New England Religious Herald

"HE GIVES THEM WORK."

We are disposed to quarrel with this stale old phrase. It conveys a great falsehood. It's a lie. We mean what we say when we assert that the idea that the capitalists give work to labor, thereby doing a favor and a benevolent act—a gratuity, is a huge falsehood. Laborers have been equally culpable in admitting the degrading phrase to be correct. They have accepted it. They have allowed themselves to be degraded. They have not seen its bearings. They are waking up now, and will reject it, as they ought to do. These great monopolies in the shape of factories railroads and others of the kind do not support the laborer. They are supported by labor. They get rich by buying labor for less than its value. They would not have the laborer about at any rate, if it were not for their own benefit. Look at the way some of these establishments are managed in this city.

One—an individual concern—exercises this benevolence on a large scale. Go where the subjects of benevolence are at work—where they are having work "given" them. There you may see a prison-looking yard which you may gain entrance to by permission of the proprietor and the opening of a secret spring gate by the gate keeper, but mind you, you must be an operative or you cannot come in. They allow "no admittance" to the rooms where the subjects of their munificence are at work—no conversation for fear they will not do all the work they have "given" them.

Who cannot see through the flimsy veil capital has woven for "the faces of all people" who labor? If the work was a gift, they would let them do as little as they please; but when they throw bars and bolts around the objects of their charity, to keep them in and all humanity out, for fear of the loss of a single moment's time, it gives the lie to all their claims of benevolence. They have bought the labor at a price that will enrich themselves, and they are careful of every moment's time for fear a cent less shall flow into their already well-lined pockets. Away, then, with the idea of the rich employer giving labor to those who work for him. The gift is all the other way. The capitalist has the surplus of what the laborer produces beyond his consumption given to himself, instead of giving anything. Labor supports capital—supports it in luxury, while itself goes clothed in rags. Labor "gives" capital its existence. It produces all capital. It "gives" it life. It "gives" it the privilege of riding labor rough shod through the world with but little resistance. Indeed, capital has so long enslaved the laborer and employer have thought that the laborer was the only one benefitted. This idea must be done away with. Let words be used correctly. Let laborers say they are working for the support of such and such a capitalist, not that he gives us labor. Say anything that will show everybody that the wealthy employers are living on the bounty of the laboring men and are truly the paupers.

National Reformer.