The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-05-09

As a whole the American worlImeu are
opposed 10 large standing army
The large army Is an unnecessary OK.
ponse and bns no real use On tho
question OF larger navy there might
&c a real difference of opinion. The
abstract proposition Is that VIC are op-
posed 10 other nations with large nav
ioe, and so we must have one. This
is the opinion cf many workmen.
on the other hand. the question of 4
raise of wage IL a vital one. As IL
general proposition. in all mechanical
pursuits wages have not been raised.
True. wages have been raised IN in
stances. but as n general rule employ
ment conditions are not voluntarily
improved by employers, Yet wages
have been raised and conditions Of
employment have been improved,
WHY? Because OF the efforts of or,
gained wage -earners.
This Is 10 reflection at all upon
Employers ir;tt they have not takcn
the initiative In these movements for
the increase of wages among employees.
As n matter of fact a coDsiderate and
humane employer, who desires to os-
tablish more humane conditions of en-
ployment, is deferred from so doing
because Of the attitude OF inconsider-
alto and reacuonary employers.
In a competitive industry. rs, for
example. the newspaper publishers,
one employer cannot pay larger wages
than another If he does so no will
he at a disadvantage in competition
with less coneiderate employers. OF
ten the best employer Is forced to
maintain the same conditions as the
worst employer In the same industry,
or sacrifice his business.
Under these circumstances the trade
union. with It's uniform wage scale,
serves not only the interests CT men
who labor by requiring the inconsid-
crate and grasplng employer to pay rs
high wage as Is demanded from the
best employer but it also protects the
interests of the good employer.
Labor unions In the United States.
despite the opposition of open foes or
protesting friends, Will go forward TO
greater degree In the future than
they have in the past Tho mon who
labor are going to take stronger In
terest in labor unions than ever they
have before. My best judgment is that
the time will come when all the Skill
ed unslIllled laboring men Of the Unit
ed States will be enrolled as members
OF their own trades unions.
On the other hand, | firmly believe,
with equal sincerity, that tho employ
crs of each Industrial division will be
organized in employers associations.
The purpose of these employers asSo
Citations Will be to establish and main
tain trade relations with their assist
ing workmen.
Then the trade agreement which
now exists in many industries as, for
instance, the newspaper industry, Will
become a recognized and established
process through which industrial peace
and industrial! righteousness will he
maintained in this country.
American workmcn are not inconsid
crate of the interests OF their employ
ers. The whole future. the prosperity
of America depends as much upon the
workman as a consumer as on the
workman as a producer Too many
employers III -Aluelltd D'll'Nt lut' ohi
future depends upon production a
cost sufficiently low 10 enable then
to market thoir products abroad. Ye
The best market In the world for III
Is at home This market will be In
creased or decreased just as tho pur
chasing power of the average Ameri
can workman is increased or decrcas
ed
Take the man who is working at
wage that enables him only 10 pur
chase the absolute necessities OF life
He adds less to tho wealth OF Thu
country than the man who is able tC
provide himself with the reasonable
comforts OF life.
Add 25 cents a day TO the wages o
all the workingmcn of America an'
you Will give ny more riches than th'
Astors or the VanderbiltS possess!
Give the American workman th'
power to buy pictures, music. books
and you add to the wealth of the ma
tion.
High wages are necessary to the de
velopment Of American industrial lif'
in the future. and not only to that
but To our social and educational life
| Tho greater the consumption of th'
| comforts OF life-not the luNurieS-th
higher the standard of the American
man. and by that L mean the Ameri
can workman.