The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
Is the Equality of Man q Fallacy?
By BURR FERGUS SON

ally used system of controlling men and affairs
 How fas is the controlling thought of a republican form of government respon- s'ble for such conditions as shown by this horrible McNamara conspiracy? This controlling thought of republics is, that all men are equal. This thought is against all the teachings of nature. Men are not equal physically, mentally. mor- ally or in any other way. and neither laws nor controlling thoughts will make them so. They do have at birth the inher- ent right to be the equal of any man, this right hinging solely on the ability of the individual. This fact goes for all men whether it be as citizen of an empire, or a republic. There Is no way yet devised that can draw men to a level; the matter of class will tell. All possible obstacles may be put in the way of man of class, he meets them as they come fights out all his battles to the last ditch with a dogged perseverance that sooner or later will put him in any place that he may have determined to reach. Another man with all material advantages-but lack ing in class-goes from rung to rung on the ladder and each a bit lower than the last.
 It may be well enough to call men equal in governmental has a plaus-
 
 McNamara idea carry this a good bit further and to this effect. The mem- bers of the Structural Steel Workers union are equal to each other and to everybody else-they can and will dc so much work in so many hours per day, the amount of this work to be determined by the work of the weak est, the pay for this work to our mem bers is to be determined by the DO. tential ability of the strongest" No ele ment of competition here, whether they be good or bad, all classes of work men, must be paid the same amount paid all other men in his class. No mar must go ahead because he does moro work or better than his fellows.
 Now comes the other class with whom the steel worker or his union has di rectly to do. the employing class. Witf the latter it is all competition, iron the time he goes into business, as 2 little boy perhaps. Every step in his advancement has come to him because he saved his money, whatever his wage did all the work he could do to fur. ther the interest of his employers. There was no cry of long hours or exhaust. ing labor from him, but with an eye that looked only to the interest of the business in hand he goes on to recog. hilton. This comes not from any at tempt or thought of equality, but a constant effort to keep his light shin ing a trifle ahead of his fellows. His preferment, his advances in salary come because he is better than the next man because it is profitable to his employer to enlarge his field of work. In the course of time such endeavor, such con- sistent perseverance puts such a man in position to build or manage a bus mess of his own. with his own money or that of those who have confidence in his ability to earn dividends for them At the first step, in recent years should his business house be one oi modern. construction. he is met by the apparently memorable demands of the Iron Workers union, Employ our mer only. They will do so much work fol so much money. and no others need apply. FaniSk to comply with our de. mands, Mr. Employer, we will use g