LABOR. 23 



such wide- spread dissatisfaction among the producing 

 classes throughout the world. The fires of discontent are 

 burning on both continents. Where the freedom of speech 

 is denied the foundation of governments are honey-combed 

 with secret societies. Where freedom of speech is per- 

 mitted labor organizations under various names, but all 

 having the same object self protection in view, are 

 springing into existence. The rapidity of growth and 

 the number of these organizations is absolutely without a 

 parallel. To assume that there is no just cause for all 

 this uprising on the part of labor would be equivalent to 

 courting national suicide. Some will contend that com- 

 petition will correct all inequalities arising in the various 

 conditions of labor. Adam Smith says, "it is the great 

 regulator of industrial action. It is beneficent, just and 

 equalizing. In the market of the world it is what gravi- 

 tation is in the mechanism of the heavens, an all-combining 

 and balancing and beneficent law. Any invasion of this 

 principle is contrary to the law of nature and of sound 

 political economy. n This might perhaps be true if we 

 had, or it were possible to have, like competition in all 

 things; and while it will apply to the markets of the 

 world in the sale of the products of labor there are various 

 conditions in the sphere of expenditure of wages which it 

 cannot affect ; and as to the things which might be affected 

 by it, it is injurious or has a trick of failing at the moment 

 something is expected of it Taxes, to which every man 

 owning property is liable, is not affected by competition; 

 and, when we speak of taxes we mean both direct and 

 indirect. Rents are practically unaffected by it, as also a 

 number of other things to which the laborer is subject and 

 over which competition exerts no influence. Competition 

 in wages, when based upon necessity, is decidedly injurious 

 and signifies an unhealthy condition of the industrial 

 interests of the country. Competition in commerce, trade 



