The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-12
CAPITAL VS.. LABOR

The McNamaras were red-handed
murderers, but they did not murder
for money. They were not as deSplca-
BILE as the owners of the IroQuo1S the
alter or the General SlOcum, not one
of whom has ever been punished
Star.
This paper holds to the belief that
in the discussion of the war, If any
there be, between capital and labor,
we should be absolutely fair; that II
there be any responsibility impending
between the two on account OF accl-
dents, wrecks, CONGREGATIONS or casu-
alties of any kind, We should fix the
blame where it properly belongs.
If capital be at fault it should be
held responsible; if labor, then 1t
should be held responsible. The fault
of one should not attach to the other.
The editor of this paper, for in
stance, knows nothing of mechanics.
In the building of houses, the erection
of fiues and chimneys, in the opera
ton of machinery, etc, he is com
pletely at the mercy of others.
For his want of knowledge of these
things should he be held responsible
for committing them to the hands OF
others if some calamity should oc-
cur?
For the sake of argument permit us
to draw upon our imagination and say
that the editor of this paper, in his
fifty years of constant labor, has
amassed some surplus capital, and is
assured by wise business friends and
well-wishers that a theatrical build
/ ing would be a paying investment, so
| he decides to risk his hard-earned
/ dollars in theater building.
He tells his scheme, say, to Messrs.
McIver & AIacKay, reputable archi-|
tects, and they draw plans and speci-
/ fications for him. He submits the
same to the city council and gets per-
mission to erect the building within
the incorporate limits of the city.
He advertises for bids and lets the
contract to reputable and competent
builders, and as the work progresses
pays out his hard-earned dollars for
the work and for the supervision of
the same.
When the building is completed it
is inspected by the commissioner of
buildings, if there be one-as there
is in large cities-and it passes in
spection. The editor, proud of his
achievement, leases it to some well
known theatrical manager, and from
some defective workmanship, or for
some other cause, a fire breaks out,
a panic ensues and many lives are
lost
Is the unfortunate editor and own
er, on account of this disaster, to be
reckoned as a worse criminal than
the man who, on salary of thou
sand dollars per month and all ex-
penses paid, goes about the country
| for the deliberate and diabolical pur-
pose of destroying property and MUIR
dering innocent harmless and unsus-
pecting people?
Stretching ones imagination yet
more widely, let us suppose that the
editor of this paper, instead of in
vesting his hard-earned dollars in a
theatrical building, is advised that
there are bigger and quicker returns
| in building steamship, SO he goes to
the shipbuilders of the country, who
are experts and stand high in the nau-
tical world, and contracts for the
| building of a ship. The ship, when
built, is inspected by the government
experts; men are placed in charge of
! it who are familiar with ships and
navigation, men who have been duly
examined and licensed by the United
States government as masters, pilots,
engineers, and the ship and its equip
| ment, boilers, engines and general
paraphernalia are annually inspected;
sometimes, or the ship strikes a sand
bar or a hidden wreck, panic ensues
and many lives are lost
| Is the unfortunate editor and own
er to be held up to public condemna-
ton as worse nialefactor than the
McNamaras?
If that We're true then there would
be no incentive for the employment of
capital in the building of houses or
ships, or in the undertaking of other
enterprises where risks of any kind
are to be assumed
Mrs. Dan Morgan Smith of this city
has just erected very creditable