The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-06
TEDDY UPH0LDS
LABOR UNIONS
Continued from Page One.

Continued from Page One.
with Its distribution. The demands o.
progress now deal not so much with .ht
material as with the moral and ethlca
factors OF civilization Our basic prob
lem Is to sec that the marvclouSly aug
mented powers of production Deuucathoc
to us by the nineteenth century shall IN
the twentieth be made to administer to
the needs of the many rather than be
exploited for the profit of the few
Dual Burden for Laborer,
The American wage-e Garner faces this
larger social problem In dual capacity,
first, as citizen OF the republic charged
with the full duty of citizenship; and
next as q wage e-earncr-as q wage work
er-who together with his fellow workers
is vitally concerned In tho question Of
wages and general conditions OF employ
being and that OF his wife and children,
but the opportunities of all workers for
higher development.
II is true OF wage workers, as OF all
other citizens, that moat OF their progress
must depend upon their own initiative
and their own efforts Nevertheless.
progress There IS. first. the share whicl
the mans own Individual qualities must
determine. This is the most important
Of ALL for nphng SqR suSey there ins place
two other factors also of prime import
nnce; namely, what can be done by the
wage workers In cooperation with one
another: and what can be done by gov
ernnent-that Is. by the instrument
through which all the people work col
lectively. Wages and other most import
ant conditions Of employment must re-
main largely outside OF government con-
troll; must be left for adjustment by free
contract between employers and wage
earncrs. But To attempt TO leave this
merely to Individual action means the
absolute destruction OF individualism; for
whore the individual is SO weak that he
psrforse. has to accept whatever
him. bis individual liberty becomes n
mere sham and mockcry.
Need of Organization.
It is indispensably necessary in order
TO preserve 70 the largest degree our
evsten OF individualism that there
should he effective and organized collcc
tiv" action The wage learners must act
Jointly. through the process of collective
bargaining. In great industrial enter
rrisos. Only thus can they be put upon
n plane Of economic enualtv with their
cornorate employers. Only thus is free
dom OF contract made n real thing and !
rot more leral fiction. There arc occa- |
slona' oc"unations where this is not ne
o"ssarv, but. speaking broadly. IL Is ne |
"nssarv throughout tho "ront world of or |
- nnizca Industry. believe ,his practice
~ ool'ec'ivn harGaininr. effective ONLY |
through such organizations nc the trnd"
UNIONS, IN have been one NJ tho most |
notert forces In the past century In pro-
f'Nh'''C Ihn nrnore9S Nf INC ~rCp-Na rnprS |
OVID In securing inrser social progress for
h''-~"o nirv. believe in ~. princIo1c nr /
o-~" r'7od lahnr and In tho nrar'ice "'
hH rr,n ir;p- not merely ~ n de-
et-oh1n fhipe fnr tho wacn-carne-S huf
&C eo-1~th'N~ v'hioh has hnoo dn-aor-
~-~"t"d 10 h@ c"ecntia1 In the long run tN
their ,pe~-~"-o>t r~ocreee
Admits Some Defects.
This docs not mean that unequivocal
~ indorsc any or all practices that labor
~ I
any or all principles that they may
'hoosc 10 enunciate Labor organizations
have the weaknesses and defects common
10 all other forms Of human orsaniza-
lions. Sometimes they act very well and
they act very badly; and ] am
.or them when they act well. and I am
1eheve that their existence is Il neces-
'ity. believe that their aims and pur-
ooscs are generally good; and believe
hat all Of them. have occasionally made
and that some OF them have
'een guilty OF wrongdoing. Just in so
ar as they are strong and effective. they
enpt designing men who seek to control
hem for their own interests. and stim,-
ate the desires OF ambitious leaders who
nay be clever. crooked men. or who may
We honest but visionary and foolish In
is In treating Of corporations. or Of hu-
nanny generally. we Will do we'll to re-
member Abraham Lincoln's saving that
there Is deal of human nature In man
l.,
!3nized body OF men. the power 70 do /.
'ood means that such power may bc
visited into evil; and in proportion as
he power grows, so IL becomes steadily !
more important that II should be handled
right. Just in proportion as In its .
'roDer function power is important TO !
ocial progress, so IN its improper func- ,,
ion IL becomes fraught with social dis J
ster. {
Should Appreciate Criticism.
Outside critics should appreciate the
ccessity OF organized labor, and under
tand ana sympathiZe with what is good :
\ II. instead OF condemnine IL Indiscrim, q
nately. On the other hand those within c
IS ranks should fearcssly analyze the E
riticisms directed against IL and ruth q
;ssly eliminate from the practices of its l.
rSanization those things which Justify y
uch criticism and attack. This is the j
attn. not only OF right but OF wisdom c
nd safety. Public opinion in the Trni II 5
tales is daily becoming more alert and 7
1ore intelligent and more forceful: and /
o organization. whether trades union or 4
orporation. whether industrial or non 7
can endure or pern;anentIy I
mount 10 social force IL IL does not v
nrmonize with a wise and enlightened v
nbIic opinion, Hitherto we Americans |,
ave been over-occupied with material I
hings. and have neglected 10 watch the {
lay OF the social forces about us. But p