The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1915-09-02

Alike The Enemy Of Legitimate Capital and
Labor Through Special Privileges


In order to believe that capital
employs labor one must also have to
believe that capital creates more
wealth independent OF Iabor's services
altogether Capital is an instrument
by which labor is organized into an
effective force for the production Of
more capital and is secondary in inl-
portance TO labor because labor can
employ other labor independently Of
capital altogether thru cooperation.
But If it were not for the element
of monopoly entering into the rela-
tions Of capital and labor there would
really be no need of capital and labor
quarreling over differences of wage,
hours Of service, recognition of
rights, etc, etc.
The supposed differences between
the two forces is accentuated by the
Fact that monopoly oppresses legiti-
mate capital by its privileged position
Of being granted favoritism in rates
of transportation, special favors and
other advantages, creating a strong
ground in the capture Of further cap
italistic enterprises, which il applies
inonopaiistic methods to in still fur
ther soppsassing both legitimate caps
ital and labor.
Mouopoiistic capital has grown so
strong that it coerces legitimate
capital into its own support in its
fight to gain strong hand over the
1aborer.
Once the element of monopoly is
eliminated from production it will
open wide the expansion of compel
tive industry, reducing the cost of
products which are sold to the con-
sumer and increasing the compensa-
tion due the laborer for his services.
Competition is natural law that will
regulate on true basis the relations
OF capital and labor, thru the working
untrammeled of the law of supply and
demand.
When legitimate capital that which
Is employed in competitive industry,
Joins hands with monopolistic cap-
ital. it consciously or unconsciously
weakens itself in the estimation of
the general public and helps strength
en- a feeling that really should not
exist at ALA feeling of class con-
sciousness in both capitai and labor.
But as monopoiistic capital. con-
trolled bv very lew. powerful men,
seizes additional industries which it
operates from the monopolistic
standpoint, which means curtaii-
ment of production and arbitrary in
crease of price, the total number of
capitalists in INDEPENDENT enferorises
is reduced and the latter will ioin
hands with the iaborer in an effort
to destroy monopoly in private en-
terprise and take over as public mon
opolies those enterprises which are
strictly public monopolies in essence.
The great Standard Oil Company
had the beginning Of its great power
IN favoritism in railroad rates and in
the extension of its power it applied
this principle to all of is undertake
ings. The secrecy of its privileges
enabled it TO get the upper hand of
the unorganized Independents in the
same enterprises before they realized
the source Of its power. But the pro-
fits of the oil monopoly were too
great to be all re-invested in that en-
terprise so the owners and controllers
of the monopoly re-investeed in 9TH
er enterprises, which they turned in
10 monopolies, and the process has
been automatically increased. divert
ing large portion Of the private in
dustries Of the country into the hands
OF those who have always been the
enemies of expansion in industry
With the increase of population and
the number engaged in agricultural
pursuits, the ratio Of increase in COM
mereeial and industrial enterprises
has gained an enormous preponder-
ence IN the number of men employed,
but not so the number of independent
enterprises. Monopoly has increas-
ed the supply OF laborers and decreas-
ed the number of competitive capital
lists, reducing the number of agricul-
fural home owners and CIR home
owners as we'll until the tenant class
IL both city and country now out
humber those wllo> can call a certain
spot Of ground their own
There is no other way of chang
ing this process except by attacking
the mother Of ali monopoiies, which
is the private ownership of the earth,
or, to be more correct the recogni-
ton of private rights ia the earth.
Until the people Of the earth de-
mand that the values created by the
people shall be returned to the people
there will be increasing poverty in
the face Of increased production Of
wealth because those who do mot
SOW will reap more and more from
Tie sum total of wealth and make
Still more subservienf those who sell
their labor It is fortuuafe for or
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