Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-06

who discovered the real distributor
OF the germs but their ignorance Of
the real cause of propagation pre-
vented them from putting their de-
sires into effect. John Doe is put
ting on the market cotton goods or
glassware or any one of thousand
other articles very cheap. Richard
Roe, upon investigation, finds that
the aforesaid John Doe is employ.
ing little children in his factories,
therefore competition forces him to
discharge his high priced help and
also 60 into the business of rob-
bing the kindergartens, nurseries
and almost robbing the cradles,
to enable him to compete for his
share of the trade. Competition is
like the boil-itis good only on the
other fellows epidermis. We are
all willing for others to compete,
especially if we are in position to
take advantage of the competition.
Mr.. Bryan further says; "Com-
petition is not worthy of that name
if one party is able to arbitrarily
fix the terms of the agreement,
leaving the other with no choice
but to submit to the terms pre-
scribed." This is the very con-
dition existing between capital and
labor to-day. Capital arbitrarily
fixes the terms upon which all un-
organized labor must be done; and
as result labor gets only about
one fifth of it's own product re-
turned to it in the fo1m of wages.
(See Bulletin $50, last census).
Mr.. Bryan cites the money lend
er and borrower as case in point,
but it does not reach the case at all.
ITO become borrower of money
one must have some collateral, and
therefore is not absolutely in the
power of the lender of money.
While the wage-worker can COM
pete against his fellow workmen,
even unto death, and capital, like
Barkis, sis willin'," he can COM
pete against no one else. And the
more intelligent workingmen are
to-day moving heaven and earth
to eliminate competition altogether
or to avoid it's whitening blight.
In fact, all manner of business is
striving, so far as possible, to de-
stroy the blighting effects of COM
petition. The long line of busi-
ness failures attest the evils OF
competition, and business men
everywhere are striving to escape
its evil effects, at least for them
selves. The attitude of Post in his
endeavor to establish the open
shop in the camp of labor, and
monopoly in his own business,
shows that we are willing for others
to compete, but as for US, Oh, Lord
we can make out without it.
If Mr.. Bryan wishes to know the
evil of competition, let him take the
place of a common laborer, or ever
as skilled mechanic in some un.
organized trade. | can almost see
a smile of derision spreading ovel
the face of the average reader al
the thought of a great intellect like
that of Mr.. Bryan put in allegiance
while he does the drudgery of g
common laborer. But some one
says Mr.. Bryan has performed hare
J labor. Probably so, but only as 8
means of recreation, and nevel
from necessity. When we are free
to choose our employment worl
becomes pleasure. But when We
are driven by stern necessity, the
case becomes infinitely different
But perhaps the laboring man was
not being considered by Mr., Bryan
when he wrote in favor of compe.
tition. If he will show me where
his ideal competition is possible il
the case of employe and employer
l will again vote the Democratic
ticket, as did in 1896 and 1900.
am not afraid of competition, bu
I know there is no such thing al
, fair competition so far as labor il
; concerned; nor has there beer
: since the day when the workman
, owned his own tools and was there
} fore his own master. At that tim,
when a shoemaker made pair O
, shoes they were his, every peg o
: them. But now the shoe is mad,
!, in a gigantic factory and hundred
: and even thousands of men ant
: women take part in their manu-
t facture, and when they are dom
they belong to the man who own
t the factory. The worker doesn'
own peg in them, and has moth
} ing to say regarding their dispo
! sition. The man who owns tn,
+ factory owns the jobs as well al