15 



promisinjy it is, and the less docs it regard tlie rights or inter- 

 ests of the laborer or tlie public. 



It is often and truly said that capital and lal^or ought to 

 move on in harmonious relations witli each other, and that 

 their interests ought to be identical. This is true, but the fact 

 is too often wholly disregarded in practice. Capital will not 

 regard the intei-est of labor ; it wants and strives for as full 

 and absolute control over the laborer as if he were a slave 

 rather than a free man. It is only a question of power ; right 

 has little to do with its solution. Capital is every day acquir 

 ing greater power, and individual power and independence are 

 growing rapidly less. Capital already, through the labor per- 

 forming machinery employed, actually owns most of the labor 

 in our factories. The amount of labor performed by individu- 

 als, in many kinds of manufactures, is small compared with 

 that performed by this machinery. And it is manifestly the 

 purpose of capital, controlled by corporations, to make the 

 laborer a part of the machinery ; to bring him under its con- 

 trol as absolutely as the inanimate machinery which he assists 

 in operating. And legislation, instead of being employed to 

 prevent this condition of affairs, is invoked most vigorously to 

 its aid, and individuals are daily made less and less able to 

 resist the encroachments of this arbitrary power. These cor- 

 porations have been created under the plea that the public con- 

 venience requires them ; upon no other plea could there be 

 any justification for them. There can be no excuse for char- 

 tering a corporation but such as will justify the exercise of the 

 right of eminent domain. It is not enough that the public 

 convenience requires it ; })ublic necessity must demand it l)e- 

 fore a corporation can rightfully be created. If these corpora- 

 tions rest upon this foundation, it is clear that the State has a 



