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Scientific American Supplement, No. 623, December 10, 1887 by Various
page 16 of 143 (11%)
instances been captured by designing men, who control the masses to
accomplish selfish ends? Whatever may have been the method of
evolution, it is certain that the manufacturing operations of the
present day have to meet with elements entirely antagonistic to their
interests, and in very many ways antagonistic to the interests of the
workingman. The members of many organizations, even of intelligent
men, are blindly led by chiefs of various titles, of which perhaps the
walking delegate is the most offensive one to reasonable people. This
class of men claim the right to intrude themselves into the
establishments owned by others, and on the most trivial grounds make
demands more or less unreasonable, and order strikes and otherwise
interfere with the work of manufacturers, much in the way that we have
an idea that the agents of the barbarbous chieftains, feudal lords,
and semi-civilized rulers collected taxes and laid burdens in earlier
historical times. Necessarily these men must use their power so as to
insure its permanency. If strikes are popular, strikes must be
ordered. If funds run low, excuses for strikes, it is believed, in
many cases are sought, so as to stir the pulses of those who
sympathize with the labor cause.

Co-operation has been suggested as a cure for the evil, and there are
cases where it has apparently succeeded, in connection with the
earlier forms of labor organization. The ambition of later labor
leaders almost prevents this remedy being of effect. It may be
possible still with very intelligent workmen, isolated from the large
mass of workmen in the country towns, to feel an interest in
co-operation; but such inducements, or the higher ones of personal
kindness to employes or their families, are not of much effect in
large manufacturing centers. As soon as dissatisfaction exists in one
mill or manufactory, all similar employes are ordered out. The final
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