The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-09-09
LABOR PROBLEM The
RIDDLE !. d. The AGES.
Writer Holds That Application
Of Federation and Fairness
I. Would Solve 49,
The Labor Problem, the Great
est Question Confronting
the World To-day.


est Question Conf fronting
the World To-day.
The labor problem might Be. compared
to the Sphinx Of the Egyptian desert
az the riddle Of the ages, a bold, IN
solvable question. and yet the applica-
ton of two simple Observation-Disclosures
and fairness-would make Its solution
easy. p.
A discussion of the labor problem
necessarily means glimpse OF the
history Of the past, and the aspirations,
hopes, and struggles of the future or
the laboring man..
In speaking OF the laborins man 1t
is necessary to define whom we mean.
It is frequently asserted by many not
engaged in manual toll that the term
Is restricted. Allow me to make a
broad definition. The laboring man Is
he who by any exertion Of mind or
body products wealth or adds to the
sum of human knowledge, or who
satisfies human desires. He may be a
philosopher, merchant, teacher, preach
er, physician, or poet. He may be
man deficient in scholarly attachments.
and merely engaged in the struggle for
q living with q hoe, hammer, pen, or
machine. In the most liberal meaning
of the term all are laboring men who
do honest work and earn honest wages.
If, on the other hand. any man does
nothing to make mankind happier,
wiser, or richer, but lives on the toll
of others, he will be found, II we an
alyze his conduct closely enough.
beggar man or thief, although he
may be apparently prospecting under
some other spurious title.
It is enough for our purpose In this
article to consider only the manual
toiler, the fellow in overalls, If you
please, and who is. fortunately for him.
self, making his presence and influence
in society felt more vigorously every
day.
The other laboring man, who Is some
times called a brain worker because, by
superior advantages or study, he has
gained a profession, can, under ordin-
airy circumstances, take care of him
self. For generations he accounted
himself and was considered by others
a superior person. His sympathies were
absolutely antagonistic to the manual
toiler. He believed implicitly that the
laboring man was only one remove from
the brute and creature Of convent
ence to those who possessed more ad-
vantageous privileges.
This view is still unfortunately held
with tenacity by many who really
should know better, but who studiously
smother their honest convictions. TO
others it is merely a matter of educa-
ton, which has been deferred too long,
but the time Is rapidly approaching,
if it Is not already here. when more
analytical study will be given the labor
problem in our high schools, colleges,
and universities, and no education will
be considered complete unless gradu-
ate be conversant with the industrial
conditions of the age.
The manual toiler has awakened
from his Rip Van Wrinkle slumber. He
is becoming conscious of higher de-
sires. He is studying his rights. He Is
gradually approaching his importance.
In the not far distant future he will
comprehend his power. When that
great light which even now is appear
ing Oh the horizon, dawns upon his
hitherto credulous mind, he will demand
what belongs to him with no uncertain
voice.
His story records the blind stumbling
of Labor's advancement through slavery
and serfdom down to the present wage
system. The next step is about to be
taken. What form it will assume is
beyond human power to divine. A
backward step we know 1t can not be;
a forward one Is imperative. It may
not come suddenly, it probably will
develop gradually, but when once start
ed It's speed will be accelerated by
hearty cooperation backed by public
opinion, which may always be trusted,
even If it does occasionally seem to
move sluggishly.
Great credit is sometimes attributed
to races and nations for such advances
as they have accidentally made. Rather
let Us believe that there is, "A divinity
which shapes our ends, rough hew them
as we will" It certainly was no ac-
cident that drove the Pilgrim fathers
blunder, no doubt, on the part of privil-
eyed ecclesiastics to make it obligatory
for them to leave their native land,
but il so, it has been ours and the
worlds gain. It was no blunder that
CduS6U LNS puO1lC AlcC SAOOA SyotO" "
be established in the United States. It
came when the people needed it, conse-
quently it has been a magnificent sue
cess.
The public schools of America have
been more Instrumental in alluring the
vigorous and alert of foreign lands to
seek a. hospits bic asylum here than
have the free land grants or the cry
Of equality and freedom.
If we have a new task set before us.
a new difficulty to be surmounted, an
everpresent problem staring us in the
face that can not nor will not be silenc-
ed, if that conundrum is called the
Labor Problem, we may thank the
Pilgrim fathers for the exhibition OF
manhood they displayed by resisting
imposition, and extend our appreciation
to the noble souls who designed for us
the public school system.
We, have legitimately inherited GU,
labor problem by perfectly natural