The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-08-31
IABoR's LEXINGTON.
BY Dr. John BaseOm, in The Brieklay-
er, Mason and Plasterer.


The labor movement owes its success
50 far to trade union, resting on an
assured right and skillful u is support.
The trade union does not exist 50 much
to win strikes as to prevent them. It
aims to become so obvious and well
recognized a power as to control the
relations o. labor to capital, and TO adj
just difficulties by their anticipation.
When the union is nonresident or
weak the strike win revive; when il Is
on its feet and strong, there is no OPP
portunity for resistance Business is
for the most part in the hands Of INTEL
ligent men, who recognize the facts and
respect them. They are not anxious
for useless conflict They may lie in
wait for opportunity, but they do not
mean to waste their strength by fail-
nre. On this side they are full Of prud-
ence. What the workman needs to aim
at is a firm and workable union, which
gives room sufficient, a plain and ten
able footing. Such organizations con-
quer by anticipation and make re-
sistance foolish When employers are
fully posted up on these facts they will
adapt themselves to them, as they do
to other facts. Indeed. they learn 10
take certain satisfaction in the mi-
formity. stability and reliability Of
these conditions 81 labor Employers
give up with relutanee the open shop
because they have been accustomed to
it, and have found it a convenience and
source Of profit If they once recognize
il as fact that it has passed away,
they viii adjust themselves at once to
the new conditions. They take no sat
isfaction in strikes that delay and em-
barrass business Ii an employer can
bear the losses Of strike more readi-
" than workman, he is more annoyed
than workman BY the miscarriage Of
his purposes and the turning Of antiei-
pated profits into losses He is anx-
ious to get TO business, and make Il
profitable. Workmen may show a
stolid endurance, but the employer is
DESTROYS to make every concession con-
sistent with profits, and il in earnest
to hasten the issue Employers adjust
themselves to circumstances more reads
III and more intelligently than workmcn
and once sure how the case stands,
they are prepared for action. When
workmen have made perfectly plain the
position, that they have something to
say about wages and are able TO en-
force their claims, employers will cease
from useless opposition. We have no
occasion TO fear that capitalists will
not be willing to make money, slowly
Ii they must and rapidly if they may
They will push for the customary con.
ditions Of success as long as the strife
promises good results. but will aban-
don it once when it becomes waste Of
resources.
The trade union, aside from its con-
fict with capital, has abundant occa,
sion to exist The aid which workmen
can in various ways render each other,
the social features they can cultivate,
the means Of progress they can devise,
the political power they may exeht, the
strengthened hold on the community
which they may secure, are all motives
for existence aside from wages. a ma.
tion needs an army, yet few nations ex-
ist for the sake Of an army, The more
Interest nation has aside from the
soldier the more power it will be able
To give to the soldier when he is called
for There is nothing in our common
lie which does not concern the work
men, and when he can not advantage
ously consider with his fellow work
men. We waste much Of our civil lib
erty because we are not thoughtful cit
izeus. The workman may allow his
trade union to fan into tho hands Of
demagogues because he has not yitali-
ty and intelligence enogh TO sustain
it in view Of its proper ends. All the
difficult questions OF life are brought
close TO him BY his union and may by
i. be turned into fruitful experience.
That workingman is dub and takes of
the edge Of life by his dizziness who can