The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-08
WHO IS THE OWNER?
AN ANALYSIS BY c. TT POST FOR
 MANUFACTURERS,


 workingman, Socialists and Anarchists A Paper on the Analysis of Owner ship, Prepared by C. W. Post, at the Request of President Parry and Filed With the Records of the Association of ufacturers-Inasmueh as the Ownership of Property is Disputed by Some Socialists and Labor AgitatOrs, and Forms the Basis for Their Opera lions, the Question is One of the Most Important of the Day.
 One of the most important questions regarding power and ownership brought before the convention of the National Manufacturers association was turned over to c. W. Post. Mir. Post, who has for many years been looked upon as an authority in these matters and others of sociological in- terest, was asked to take up the ques- ton.
 The importance of this phase of the many subjects which were brought be- fore the convention found many who were pertinently interested and the views as set forth by MT. Post are cer- tain to be among the most widely read in the complete proceedings of the con- vention, which will be sent to every member of the association as soon as printed.
 The text of this important paper fol- lows:
 A sign is prominent on our Main of- flee reading: This plant is owned and its business directed by the Postum Ce- real Co.,, Ltd, subject to the laws of the United States government and the state of Michigan. It is not subject to the laws or rules of any other organi- zation whatsoever"
 Years ago we purchased and paid for the land. No outsider owns or has the slightest interest in any square inch of 1t.
 We perfected certain articles to man. ufacture, and We own them absolutely.
 We purchased material for buildings and paid the full price agreed for labor in construction.
 Saws, planes, squares, hammers, levels, shovels and trowels directed by human hands, those hands directed by minds of workmen, and those minds di- rected by our own minds, constructed the buildings. Neither the buildings or the articles to manufacture were origi- mated by Workmen, but they are solely and alone the children of the brain of the owner and originator. fair and agreed value was given for the use of tools hands and minds of the Workmen, and when the factories were completed and fully paid for, not one ounce of material or any other thing of value of the most minute form belonged to any workman, but the entire institution, lock, stock and barrel, belonged to us. We can shut 1t up or operate it, tear it down, sell or give it away as suits our judgment, for the entire property is ours in exchange for exact and agreed equivalents and any trespasses on that property or interference with our man. agement would constitute an act of bandits and outlaws.
 The ripened experience of thousands of years of humanity has established these facts and conditions, and we have laws to define the facts and protect our people, high and low, from mob rule. There is a misleading theory put forth by some socialstic labor theorists that labor creates all wealth and therefore all wealth belongs to labor" This false theory talked to workmen sometimes produces a condition of mind that be- 1na cfn tn hn a further inference that the workmen created the factory and why not take 1t and run 1t. That idea is the underly- ing cause of some labor disturbances that never would occur if every work man had a clean cut knowledge of the facts and rights of the citizen.
 Physical labor does not create; it can only execute Mind is. the only ere ator and it uses physicaF or material tools to carry out and express in mate- rial, it's creations.
 Take working man as illustration. He saves money, which represents his expended energy for perhaps ten years. When enough is accumulated he con- cludes to build house. So he creates in his mind house with six rooms, ar ranged just as he wants them, porch in front, windows and doors located as he thinks most convenient. Heighth, width and length he creates in detail in his mind. Then he goes to an architect and says, want to picture forth in wood and brick my mental picture of a house. I desire first to hire the use of your mind to direct your hands to draw my creation so it can be understood by other workmen. The architect there upon rents the use of his mind to be di- rected by the creator. Perhaps the architect creates some parts as im- provements to the original plan of the owner, but he agrees to sell his crea- tions to the owner in exchange for mon ey said money being an evidence of past service.
 When the architect finishes his work he has not ''created wealth." which be- longs to him, but has in the main rent ed the use of his mind to the owner, and sold what few ideas he has created. Nothing belongs to the architect. Then with the plans which the owner owns, he calls in carpenters, saying, Here is my creation shown on paper Mine by original creation and by purchase of the ideas shown there which did not