smaller amount OF labor employed at
the higher wage. One way or the other
labor must stand its share, and during
the past year, when business had been
Operated along consef vative lines, labor
has had an object lesson. Strikes have
been frequent but not disastrous, for
labor has been more disposed to accept
the situation.
With the pres Dental election out of
the way, and with good crops and gener-
ally prosperous conditions throughout
Inn 1,n
exceedingly bright for business in all
lines, and for the consistent employment
OF labor at good wages. But the ques-
ton arises as to whether or not labor
will assume the attitude that has 50 often
been menace to legitimate business en-
terplse. Will it commence its demands
early and keep them up late? Will an
otherwise bright outlook be marred by
continual chickering's between employers
and employees? 1t would be well for
laboring men to learn to fully appreciate
the value of the commodity they have
for sale.
In some lines OF business the merchant
can turn his capital over several times
dnring the year. The farmer. has but
one season, and can sell his crops but
once. BY diverslfying, he can multiply
his chances for gain and divide the
chance OF complete loss. Depending on
the brlskness OF trade, the dry goods
merchant and the grocer can dispose of
complete stocks several times in the
year. Again, if prices are not satisiac-
tory to the farmer or the owner of other
commodities, they can withdraw them
from the market, with the loss only of
the carrying charges. Not so with the
laborng man. Every days labor that
he withholds is lost There are practi-
cally three hundred working days in the
year, taking out Sundays and holidays.
Every man who is idle in strike for
one tenth of the year in the endeavor to
secure raise OF ten per cent in his
wages will receive smaller amount for
the year than If he had remained at
work all the time, even if every strike is
Successful from the employees point of
view. But not every strike reaches that
conclusion, and SO the loss to labor Is
even greater.
The American Federation Of Labor has
just voted to give $25,0)J week for
three weeks to aid the textile workers OF
Fall River in their efforts to win the
strike that has been on for a number of
weeks. That amount is but a small
proportion of the wage that is being lost
to the idle strikers, and it draws from
the wages OF every member of the Fed
Grafton throughout the country. Ii the
textile workers win they will very likely
be assessed all their gain to aid some
ether strike in the country before the
end of next year. The net result is a
loss to labor. 1t is probable that but
small percentage OF the wage difficult
ties that occur in the course OF the year
could not be settled without recourse to
strikes. Employers OF labor are not
arIitrary in thes, matters as a rule.
Most Of them are at all times willing to
submit such differences to the judgment
of disinterested arbitrators. The diff
Guilty with this course, however, is that
such arbitrators are too likely to have
an indirect interest, and that arbitration
too often results in compromise that is
not justified by the facts presented. 1t
every employer OF labor could be assured
that these difficulties would be settled
absolutely on their merits he would not
enter objections to that form of settle
ment. Can the same be said OF labor?
If every laboring man would make
study of the strikes Of the past and could
get personal knowledge Of their results,
he would be less prone to listen to the
advice of leaders who have little but
their own selfish ends to serve. Then if
every employer would enter into closer