Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-10-10
The Laborer's Future
BY GEORGE DAR1EN

n. preventing the return OF Repl esentativ,
Littlefield to Congress from the second
district of Maine calls attention tc the
~ object for which that organization ok
D, lists. The New York World Almanac
Q. informs as that ''the objects and aims
"a Of the American Federation OF Labor
!, are officially stated to be to render en-,
= ployment and the means Of subsistence
= less precarious by securing to the work.
: mer an equitable share OF the fruits OF
their labor"
o This is laudable purpose, and 1t is
q pity the labor unions have chosen
@ the. Intellectual method Of ,perpetually
h striking for higher wages. Still more
Il to be regretted IL the fact that the
K most prominent among Democratic
v statesmen has nothing better to sug-
o gcst than compulsory arbitration. Our
manufacturers and mine operators
( would probably prefer compulsory pro-
: flt-sharing. Let the workmen demand
D a share OF the profits in addition to
their wages, and let the manufacturer
: have his share OF the profits In addition
/ to an income OF six per cent. ON the cap
ital he has invested in the business.
: At some future time l will treat this
subject from statistical standpoint. AT
present 1 wish to establish the sound.
, ness OF the principle To do this / will
summon to my aid the most distinguish
J ed political economist Of the nineteenth
century.
In 1860 there was published in Eng
land the fifth edition OF John Stuart
Mills great work, principles OF Polit-
ical Economy with some Of their Appli-
cations to Social Philosophy" 1t was
reprinted In this country In 1870 by d.
Appleton & Co. From this standard |
work l shall extract several pass ages
to show how famous philosopher,
who was Liberal In politics but not
Socialist, regarded the problem (whose
solution is even more imperative now
than 1t was In his day. involved In the re-
adjustment Of the relations subslsting
between capital and labor. The subject
Of Book III is the distribution" Of
wealth-Book / having discussed "Pro-
duction." The first chapter of Book
II treats "Of Property" My extracts
begin at page 257 Of Vol. l.
1.-THE laws and conditions Of the pro-
duction Of wealth partake OF the char
acter OF physical truths. There Is 1
nothing optional or arbitrary in them.
Whatever mankind produce must be
produced in the modes and under the }
conditions imposed by the constitution q
Of external things and by the inherent
properties or their own bodily and men,
tai structure. We cannot alter the O
ultimate properties either Of matter or g
Of mind, but can only employ those t
properties more or less successfully to n
bring about the events In which we are |,
interested. /,
ut is not so with the Distribution of i,
Wealth. That Is a matter OF human h
institution solely. The things once
there, mankind. individually or COL II
lectively, can do with them as they a
like. They can place them al the dis II
posal Of whomsoever they please, and tC
on whatever terms. Further, In the W
social state, in any state except total fc
any disposal whatsoever of el
them can take place only by the con- bl
sent of society, or rather OF those who lie
dispose Of its active force. Even what IL
! person has produced, by his individ- In
lal toll, unaided by any one. he cannot CO
Keep, unless by the permission OF soci Is
,ty. Not only can society take ii from ql
lIm. but individuals could and would es
AXE 1t from him, il society only rem ain bt
I'd psssive-if it did not either inter- In
ere en- mssse or employ and pay people TO
or the purpose Of preventing him from OF
'eing disturbed in the possession. The wi
distribution of wealth, therefore. de- ca
ENDS on the laws and customs of soci- ab
ty. The rules by which 1t Is deter I'll
nined are what the opinions and feel bu
ngs Of the ruling portion Of the CON- Gu
nunity make them, and are very differ sa
Mt different ages and countries; and WI
night be still more different II mankind mi
0 chose. I'M
1.-THE opinions and feelings OF man. en-
ind, doubtless, are not matter OF no
nance. They are the consequences OF aft
be fundamental laws Of human nature, :
with the existing state OF M,
nowledge end experience and the ex. ="
,tino conditions az soc,al institutions fir.
nd Intellectual and moral culture. But Til
40 Jaws OF the generation OF human not
pinions are not within our present SUBJ a.,
ct. They are part OF the general o"'
leory Of human progress-a far larger iaO
I'd more difficult subject OF inquiry lsh
ian political economy. We have here cab
} consider, not the causes, but the 60
'nseQuences of the rules according to o"u
hich wealth may be distributed. TO
hese, at least, are as little arbitrary, can
I'd have as much the character OF r
lysical laws, as the laws OF produc- l.o
On. Human beings can control their '"'
vn acts, but not the conseq uences OF ma
cir acts either to themselves or to iste
hers. Society can subject the dIstri- nos
tiou OF wealth to whatever rules IL -.
inks best but what practical results uuo
III flow from the operation of those the
les must be discovered, like any sho
her physical or mental truths, by stri
servation and reasoning" oo,,
these principles to our pres ant,
industrial problem, society may 49,,
we the profits Of capital and the d..
'ges Of labor to be determined by .h,,
npetition. But the consequences of orn,
, competitive system are not amena- III,
to legislative control. Comp stition nnae
'vitably begets selishness, and no H.,
selfish man con be patriot. =, =,
ere are some peculiar circumstances hoo
which competition is beneficial to :, =,
community, but the general re-. d,.o
Is are deplorable. The only remedy
10 change the system, Capitalists
iounu 'nie ou'' ""u mayo ork OIL Care
trusts" whereby they agree not n,