264 
THIRTEENTH REPORT. 
system laborers must assume entire responsibility for the support of 
themselves and family, and it gives them only their labor with which 
to accomplish this support. By the very nature of that labor it must 
be spent and rewarded for at once, as it cannot be preserved. This 
necessities bargaining, and unless the laborer is a good bargainer or 
has adequate bargaining facilities he will not be able to gain from his 
labor satisfactory returns. So much depends upon his facilities as a 
bargainer that his ability to procure wages depends more upon his 
facilities as a bargainer than his ability as a producer. This condition 
has never been present in other systems of payment for the service 
of labor. In the cases of slavery and feudalism the laborer was economi- 
cally free. The present system of the payment for the service of labor 
gives the laborer political independence and economic dependence. It 
has taken great force on the part of society to procure political inde- 
pendence for the great masses of the population. Some equal force should 
now be made not only to maintain political independence, but also to 
procure economic independence. It is maintained by many that col- 
lective bargaining through the organizations of laborers will accomplish 
this end. I will consider this at another point in this paper. 
The present wage system puts labor to a disadvantage in treating their 
own cases. Firstly, because they are in large numbers; that is, their 
group is large, and the group with which they are treating is usually 
small. Whenever you have a large group treating with a small group, 
the large group is at a disadvantage because a small group can pro- 
cure action quickly and focus their work more quickly, whether that be 
a case in court, or in open bargaining. 
Secondly, capital naturally finds its support by different interests; 
the press finds it to their advantage to assist capital and capitalistic 
interests, thus shaping public opinion against its opponents. 
Thirdly, because of being easily influenced by “scares.” When em- 
ployers want some particular thing and can get it no other way they 
are almost always certain to accomplish it by making some “scare” 
aenerallv known. This is carried out in numerous wavs; one case very 
clearly before the public now is that of the opposition which United 
States Steel is putting forth against labor unions. It is generally known 
about the plants that a member of a labor union will be discharged, 
thus scaring the men so that you cannot get one of. them to talk labor 
unions until you have his closest friendship and confidence. 
3. Remedies — Various schemes have been used to remedy in part or 
in whole the evils of the wage system just mentioned. Firstly, every 
state in the Union has some more or less adequate legislation to remedy 
the evils to some degree. Almost every state has some legislation rela- 
tive to strikes, lockouts, and general labor disputes, as to their settle- 
ment either by compulsory or voluntary arbitration, and every state in 
the Union, I believe, has some kind of provision for aged, unemployed, 
and orphans, which affect their economic dependence. 
We have a tendency toward legal proceedings in settlement of labor 
questions. Many employers are inviting their employees to consult with 
them in the settlement of questions which concern both classes. In 
some cases the employers even go so far as to' invite employes’ repre- 
sentatives to consult with them as to the substitution of labor-saving 
