Year: 1877

capital in business so that it may become
remunerative increase in extent,


and afford permanent dividends on the
investment. In order to do this he must


employ labor that is suitable and appro-
pirate for the nature of the business done.


In this particlar case the manufactured


articles require large amount of SIX illed


labor. 1t is divided and subdivided until


it requires q special kind of labor for many


particular branches of the work. The


business could not be a success without


the skilled labor which can produce the


manufactured work.


The reasonable presumption is that such


labor could never be brought there and
induced to engage 10 their employ


ment unless there was a reasonable


assurance of permanent employment and


fair wages. Deere Il Co. could never


have built up their business or amassed


their wealth without the assistance and


the labor which has produced what they


place in market, and therefore aside from


the cold technical legal rights of the re-


spectiVe parties there is the implied


obligation of reciprocal regard for


each others interests 1t is not easy to
make men see the wisdom or the Justice of
reducing the wages to the amount of legal
interest on money loaned, while the busi-


ness concern for which they work keeps


within the limits of its estimated annual
expenses, by curtailing the price of labor,


and leaves itself thereby the profits on its
productions the same as before. A busi-
ness which enlarges annually, and besides
; declaring large dividends, can build large
warehouses, make expensive additions to


shops and machinery. and exhibit every
outward show OF prosperity, is not IN a


moral and equitable sense entitled in


times of distress and hardship, to make
its first retrenchment upon the wages of
its employees without any regard to their
necessities, or what they could pay it the
: retrenchment were made in some other


direction. 1t is no reasonable explanation


of the reduction of labor under such cir


cumstances, to iterate the common com
plant of general hard times, when in al
l other respects, except the labor depart.
: ment, they show no signs of financial ina.
biiity or embarrassment


There is a sense OF justice in these mat
e ters of which all are sensible, which rises
s superior to the hard abstract aud technica


rights of the parties and which should


influence them in their dealings witt


each other. The common feelings O


humanity revolt at the exercise of sucI


hard and unjust terms. the general sympa


thy is in all ages against the Shylock, ant


if it permits him to take his pound of fesI


is!will ever refuse his touching one iot o


title more than is nominated In the bond
r, In regard to the rights of employees


every man has the right to decide for him
: self for whom he will work, and for wha


wages he is willing to work. This is the in
II defeasible and absolute right of the laborer
lec More than that, workmen have the righ
,. to combine and agree as a body wha
- wages they will ask and upon what copdi
&c tlons they will work. They have the righ
u to induce every person they can to Join il
y their determination, provided they exer
y else Do intimidation or coercion in SO doing


They have the right, unless they are work
% ing upon stipulated length of time, to sto
III work when they choose, and the right t


say they will not work for reduced wages
But they have not particle of right (
ie interfere with or prevent others fror
y working who do not join in their views an
:" are willing to take the place they vacated
> They have no right to iujure or destro


the property of their late employer, or
az commit any acts of violence against hi
" business. If the employer suffers loss b
:. his workmen leaving him it his misfortune
" He has no redress but to substitute other
l n in their place as rapidly as possible; if I'll
u workmen are sufferers from their own fire
,. aud voluntary relinquishment of their Ell
"a ployment that is also their personal mi
Ut fortune. The action of both parties
-. such cases is the arbitrary act of eaC
n s standing simply upon the bare an
u u absolute right, The policy or expedienc
- - is another aud different thing altogethel
=, 1t ought to be as much mater of goc
IA conscience and equity as of cold abstra
70 right, and a business which requires ar
- depends upon skilled labor for its succe
u and profits should be willing to reeogni
VI VI the force and equity as well as expedien
~ ~ of the claim OF labor to fair and liviI
- compensation.


~ Let the employer treat his workman
~ one whose interest it is his own interest
~ have prosper, and there is little danger
~ the workman not recognizing the fact ar
81 reclprocatiDg his employers kindness al
"a good will. Not oficiously or presumpt
IIo ously, but in the interest of the communi
nS and the welfare of all concerned, '
50 would earnestly recommend mutual fo
80 bearance, respect, and the exercise of 7
J., clprocal consideration and regard for ca
'::e others interests.


lily Letter of s. .vene of Deere & Co
nd MOLINE, Ill.,, July 81, 1877.
'uu To the Editor of The Argus:


nts DEAR SIR:


cts 7. would l.a q frr;,laso tosl, 70 .t,o,,
70 to trace to their source the rumors th
find circulation in times of public excl
Eno ment but if you will give me the name
Rba m faH n . haS
loD had ever said what kind of diet was 90
hat enough for laborino men will he creo
lon obliged; and if have ever made any


mark to any one detracting from the
; nifty of labor, | have not the faintest r
: election of it, and would esteem it D.
Ter sonal favor in any one who will refresh
the memory of any thing ever said or done
len, me disrespectful of or to laboring men.
i to That impalpable and irresponsible D
also son known By the familiar name of "Tt
no Say" has always been a prolific author


Of injurious reports and he can never
In brought to account for calumny. and
ten best defense against his assaults is silen
ime and the only refutation of them sho


come from the lips of the thousands
and fellow laborers that | have been intimat
and associated with during the past fftt
our years. hold it to be gross wrong
sent attempt to draw an invidious distinct


between the men who execute and
sere men who plan and perfect agencies Il
re- keep in constant employment force
1t men from year to year-the men '
its work with muscle and brain united, ;
tu- those that work with brain and nerV
the for their own and the good of 9th,
usi- There are those who assu