The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-09-17

Inc law OF 1alOE That HduS ILLS COuA
try out OF the whole cloth is getting
ready to enforce its Constitution and
Ito engrave its rights upon the tablets
of society in letters deep and inn
mutable. America is the product of
labor. It is the modern marvel of
lenergy. 1t stands as civilizations
triumph over the raw material
Every day the genius Of American
Tabor calls into being new labor
fsaying' machines that. through in-
creased production. greater elasticity
Of capital and broader markets. call
for ten men to work where one work
ed before. -Forpthis very reason, the
fact that there is a demand for labor
calls for the organization Of labor.
The workers must be supplied, and
the standard must be maintained. The
question is n that is based on etfi-
fefency. The day of unskilled labor is
passing into history; the history of
labor that is skilled and Intelligent
is but beginning To the expansion
of industry and its output is but one
with brains. That the supply shall
be maintained to fill the need, while
the standard is raised instead of low
cred, should be the common aim of
employer and employed. Industrial.
peace needs only a full recognition by
both sides of that great equation of
mutual and natural obligation-on
the part of capital, to see that labor
is rewarded in just proportion to it's
contribution to the work hat is ac-
complished; on the part of labor, to
in intelligent service, for which CAPT.
tai contracts. and FOR which it ever
gladly pays.
$50 far as labor is concerned. it
is the degree to which it approx
mates this ideal on its part that shall
afford the hope OF the ideal itself to
both parts. For it is b that is the
law, and labor that has h power to
enforce the law. Already, the AFRO
gance of capital is more q phrase
a condition. The situation is in
the hands of labor. How it shall be
controlled-whether there shall be
prosperity or disaster-are questions
which-regardless Of contingencies
incidental to the issue-are to be de-
termined for good by the intelligence
and restraint. or for evil by the folly
and rashness of the power that
great court on whose decision rests
the future of commerce, industry and
manufacture. That it shall have the
strength to adjudicate its w inter-
est with equity to h a of others is
the high trust to the right exercise
of which labor must look for oppor-
tunity, and capital for continued en-
terprfse.
In North Carolina we have but
entered upon our industrial era, great
as the advance and the accomplish
ment have been. Our capital and
gether. Our products are finding
home manufacture and our profits
in home enterprise. And,
in taking rank with the Industrial
States. it. has been u peculiar for
tune that the development has been
marked with good feeling between the
employer and the employee. Labor
Gas 1t must always do) has organized
with US to protect those to whom it
looks for employment, no less than
protect itself With us, it's ryan
ization has been encouraged and re-
with sympathy. Its demands
been a in the light of reason
and considered in the same spirit. It
only that the understanding
that has existed be maintained in or
AA0 AAAS oSAAA6 SopAOd4 0AAo4A 40Lo
nish to labor increasing opportunity,
and that labor shall afford to our
the means of wider expansion
md greater achievement.
Personally, 1 believe that this con-
1ition is owing to the fact that our
labor is homegrown and self-de-
veloped.. 1t mas achieved so much
that h question Of immigration is
somewhat acute. But such
eed as is felt is that of a healthy
dustrial peace SO important to be
will stand only so long as
such foreign labor as may come
among US is kept subservient to the
and more enduring nucleus
of the home product. So only can
there be a continuation of sympathy
and understanding between the forces
Of capital and of labor that-to gain
he highest development-must lose
the tradition of conflict and the habit
Of suspicion.
With us, the organization of labor
has been Of great benefit and at in
appreciable hurt. 1t has stood for
education. It has stood for morality
n government and in life. It has
stood for honest service as well as
higher wages 1t has been self
'especting without being captious. It'll
las been self-protecting without being
oppressive. 1t has been aggressive
within the bounds of reason. This
> u labor is homeSpun and
oecause-without smugness or pre-
.ense-it is patriotic. It is of a part
n bone-with the men whoj.
gone from it's ranks to the ranks
# s~elf-earned capital. 1t is ambitious
or the State, no less than for itself
its children. It is capable of I'M
Judgment and of independent
.hought. 1t is inspired neither by
creed nor envy. 1t rules itself and
'orms its opinions without the aid
" suggestion OF the demagogue. In
,ther words, it is composed of Ameri-
Tar Heels. Which is to
'ay that its character has been build
on work, and that its work is
lounded on character.
In a sense, there is one exception
o the law of gravity: Labor lifts
tself by its boot-straps. It creates
property first, and protects it after
wards. 1t fights for freedom and then
it. 1t conQuers nature and
opens the way for science to admin
the conquest. It repares the
ground for education, and paves the
way for religion. It is the eeaseIess
germ in the soul Of mankind work
tirelessly, effectively and in