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dependents； form a class of this nature in the United States； the working
people form a similar class。 The interest of the capitalist class； say； in the
matter of income tax； is quite contrary to the interest of the laboring class；
and； VICE VERSA； in the matter of poll…tax。
If between these two classes there be a clear and vital conflict of
interest； all the factors are present which make a class struggle； but this
struggle will lie dormant if the strong and capable members of the inferior
class be permitted to leave that class and join the ranks of the superior
class。 The capitalist class and the working class have existed side by side
and for a long time in the United States； but hitherto all the strong；
energetic members of the working class have been able to rise out of their
class and become owners of capital。 They were enabled to do this because
an undeveloped country with an expanding frontier gave equality of
opportunity to all。 In the almost lottery…like scramble for the ownership of
vast unowned natural resources； and in the exploitation of which there was
little or no competition of capital； （the capital itself rising out of the
exploitation）； the capable； intelligent member of the working class found a
field in which to use his brains to his own advancement。 Instead of being
discontented in direct ratio with his intelligence and ambitions； and of
radiating amongst his fellows a spirit of revolt as capable as he was
capable； he left them to their fate and carved his own way to a place in the
superior class。
But the day of an expanding frontier； of a lottery…like scramble for the
ownership of natural resources； and of the upbuilding of new industries； is
past。 Farthest West has been reached； and an immense volume of surplus
capital roams for investment and nips in the bud the patient efforts of the
embryo capitalist to rise through slow increment from small beginnings。
The gateway of opportunity after opportunity has been closed； and closed
for all time。 Rockefeller has shut the door on oil； the American Tobacco
Company on tobacco； and Carnegie on steel。 After Carnegie came Morgan；
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War of the Classes
who triple… locked the door。 These doors will not open again； and before
them pause thousands of ambitious young men to read the placard： NO
THOROUGH…FARE。
And day by day more doors are shut； while the ambitious young men
continue to be born。 It is they； denied the opportunity to rise from the
working class； who preach revolt to the working class。 Had he been born
fifty years later； Andrew Carnegie； the poor Scotch boy； might have risen
to be president of his union； or of a federation of unions； but that he would
never have become the builder of Homestead and the founder of
multitudinous libraries； is as certain as it is certain that some other man
would have developed the steel industry had Andrew Carnegie never been
born。
Theoretically； then； there exist in the United States all the factors
which go to make a class struggle。 There are the capitalists and working
classes； the interests of which conflict； while the working class is no
longer being emasculated to the extent it was in the past by having drawn
off from it its best blood and brains。 Its more capable members are no
longer able to rise out of it and leave the great mass leaderless and helpless。
They remain to be its leaders。
But the optimistic mouthpieces of the great American people； who are
themselves deft theoreticians； are not to be convinced by mere theoretics。
So it remains to demonstrate the existence of the class struggle by a
marshalling of the facts。
When nearly two millions of men； finding themselves knit together by
certain interests peculiarly their own； band together in a strong
organization for the aggressive pursuit of those interests； it is evident that
society has within it a hostile and warring class。 But when the interests
which this class aggressively pursues conflict sharply and vitally with the
interests of another class； class antagonism arises and a class struggle is
the inevitable result。 One great organization of labor alone has a
membership of 1；700；000 in the United States。 This is the American
Federation of Labor； and outside of it are many other large organizations。
All these men are banded together for the frank purpose of bettering their
condition； regardless of the harm worked thereby upon all other classes。
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War of the Classes
They are in open antagonism with the capitalist class； while the manifestos
of their leaders state that the struggle is one which can never end until the
capitalist class is exterminated。
Their leaders will largely deny this last statement； but an examination
of their utterances； their actions； and the situation will forestall such denial。
In the first place； the conflict between labor and capital is over the division
of the join product。 Capital and labor apply themselves to raw material and
make it into a finished product。 The difference between the value of the
raw material and the value of the finished product is the value they have
added to it by their joint effort。 This added value is； therefore； their joint
product； and it is over the division of this joint product that the struggle
between labor and capital takes place。 Labor takes its share in wages；
capital takes its share in profits。 It is patent； if capital took in profits the
whole joint product； that labor would perish。 And it is equally patent； if
labor took in wages the whole joint product； that capital would perish。 Yet
this last is the very thing labor aspires to do； and that it will never be
content with anything less than the whole joint product is evidenced by the
words of its leaders。
Mr。 Samuel Gompers； president of the American Federation of Labor；
has said： 〃The workers want more wages； more of the comforts of life；
more leisure； more chance for self…improvement as men； as trade…unionists；
as citizens。 THESE WERE THE WANTS OF YESTERDAY； THEY ARE
THE WANTS OF TODAY； THEY WILL BE THE WANTS OF