National Republican (Washington City

The Labor Troubles

Capital's partner—Labor—is an independent sort of a fellow. He puts his strength and skill into the business, and claims dividends enough to keep himself well up to working trim and to feed and clothe his wife and children. Capital, in his thoughtful mood, looks admiringly upon his sinewy associate, and begrudges him none of his fair share of their joint profits. But as dividends multiply, and all come into the hands of the senior partner, he sometimes becomes greedy and grasping. He lives in a palace while his partner lives in a hovel. He takes his sons and daughters to Europe to return on brief visits as the lords and ladies of our land, while his begrimmed partner sees but "looped and windowed raggedness" in his darkened home. The multitude who toil are just now making a motion for such a distribution of the profits as will reduce this great gulf between the employers and the employed. They do not ask that the owner of the capital shall live as they do, but they demand an increase of wages which will enable them to live at the increased prices of living, even if the employers shall accumulate wealth a little less rapidly. It takes two sides to make a bargain. The labor system under which one side makes the bargain for both is slavery. If the strikers' demands cannot be met the employers should be able to make that clear to the chosen leaders of the former. If those demands can be met without disturbance to reasonable profits, the strikers should be sustained.

A fair return on capital invested, and a fair day's wages for a fair day's work—these are the respective demands of Capital and Labor. Each must sometimes yield a portion, but there should be mutuality about it. If either side is driven to the wall, the submission is but sullen. Willing labor is the cheapest, at any price. Capital cannot be permanently safe in a country disturbed by the discontent of underpaid labor. The present labor troubles are serious, and are increasing. If Capital does not make every exertion possible in favor of a just arbitration of differences it will be guilty of the supreme folly of neglecting its own interests.