The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-07-08

ments. and sympathize with the trials
and struggles and sufferings OF the
ceasing evolution OF time, which calls
forth and demands that successive
generations Of men perform their part
faithfully and Loyalty on the stage OF
moned to appear and acquit ourselves
on the present stage of action with
the same spirit Of patriotism and
loyalty to principle that characterized
the patriarchs of 1776.
Making History Fast.
BY reason Of the forces which are
the constituent elements in the struc-
tural formation of our country we have
made and are making. history at a
pace that challenges the best minds
the diversity of talents represented IN
our mixed popula ton has produced a
product that Is unique and distinctively
different from any condition Of human
Centrifugal and centfipetai forces
borrowed from the best powers Of
Europe. have in their aggregate pro-
duced what is recognized throughout
Understand me if f you please. there
Is no thought of self gloriflcation in
this. We are SO near at home to the
achievements of our own people that
contributions OF modern civilization to
the progress and Uplifting of the world
has come from the United States. In
the mechanical arts our superiority Is
sunquestioned. In .'.e matter Of in
ventive genius we leave the world far
behind. In philosophy. literature,
science and art we are in close pursuit
of those nations Of the Old World that
have behind them centuries Of training
and experience in those branches Of
learning.
Our National Achievements.
The material achievements Of :his
R Rosoev have been { IN
activities Of society has taken place.
The impossibilities Of the past have
become the realities Of the present,
and nowhere is this so perceptible as.
stage coach has given way to the
steam engine and the electric car;
initiated distance, and the hand tools
of the artisan have been supplanted
by machinery, which, operated by one
man becomes the labor Of a hundred.
These events, while bringing their
blessings; to society, have also brought
their problems. They have created new
the old question Of human liberty and
.correlatively human happiness. Dur
ing Colonial times our forefathers were
obliged to combat the avarice and
greed Of British royalty. We Of this
gerenation are confronted with the
same foes to populat' government, diff
fering only in form and method.
Character of Our Age.
This Is said to be the age of com
merce. 1t differs from the age Of art
the age Of oratory and the age of
literature, In that It's legitimate design
is to be the benef1cient instrum entality
Of making mankind partake Of all the
fruits and the comforts. Of the earth
and of human industry. It is a ques-
ton deserving Of much serious con-
sideration whether or not the we'll in
tenttoned action Of the progressive
element of Americans in seeking. to
destroy those natural and evolution
ary growths of our expanding CONNER
cial SYSTEM commonly known as trusts,
is after all in conformity with the
scundest philosophy Of industry.
Cause Of Combinations.
Competitive conditions in industry
have forced combination. This is true
Of both labor and capital. AS feudalism
was obliged to yield to the competitive
system, so likewise the competitive
system will eventually find itself SUI
perseded by the cooperative system.
The organizations among laborers
and the combinations among capitalists
are but the steppingstones in the tram
sition from competition to corporation:
The supreme court. of the United
States has recently demonstrated that
there Is waste Of energy in attempt
ing to destroy the trusts, and the corol-
larry from that decision is that, it would
be wiser and better for the people Of
this country to recognize the existence
Of the trusts, and to shape our laws
to regulate their being and to direct
their activities.
Regulation Of Trusts.
This would mean, first; honest capit-
alization from which all watered stock
were eliminated. Second; a method of
publicity and examination as exacttng
as is now required of the national
banks T III d. Limitation t5t on the
the people the benefit Of every decrease
Of the cost of production.
There may be other precautions and
safe guards necessary, but II those
ing, at least, it is clear that many of
the business objections against the
trust would be removed.
But there are other than business
objections to the trust, even under the
best Of government regulation, and
they come from labor. BY reason Of
these objections we have labor
problem, which after all is not labor's
problem so much as it is society's
fects labor reacts on all society.
Economic Inequality.
Abraham Lincoln once said: This
nation cannot long exist half slave and
half free: 1t either must be. all slave
with perfect propriety pharaphrase the
memorable words Of Lincoln and hold,
that this nation cannot long remain
prosperous, and its people happy and
| contented, If that which labor has to
sell must be disposed of under COM
petitive conditions, and the product OF
labor which 1t Is compelled to buy
back is sold by, capitalists at a fixed
This is the situation that exists to-
day.. and because of it's existance we
have a condition Of economic inequality
that ought not to prevail in a country
where every man should have the right
to "ltfe. liberty and the pursuit OF
| happiness
Industrial Independence.
Industrial independence then is the
| next step in the evolution Of human
! rights, and 1t Is the problem to the
solution of which all loyal and patriotic
Americans should earnestly address
| themselves.
| This is not the time nor the occasion
to suggest a remedy. I will leave that
to day suited for the purpose. I
have no fear of the outcome: I have
unbounded faith in the ability Of my
country to provide remedy that will
effectively restore society with all the
1nvestitures that Of right belong to
US as benef1ciaries Of the greatest civil
| blessing ever trq nan7ift cd n man