Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-04
The Money Power and the Labor
Combines.


Editor Kennebec Journal:
The trial of the Mcnamara brothers
now progressing in Los Angeles, Cali
fornia, brings to the forefront agar
the great issue between capital and
labor. This pending case will doubt
less be considered a cause celebre, al
fecting as it does a remarkable array
of persons and incidents. 1t will re-
quire an estimated expense of more
than one million dollars, besides nun
dredS of witnesses from many states.
II is thought that the trial Will cover a
period of six months or more. The
end of it will be but another chapter in
the great conflict between capital and
labor.
1t is far from our purpose to express
an opinion as to the guilt or innocence
OF the defendants in this case. our
purpose is to point out what the Bible
plainly teaches will be the inevitable
outcome of the principles involved.
Inspiration gives remarkable outline
of the issue between the rich and the
poor. capital and labor. The Apostle
James writes the following on the SUBJ
Jet
Go to now. we rlCn men, weep ana nOWI
for your miseres that shall come upon
YOU. Your riches are corrupted, and
your garments are motheaten. Your gold
and silver is cankered; and the rust of
them shall be a witness against you, and
shall eat your flesh as it were fire Yc
have heaped treasure together for the
last DAYS. Behold the hire of the labor
erS who have reaped down your fields,
which is of YOU kept back by fraud
crieth. and the cries of them which
have reaped are entered into the ears of
the Lord of sabbath.
In the light of the past record Of
concentrated wealth, il must be admit
ted that the present intense stage of the
controversy between capital and labor
is nearing the greatest crisis of AM
erican history The great Lincoln de-
seribed existing and approaching con
ditiens With an accuracy almost in
spired when NJ said, at the close of
the Civil War:
see in the near future a crisis APP
preaching that unnerVes me, aud causes
me TO tremhle for the safety of my
country. As result of the war, cor
poFationS have been enthroned. and an
era of corruption in high places win fol-
low, and the money power of the coun-
try will endeavor to prolong its reign by
working upon the prejudices of the peo-
pie until the wealth is concentrated in
ittt- MINUS Oh Il ltMr ana inns TtpuUtit Is
destroyed. | feel at this moment more
anxiety for the safety of my country
Than ever before, even In the midst Of
the war
In addition 10 what inspiration fur
nishes on this question. we have the
history OF the past. by which We may
discern the future; for. as Patrick
Henry said. We have no sufficient
means Of Judging the future but by the
past" History records the fact that
two per cent. of Egypts population
owned nearly her entire wealth when
she became n vassal power. Persia.
Went down with one per cent. Of its
population owning all the land. Two
per cent of the population of Babylon
owned all the wealth at the time Neb-
uehadnezZar was king. During the
reign of the Caesars. Rome reached its
pinnacle of wealth and power. But it
went down because of corruption.
largely brought about by unWise uses
of its wealth.
Fifty men in these United States. &"
said Senator Depew. have il in their
power by reason of the wealth which
they control. To come together within u
hours and arrive at an understanding by
which every wheel of trade and COM
merce may be stopped from revolving.
every avenue Of trade blocked, and every
electric key struck dumb. Those 80 men
can paralyZe the whole country, for they
can control its currency and create a
panic whenever they will.
On the other hand, it must be re-
membered that labor in its attempt to
defend its interests has TO a great de-
gree justified the impression now ex-
tant that as a monopolistic force, it is
treating capital with a spirit of re-
Venge and intolerance, also that the Ia
Dor combines seriously affect those
toilers who may not be in the same,
| thus bringing in disorder and putting
10 naught property as we'll as individ-
uai rights. Former President Roose-
velt's words on this point are notewor-
| thy:
Ours is a government of liberty. by
| through. and under the law LawleSS-
| Ness ana connivance at aW-breaking-
whether the law breaking take the form
! Oh u crime OF greed and cunning or OF 9
CRIME OF Elolence-are destructive MOI
| only OF order, but of the true liberties
when can only come through order II
awe to their true interests rich anc
poor alike will set their faces like flint
against the spirit which seeks persona
! advantage by overriding the laws, with
out regard TO whether this spirit show,
| itself in the form Of bodily violence by
one set OF men or in the form of Vu
| pine cunning by another set of men,
| Instead of labor resorting TO violent
means TO obtain justice, the Lord
counsels, BE We also patient: stablist
your hearts. Grudge not one
against another, brethren, lest we be
condemned -
1t is claimed that legislation will end
the struggle, but we believe this is a
mistake Legislation may ameliorate
conditions to an extent; but, owing &c
selfish interests and selfish purposes
manifested on the part of both capita
and labor, it will require greater in.
genulty and power than humanity ear
possibly afford TO bring about ar
agreement between them. In the Ian.
guage of the author of Education,
Were the principles of Gods laws re
| sardfng the distribution of propert,
carried out in the world today, how diff
| ferent would be the condition OF the neo
| pie! An observance of these princinla
| would prevent the terrible evils thar Il
all ages have resulted from the oppres
sion Of the poor by the rich and the ha
tired of the rich by the poor While
might hinder the amassing OF grea
| wealth, il would tend to prevent the 10
| norauna and dppf1da tinp of tan. . ~ =