Denver labor bulletin., 1915-06-12
Continued from Page One.)

single fortune in the world, and there
fore what he says concerns the whole
nation The name of the corporation
that piled up the fortune which he will
some day control goes hand in hand with
greed. avarice. and relentless warfare up
on competitors. and all low down, dishon-
oruble methods vet conceived by biz
business financiers. The Standard Oil
company has sent many man to an
early grave: it has robbed decent. honest
men OF Il business opportunity; and has
robbed men of faith in business honesty
and business morality. 1t has put a
stain of dishonor OH everything connect
ed with it, and yet the STANDARD OIL
company represents the business policy
to be applied to the situation in Colo
RADIO.
The remarks of Mr.. Rockefeller would
be humorous were it not for the gravity
OF the condition to which it refers. He
probably thought that he was stating ac-
curately the purpose OF the corporation;
but that the expression is false is
equally true.
Argument in Disguise.
No reasonable man could be made to
believe that any corporation would rather
lose its whole investment than that
"workmen should be deprived of their
right to work for whom they please;
no capitalist ever spent millions to ''pro
tect the freedom OF the workers." He
attempts to shield himself by the argu-
ment that has disguised many an enemy
OF the workers-freedom of contract
Back OF it all lies the real inspiration
the supreme sanctity OF property and Il
determination to maintain that principle
at all hazards BY the right" of the
worker ito work for whom he plcases
Mr.. Rockefeller evidently means the
right of capital to dictate the terms
and conditions of work and of the EN-
ployes to accept those terms or starvc.
Consider the marvellous advantage for
freedom afforded the workers of the
Colorado Fuel X Iron company. con
trolled by the Rockefeller Standard Oil
company. Only such men as have not
been blacklisted are at liberty" to lin
ger on the private property of the com
pany lie is ut liberty" to patronize
the company stores in order to keep his
Job. Likewise he is at liberty" to rent
company HOUSES, employ company physi-
clans. and Use company lighthouses for
which he Is at liberty to pay com
pauy fee He i at liberty" to accept
what wages he j. offered. to accept what
weights the company -tc- Ut 10 give nun
for his output. and to work Just a.
many hours as the company sees fit to
suggest A virtual civil war has existed
in Colorado to force upon the miners
this conception OF freedom" and lib
erty."
The original conflict between the min
ers and the Rockefeller interests was
wages. hours. and other details Of EN-
ployment, but in order to combine its
forces in order to cope with the com
bnation of capital the issue evolved into
one OF unonism. To Mr. Rockefeller this
is evidently a new conflict. vet in prin-
ciple it is similar To that which h;ls !
ragged in one form or another for many
generations.
Lincoln Stood For Humanity.
Some sixty years ago Abraham Lin
coin touched upon the situation in the
following words;
'It is the eternal struggle between
two principles - right and wrong =
throughout the world. The one is the |
common right OF humanity and the other |
the divine right OF kings 1t is the
same principle in whatever form it |
shapes itself We are for both |
the man and the dollar. but in case OF |
conflict we are for the man before the |
dollar. Capital is only the fruit |
OF labor ard could never have existed il |
labor had not first existed Labor is
the superior of capital and deserves much |
the higher consideration"