The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-18

go together and tend to go together
in the world Skill and economy pre-
pare the way for comfort; and COM
fort rewards skill and economy. This
is the natural utilization Of growth;
1t Is what we mean by civilization.
The violence Of men and the vices Of
men may interfere with this union,
though it still remains the pre-de-
termined concord Of permanent forces
In human life. These forces do not
take on their natural and best results
except in peaceful and thoughtful
atmosphere. If one class Of producers
is pushing another class to the wall,
or IT producers lack sobriety and in
telllgence in ordering their conduct,
then this union Of productive powers
with productive rewards may fail for
the moment and blind forces take it's
place. The employer may drive the
employe down the steep declivity Of
poverty, or the neglectful and I'M
thrifty employe may waste his oppor-
tunities Of those about him.
The first and central purpose of the
trades union is to secure and main
tain this fellowship Of skill, economy
and comfort, each in its very best
form. 1t works with natural forces
to fulfill them, to anticipate and thrust
back all contravening causes, causes
which battle the workman in the pur-
suit Of prosperity. The trade union
promotes peace. among workmen and
fitting counsel, which leave the nat
ural and benefcent forces that pro-
mote growth in full play. It fulfills
the law of love in pooling burdens,
and in all helping all to bear them
The wisdom Of the wise and the Sob
rlety OF the sober are contributed to
the common resources, and that is
done we'll and soberly which could rot
otherwise have been done at all. With
out union, ignorance and Indifference
become, under competition, the ruling
forces in defining the condition of
Workmen. There are no ranks and
no regiments. Each man fights his
own battle; and his flank is constant
~ uncovered by those equally indif-
ferent to his welfare and their own.
The question Of civilizations is set
tied for the workman by his power Of
resistance, by the aidfulness of his
fellows, by their joint ability to MAIN
tain the conditions of progress. Good
Will between workmen is the an
tecedent Of all gain. Without it the
workman is capable Of collective pro-
gressive civilization. Those in the use
OF capital are constantly dividing
workmen against themselves, the
thoughtless against the thoughtful, the
unthrifty against the thrifty, and so
they are able to divorce comfort from
skill and economy.
The trade union is established to
prove the conference Of the Industrial
life-and it's ability to make these
three, skill, economy and comfort,
travel together The doctrine of NAL
thus, the doctrine Of every economist
who accepts the poverty of the poor,
the defenseless Of workmen in the pro-
cesses of production, do it by regard
ing him as incapable of taking and
executive council, as mere waits on the
stream of circumstances. The purpose
IT the trade union is to contradict
these views, to show that labor, even
II 1t gropes in obscure beginnings, can
make for itself a path into the en-
joyments Of life; that it is the least |
intelligent and productive labor that |
IS constantly sinking and carrying |
with 1t the hopes and fortunes of an !
entire class. It Is no law Of the world |
that those who labor shall not enter
into their labors, the law that is be-
ing illustrated by the failure of work.
men Is that there must be an affiilia-
ton between them as a condition Of !
that division is fatal to their |
common prosperity. Their experience !
Is simply one more enforcement of |
the ethical obligations we owe each
other. 1t Is this truth which it Is the |
purpose of the trade union to |
make plain. The union that is in t
fullest possession of it will have least
occasion for warfare and most power |!
to wage 1t successfully.
II skill, economy and comfort are |
IN that eternal concord in which we !
oelleve them to be the position Of the
trade union is impregnable. The skill |
full are driven back by the unskf]led
not because the best workman Is not
oest worm MS wages, but in the hope. |
on the part Of the employer, of return |
ing shortly to the good workman at q
lower price. The best workman ia the
cheapest workman, but If he can be
cneapened still further the operator Is !
Familiar with the method of doing It.
"A reasonable standard Of living means
and must be made every moment to |
mean superior productive capacity.
When all forces. conflicting and con-
curing; have been sifted, that fact I
remains as the last result. It is the
business of the trade union, to believe
IN It, push it into the foreground and t
it beyond denial.
The different standards Of living in T
widely separated nadonalities at time.
obscure this: relation. Our workbench
r1ghtly claim s protection from -, /