CAPITAL AND LABOR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 515, 1 March 1872, Page 3

CAPITAL AND LABOR.

TO THE EDITOR OF Ttt ! D7J-S :'AV TI i :I. Sir, —I may remark incidentally, that the *y item of credit prevalent on the gold-fields. ' mautione Ila my last cam unnicatioi, embo lies a p inciple which wid remove the' fun'lams ital difficilcy to the settlement of the most important social question of the age, viz: -The adjustment of the relations bat'ween capital and labor. T11039 intimitely acquaiutel with the characters an 1 sentiments of the working class js,—especially of those in the colonies—-k-.ow that it is impatience of subordination fc> the c .i.trr-l of the empl >yer, require 1 of labourers far hire, that is the primal y cause of "stakes," "lockouts," and the constantly occurring differences between employees and employed. These demonstrations are manifestations of the spiiit and " individualism", ami indicate the deep feeling of "equality of rights", listing ill the minds of t.e people of civilized commnnitit s. This grievance of the working millions, this discordance between the spirit of the .people of the a e, and the spirit <>f estab--1 shed constitutions, is the vexata questio of philosophicpoliticalrefoiin-is. Fourierism, 85. Simoni m, Owenisu", and other forms of socialism and con munism are ilevh cs for the organisation of labor, and the equitable distribution of itspioducts; and aim printipally at the destruction of this giant evil of modern civilization. Newly discovered though dutani lands-Anadias, Utopiasare p.ii.te t out to the labourer, where no taskni isters may co .trol his spontaneous activity;- aid in which leisure and variety relieve the monotony of,toil, By the system of credit, before reterred to, the." tab es ar'o turned" upon the capi-talist—employer-5 and the laboiei is emailcipated—per sattu -frvm servility and str>cloin to a posi ion of mastery and independence. The miner is the prime-mover in any ne.vund.-rtaking ; tho principal party in the org tnisa ion and eoiiluet of operations and the capitalist who'miy have supplied the means and materials fjr the-e opeuvions has no right of interference, no privilege of surveillance, nor power of control. The c,ipi alist who advances money in a'.iy industrial enterprisj as, fjr example, tiia furnisher of a mining claim—should, it is o.ivious, have soma BCenrioy on the plant or machinery, &c, until the re-produe ivcness of the wo.ks have refunded the capital aUaicel : or, in cue of deiiciency, such share pr-j rata with .li; working proprietors a- miy have been agieed upon, and should alsj h.ve a voice, if 11 >t in tlie direction »>f operations, in tii- appropiiatioa aiuldistribati in of ihe produce. Tliis is the defect of the prevailing system. The advances aie made upon the person il security of ihe borrower and the credit of the enterprise ; and capital can | only b ; available under such circumstances iii a liniitel degree, an I at high rates 1 f prolis or interest. Mr. Stuart Mill anticipates that increased intellicnea and a higher degree of personal integrity, l>y improving the moral sense and public o;>i.ii in of society, may rea lar this for 11 of credit mo.e generally practical) e hereafter. He remarks :—"Ma'.y a pe.s 11, having no capital of 1113 own, has qualifications for business, known and appreciated by those posessel of capi al, which may ciia'de him to obtain advances in money or goods on credit, by which his in lustrial capicities ave made available for the in-ir.-ase of public wealth ; and this benefit will be reapd more largely whenever, through bitter law< ah I better education. the community shall have mile such progress in iitcsrity that personal character cm ba aecop'cl as a sufficient guarantee, not only again t di honestly ,v>pvo riatin., but against > ishonestly risking what belongs to others." Whether the progress in public morali'y will, ii the future, r<ulis; these anticipations, an I thus render more generally available the system of credit I have attc.opted to e'ucida'c, it is impossibl." to say. It is safficient to know that the system i 3 nr.t generally practicable now ; that some bettei saf-guard than a mera veibal promise to repay—some more material guarantee, or mora spaeide legal sanction an 1 sacurity, is required <>f the men of this "untoward generation." I am, &e., AGRICOLA. February 25, 1872.

By the latest accounts we find that the subscriptions alrea ly receive! for the relief of tin sufTs.'Ofs by tin C'huajo tire already am -unt t > nearly th-e: million and a half of dodars. Of thi-s sum a!iont two million and a, half has b;e i expan.led, a d it is estimated that, at least, another halfmillion will be re ;uisite. A p)tl nwlem examination (says an Australian paper) was recently male on thj body of a patient at the Y.irra Bend Asylum, by Dr. Ford, who found that the stomach contained two pieces of gla-s, one screw, and two nails In the in estines were a number of stones, pieces of nails, pieces of tobaeco-pipis, and a whole tobacc.j.pipe, which was impacted at tho entrauce ot the intes iue. There was alsj a small, sharp, broad nail, which was suck in thj nurn rauc of the intestine D»\ Ford believed that did more uiischiif than all the rest. Some of the stones and nails had evidently been a long time in the intestines, as they showed evidence of chemical action. The collective weight of tho Articles would be from eight to tpn ounces. Tho clay pipo was intact, and about four inches king.- •>• - - •■:-