The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-10-07
AS TO POLITICS.

circles that the legislation which Congress passed at the eleventh hour to avert railroad strike was due to the solidarity of the brother hoods. Almost all the labor papers point out this fact as an instructive one, and furthermore the capitalist rage that is manifested in variety of great journals is an indication that this estimate is correct.
 In any event that it is correct all observation as to politics will un- doubtedly confirm. Most people imagine that legislation, especially legislation which is of a reformlst nature is inspired by some humanl- tartan motive But that idea is not correct. Tn point of fact, all legis- lation is a manifestation of certain economic forces which have through their influence been able to excite it. Politics responds unerringly to the stimulus of economic power and the class, the set of persons or the ln- diyidual who controls the economic mower can usually secure legislation on his behalf.
 It is an undeniable fact that the great commercial. industrial and financial interests have written raems of legislation over the statute hooks of every country, and there is not a phase of political activity which does not in itself represent some economic force, strong and powerful, finding naturalization on the political field.
 This analysis is sound if unsenti- mental, and it goes down below the tumult and the shouting that so de- ceiyes those who are led away by certain characteristics of political activities.
 But one can hardly consider any issue which has been before the country which was not an effort upon the part of some class or sec tion of the people to have their eco homie interests attended to. Thus we have the powerful and the ,prlvl- legged able to successfully resist an income tax for half century; we have the consolidating powers in the world of industry successfully compelling a tariff so that their ope- rations could be compulsorily sup ported by the domestic consumption of their product; we have the shipp- ing combines manfully striving to gnaw hole in Uncle Sans pletho- ric valet so that in the shape of shipping subsidy they could increase their share of the unearned incre- ment, and we have organized labor repeatedly endeavorIng through vari- ous means to have such legislation passed as would strengthen its position.
 Now to find an expression of their economic interests materializing in such a political manifestation as le- gislation, the first essential has been that the interest seeking such legis- lation would be organized, and the stronger that economic organiza- ton the more definite and complete would be the successful political manifestation under all circum- stances be.
 Nor is the reason for this far to seek. In composite society such as exists at the present day, with only very indistinct and very misty conceptions held by the vast major ity of what their interests really are; with so many entertaining wholly perverted ideas of their real interests and with others this wholly a matter of latent instinct the only way whereby minority interests could rule is through controlling the majority.
 Obviously also that economic con trol comes ready-made to the em- ployers They provide through the grace of God and ownership of the HlcdhS ol pIOuuClioH iHt uiSliibU' ton an opportunity to the masses who are employable, t. live And because they have that power they can secure support from employees even when that support is to the un- doing of the workers. Or they may use threats; they can declare that in the event of their candidate not receiving a majority, the opportuni- ty to work may be denied by the closing down of the mine, or the mill, or the factory, or the foundry, or the machine plant, or the blast furnace. And also by persuading many employees that their interest,"