Show DOES ALL WEALTH BELONG TO LABOR LABOR is the source of all w wealth therefore all wealth belongs to labor This sentiment stands at the head of the Social Democratic Federation Fedoration Federa- Federa 1 tion organized in England of which John Burns the noted agta agitator tor is one of the chief champions The rhe articles of this Federation have been published in the ERET NEWS having been furnished iby by our Ogden correspondent The proposition which stands at atthe atthe the head of this platform and which underlies the whole J of the organization is manifestly in- in corrEct It is partially true tb that labor is the source of all wealth viewed in one sense of the term But it is ii not true that because labor produces wealth that product be- be belongs belongs be longs to labor Land is wealth as the term J is used 1 used usE and accepted today It may be argued that land is of no value with with- without with out out labor But this is not exactly correct The land itself has baa a value valDe and commands a price In the mark market irrespective of any improvement lt upon it True labor in some place or in some way has an effect In regulating its value but In and of 01 itself land is wealth and how however er remote it may be from any aDY kind kind of labor it is worth something intrinsically intrinsically Therefore to say that laboris labor fabor is the source of all ail wealth is a stretch of the truth beyond reason reasonable able limits But suppose the proposition Ja in strictly true that labor is the 80 sourer of all aU wealth It does not follow that all wealth belongs to labor labor- If man makes a coat and receives pay 17 for his labor does the coat belong belong to to- to him If another man has made the cloth and sold it does he own the cloth that he sold How about the wool clipped cUpped from the sheep and woven into fabrics to be further manufactured Does that belong to Co the clipper or the sheep owner or orthe orthe orthe the manufacturer after 41 It has pa into the substance of a shawl shaw Of or o a blanket or a garment of any kid ki Mh pu purchased for use Capital can evidently ownership of property that once U to- to longed to labor When labor eE- eE eEE e changes E changes change any prod product for cash cub orr or ei r- r f S I 1 er product it no longer owns S What it produced produce Labor has the thel a d b l to f dispose of itself When itself Wien ben this is done it does oes not oW own what it produces that beg be- be g tb fib the capitalist or employer Who paid for the labor Therefore tabor r if the source of all aU not rightfully y own all wealth I It ia is Just such fallacies as that atthe at the head bead of the platform of this new F federation n which incites I Irk people to acts of lawlessness pt d by discontent and the er- er ert er t Idea that capital is enjoying that rightfully belongs to them them- It is the worst kind of dema- dema an and laborers of every class bt lit to look through it compre hend bend its ite error and discern the mo- mo motives mo tives of those who formulate these glittering sentences to dazzle and lead J ayay away honest but not logical Any attempt to set labor against J total aI or capital agai against labor is bid business The experience of which has into 3 ages gone history has 4 r demonstrated that capital as we well as labor Jabor is needed for all gigantic Labor unorganized ct a without brains to direct it itt when organized ben organized can accomplish but buty F little Ue Capital is of course derived from labor and skill but it is notO notor not O labor or r nor is it skill Those who who gae ae it have rights as well as theP the P tales without whose muscle and vigor it would would be of but small e The rights of property must be bek Jt ai tah ed or there would be no gress of civilization The acon ac- ac on of oi property is an incentive to tp labor labor It is a proper object to hold la tn vie l tew Whenever a laborer ac- ac aci ac i q lre more armore of earths earth's earth s products than toan J is b necessary ry for his bis immediate wants be b comes becomes 1 a capitalist Not be- be be ea 0 e be Owns all he produces but he because he he is entitled to that which be acquires 1 4 When When a mutuality of interests bind bind the capitalist and the thela Ayer ofer together this prolonged 4 L test WIll l Ul cease It can never Bever b be i however by anything less than an Influence which will touch souls soul of men and make them Viers others e 8 There will wiH always be ine ine- inequalities q qualities of possessions because men Dot am not dot equal in their abilities But can be established with with- with equality Capital and labor are in- in interdependent Interdependent in interdependent and each should have its 8 rights tights determined on the justice mercy and fraternity y Only ODly the influence and li light ht andr and r 1 er of the Gospel which M the Fatherhood of God andY and Y y y the brotherhood of man can bring about the change that is needed in inthe Inthe inthe the relations of employers and em- em employed employed em employed of capital and labor There will always be individuals who will have more property than others It must be so in the very nature of things But these ought not to prey upon their poorer fellows nor be permitted to take any undue advantage of the power of property And under the laws andrules and andrules andrules rules and spirit of the Gospel which embraces all that is good in govern govern- government government government ment as well as theology science art injustice will even even- eventually eventually be driven from among man man- mankind mankind mankind kind equity will prevail and all people of every condition ability and class will have their rights se- se secured secured se secured cured It is the lawful privilege of every laborer to become a capitalist to a greater or less extent But under the present state or ot society it is im- im imI impossible im impossible I possible for thousands of laborers I to save anything from their hard earnings beyond immediate necessities necessities necessities ties and many have not sufficient to supply even them This is all wrong The laborer is worthy of his hire And that means proper remuneration and sustenance It is the right of laborers to com com- combine combine combine bine for mutual protection and to resist the encroachments of heartless capital But it is not right to do any any- anything anything anything thing whether individually or by organizations of any allY name or nature which will limit the freedom of coerce others coerce the souls of men in any degree or prevent a laborer from disposing of his hid labor as seems good to him But whet when labor claims in general terms to own all aU it produces thus striking a blow at capital capita at accum- accum accum of property at the very principle of sale and exchange it makes itself a foe to progress to f civilization civilization civilization and to those incentives which stimulate itself and raise men mento mento mento to higher conditions and thus de- de de defeats feats eats its own purpose and becomes an obstruction and a menace to f the world |