The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-02-10
LABOR AND CAPITAL.


1t is gratifying to be able to turn
from contemplation Of the brutal
lawlessness attendant upon strikes
and the seltishness Of some phases OF
capitalism to recognize, in many d..
rections, the new spirit of frieDdli-
4 Eess between employer and EN-
ploye, says an editorial in the Feb
rrary Century. On the part of the
former this manifests itself in the
accelerated tendency toward profit
sharing, old age pensions and COM
pensation for injuries, while the
conscientious workman who thinks.
| for himself is coming to clearer
conviction of the advantage to him.
of honest, loyal and continuous SER
vice. 1t has aptly been said that
warfare between the man who owns,
and directs and the man who works
! for hi mis- an unnecessary and illog-
ical economic condition-one in fact.
which tends to the encouragement
and to the harm of all concerned.
The wisest councillors on both sides
are giving up the working hypothesis
of natural antagonism.
All real labor is constructive. NO
matter whether it is performed by
the proprietor in his Office, the fore
man at his desk. or the workman 1t
the bench.
In this country We have been too,
prone to accentuate the apparent
differences, and have therefore Great
ed class distinction. From this
, class distinction has arisen a con-
dition which makes possible the
greedy employer who regards his
workmen merely as machines, and
! the cunning, aggressive, self-promot-
ing labor leader who seeks to cap
italize, for his personal benefit, the
! cause of his deluded followers.
Recently, it is pleasing to relate,
there has come into the situation .
new factor which promises a plat
form upon which both employer and
employe can meet half way, to the
ultimate benefit not only of both, but
also of the general public. This plat
form is the increasing demand for .
radical change in our Industrial LA
bility and workmen's compensation
laws. The movement liz not new, the
injustice of existing laws having
been recognized by many from the
day of their enactment; but what
might properly be called national
insistence upon their improvement IL
comparatively OF recent growth.
1t is distinctly encouraging to note
that today not only are the nation
and the states interested In this hu-
name movement, but individual en-
1ployers' associations, and the great
body of workmen a. we'll, are giving
the subject keen attention. New
York state has already enacted Law
which is considered radical by some
and faulty by others, but is general
ly acknowledged to be an important
step in the right direction. Massa-
chusetts, Ohio. Wisconsin, Indiana
and New Jersey have bills of sim
liar nature under consideration, and
many other states are showing signs
of an awakening of interest in the
enactment Of legislation which viii
serve not only to lessen the appall-
ing list of Industrial accidents
timated at 50e,eoe annually-but
will give needed ana Just relief 70
the sick, the injured, and the desti-
tute, and will also project the en-
ployers' legitimate interests.
| For quarter OF century Ger
many has been conserving her indus-
trial army. Her compensation anA!
relief laws reach to every corner Of
| the great empire and apply to every
worker. Preventable accidents az
reduced to the minimum. The In
jared workman il restored to his
tack as quickly ~ possible. and ths
destitute and the aged receive an
needed relief. With Germany, in
4 dustrial human waste d insufIerable.
It should be 20 regarded In ouf
I country. The movement afoot todar
means much for the Welfare OF to
Yvhole nation.
Z 4 is : ss