The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-24
FORUM OF THE PEOPLE
OPEN TO ALL.
"LABoR'S PORTION"


was recently called to an article in
one of the public prints, by Cardinal
Gibbons. under the captain. 1.-THE
Portion of Labor In that article he
makes the following assertion: "A
Iaborer's wages comes from the pro-
fits of his employer" Now such an
assertion is an error. He is not
alone in holding TO such error, for it
is of the same piece as the old popular
belief that wages come from the en-
ployer's capital, or to state it another
way, the Iaborer is carried" by the
capitalist Does the fact of this belief
being time-honored claim our unqueS-
tioning acceptance of it into perpet-
uity? This inquiry is made fully in
line with the progressive spirit of the
age, when the average man is doing
his own thinking; when there is rife
the spirit of revolt against unnatural,
social conditions.
Now, dear reader, follow me care
fully won't hold you long.
Wages instead of coming from cap
ital or profit, come solely from the
produce of the labor for which they
are paid The laborer receives his
wages either directly from the product
or its equivalent-Money. If, for ex-
ample, a man goes out to gather ber-
ries, catch fish or dig potatoes, his
returns for such exertion are his
wages, although in this instance he
has neither capitalist or landlord to
divide up with. Please Show me
where capital or profits have been
drawn on His capital, so used-n
such his simple appliances may be
called-only serve to illustrate the
truth concerning capital invested on a
larger scale, its function is to facili-
tate wealth production and distribu-
ton.
Take another example, big fac
tory with its working force. The en-
ployer has his capital invested in the
shape of money, buildings, machinery,
material. etc. When he pays his work
men their wages he does not lessen
his capital one iota. He still has his
buildings, machinery, and while he
has less money and less raw material,
ne has had returned to him increased
values in the form of finished pro-
1ucts-to a greater degree at the end
Of the week than he had at the be.
ginning. His workmen, before re-
,eiving their wages produced so much
wealth for the employer-such work
being expended on either a finished
a gigantic machine in course
IF construction or some form of in |
lespensbale service. 1t is clear, then
hat the employer does not carry
lis workmen out of his capital or pro-
its, any more than a depositor who |
checks his money out of a bank is to
hat extent carried" by the banks |
capital stock. In either case. before |
lnything is drawn out something must I
irst be put in.
Take still another example-large |
requiring years for their
such as construction of |
ships, tunnels, mine-shafts, etc. Here |
he employer must wait a long time /
or returns, although meanwhile the |
WI hIIISH are DuS} ana drawing their /
wages. Right here, the superficial |
observer would declare that these |
are supported during that !
ong interval out of the employers
und of capital or profits set apart /
or that purpose" No such thing, /
Like the foregoing examples cited,
apital is not advanced to pay wages,
tut the worker creates wealth for the /
Employer before receiving his wages.
70 matter how long the time reuuir-
d in the enterprise, every stage of
he work sees greater values coming
o him, through this continuous ex-
hange. SO true is this that if the
wner of ship, tunnel or mine were
sked to sell his partly-completed en-
erprise. in the midst of the work.
e would expect profit.
Let it be remembered that in all
asses, the aggregate value of 1abor's
roduct is greater than what he re-