The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-08-17

Greatest Orator Of His Time Saw
Evils in Growing System Of
Capitalism.
His. Great Heart Beat for the La
borer, and His Keen Eye Saw
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A, kind reader interested in the great
problem Of labor and capital favored
us this week with the copy Of a lee
ture delivered by the late Robert G.
Ingersoll on the labor question. We
reprint the speech with pleasure, for
whatever the great orator said in his
day carried with it considerable
weight. That his speech was pro-
phetic is evidenced by the thousands
of incidents occurring daily which
show that labor is being enslaved by
a system which borders close to bar
barism.
Invention has filed the world with
competitors, not only Of laborers but
of Notwithstanding Of the high
est skill. To-day. the ordinary laborer,
is for the most part, peg in a wheel.
He works with the tireless-he feeds
the Unsuitable. When the monster
stops the man is out of employment
out of bread. He has not saved any,
thing. The machine that he feed, was
not feeding him. was not working for
him. The invention was not for his
benefit. The other day, heard man
say, that it was almost impossible, for
thousand Of good mechanics to get
employment, and that in his judgment,
the government ought to furnish work
for the people; a few minutes after I
heard another say, that he was selling
a patent for cutting out cloths: that
one of the machines could do the work
Of 20 tailors, and that the week before
he had sold to great house In New
York, and that over 40 cutters had
been discharged. On every side, men
are being discharged, and machines
are being invented to take their places.
When the great factory shuts down,
the workers who inhabited Il and gave
it life as thoughts do the brain, go
away and it stands there like an empty
skull. A few workmen,. by the force Of
habit, gather about the closed doors,
and broken windows, and talk about
distress, the price of food, and the
coming winter. They are convinced,
that they have not had their share, Of
what their labor created: they feel
certain, that the machines inside, were
not their friends; they look at the
mansion Of the employer. and think
Of the places where they live, and they
themselves, have saved nothing, moth
Ing but themselves. The employer
seems to have enough; even when en-
ployers' fall when they become bank
rupt, they are far better off than the
laborers ever were.
Their worst, is better than the toll
er's best. The capitalist comes for
ward with his specific. He tells the
workingman, that he must be econom-
ical,-but under the present system
economy would only lessen wages.
Under the great lawaiof supply, and
demand; every saving, frugal. SELF
denying workingman is unconsciously
doing what little he can, to reduce the
compensation Of himself, and his fell
lows. The slaves who did not wish to
run away, help fasten chains on those
who did, so the saving mechanic, Is a
certificate that wages are high enough.
Does the great law demand that every
worker live on the least possible
amount Of bread? Is it his fate to
work one day, that he may get enough
food to be able to work another? Is
that to be his only hope-that and
death.
Capital has always claimed, and still
claims. the right to combine. Manu-
facturers meet, and determine prices,
even In spite Of the great law Of sup
ply and demand. Have the laborers
the same right to consult and COM
bine? The rich meet, in the club
house or parlor. Working mon, when
they combine, gather in the street. All
the organized forces of society are
against them. Capital has the army,
and the navy; the legislature, the
judicial, and executive departments;
when the rich combine it is for the
purpose Of Exchanging IDEAS: when
the poor combine, it is Conspiracy"
If they act in concert, If they really do
something, it is a mob; If they de-
fend themselves, it is treason" How
is it that the rich control the depart
ments of government?
In this country, the political
power is equally divided among
men. There are certainly more
poor than there are rich. "a Why
oAAoAA0 VIC 1lC11 COkllIOl: why SnOuIO
not the laborers combine, for the pur-
pose of controlling the executive, the
legislative and judicial departments?
Will they ever find how powerful they
are? How are we to settle the un-
equal contest between men and ma
chimes? Will the machines finally 20
into partnership with the laborer? Can
these forces Of nature be: controlled for
the benefit Of her suffering children
Will extraYagance keepspace with in
ginueity? Will the workmen, become
intelligent enough, and, strong enough,
to be the owners Of the machines ?
VIII these giants; these, Titans shorten
or lengthen the hours Of labor? viii
they give leisure to the industrious.
or will they make the rich richer, and
the poor poorer p Is man involved in
a general scheme of things? Is there
no pity, no mercy? Can man become
intelligent enough to be, generous, to
be just, or does the same law or fact
control him, as controls the animal
and vegetable world?
u The great oak steals the
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