University of Michigan Law School University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository Articles Faculty Scholarship 1884 Labor and Capital Before the Law Thomas M. Cooley University of Michigan Law School Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/articles/1256 Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/articles Part of the Labor and Employment Law Commons, Law and Politics Commons, and the Legislation Commons Recommended Citation Cooley, Thomas M. "Labor and Capital before the Law." N. Am. Rev. 139 (1884): 503-16. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Articles by an authorized administrator of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact mlaw.repository@umich.edu.
NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW. No. CCCXXXVII. DECEMBER, 1884. LABOR AM) CAPITAL BEFORE THE LAW. The chief concern of every political society is the establish- ment of rights and of adequate securities for their protection. In America it has been agreed that this shall be done by the people themselves; they shall make their own laws, and choose their own agents to administer them. But the obvious diffi- culty of doing this directly has been recognized, and the people, after formulating the charter of government, incorporating in it such principles as they deem fundamental, content themselves with delegating all powers of ordinary legislation to representa- tives. Notwithstanding this delegation, much direct legis- lation of a very effective and important nature is constantly going on, at the time attracting little or no attention. This NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW. is the steady modification of the common law by public senti- ment, noticeable only when it has crystallized in general custom. No. CCCXXXVII. The best of all laws for all countries are made in this way. Custom, when voluntary, is the conclusive proof of the final and settled conviction of the people as to what the rule of right and conduct should be on the subject to which it relates, and for that reason it is likely to receive spontaneously the obedience DECEMBER, 1884. that statutes exact by compulsion. LABOR AND CAPITAL BEFORE THE LA'V. THE chief concern of every political society is the establishment of rights and of adequate securities for their protection. In America. it has been agreed that this shall be done by the people themselves; they shall make their own laws, and choose their own agents to administer them. But the obvious difficulty of doing this directly has been recognized, and the people, after formulating the charter of government, incorporating in it such principles as they deem fundamental, content themselves with delegating au powers of ordinary legislation to representatives. Notwithstanding this delegation, much direct legislation of a very effective and important nature is constantly going on, at the time attracting little or no attention. This is the steady modification of the common law by public sentiment, noticeable only when it has crystallized in general custom. The best of all laws for all countries are made in this way. Custom, when voluntary, is the conclusive proof of the final and settled conviction of the people as to what the rule of right and conduct should be on the subject to which it relates, and for that reason it is likely to receive spontaneously the obedience that statutes exact by compulsion. VOL. CL~.-NO. 337. 500 37
04 TH N RTH R N R V. v pr n pr v l th t th p f p p l r l l t n t h h th n l h t n nd, nd th t t r l t b l d p n f n h d d, t b lt r d nd pr v d b t t t nl. th r f r l l p rp, th p n h ll n d b t t v r f r fr xpr n th f t. Pr b bl p p l r l l t n n v r t v n. Th r n f r th r ll b t n th nd rf l t v t f nv nt n nd pr d t n n th rv l xp n n f b n n th nf n t v r t f n nd t n t h h th l t b nf r d. t t t t h v ff ntl pr v d d f r th n, n th n, nd n nd t n, t p rf tl, nd t n t t ll, nd th l l t n f t ppl th d f t. H ff t v t, nl n h n th n r f r dj d t n p n t. Th h r h f rn h n ll tr t n. Th t t f ll n nd rt, n th nt r t f b n, t ntr l pr t l n p l b l t n th h r. B t th b n t pr p d t ntr l n t bl h d p r l pr v t b n, n pr v t p t l, nd th t t t r nt f th r pr v l r b d. h n d d th t t d r v th p r t nt rv n Th n nd th t pr d nt nd f th n t t t n f th t t d d n t d t r n th l t f t t p r, t t b ht f r n
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. 0 h h r pp d t h h t th l, nl t nd t n f nd l d h n th v nt f th t h b n fr th. Th n t d t t pr rt, n 8, d l r d th t p r n f fr n d nt r n t t z n f th t t f th r n n n. T n r l t r, nd p nd nt f n t t t n l nd nt, th rt ld h v h ld th ntr r n t r l b th r h d b n r t h n n th rt n th nt, b t b n th t h rt p r d th r f p bl v nt nd th d f t n f p bl nt nt h d d th pr v d n h t f h r n th th x t n nd t n f th n th h t h d b n b d n f d l r n. f th d n l h n d l r d, t n r h d d t b l t. nd f b n r nt r l n n f th n f t r th t pr d nt r n rl rthl. Th b n f p r t n r lr d n f th. t t t d v r h t d t r n h t th r p t v r ht nd bl t n f th p bl nd th pr pr t r h ll b, b t n t ntl b n t n f p l r f t r n n nd p l r t n p n h h th t t t thr l ttl l ht, nd th rt r p ll d t d t r n th p n th r n f th n l. B t n ll h t n b rv t n nd xp r n r th h f t h r nd th j d, h n h t d l th th,
06 TH N RTH R N R V. t l ntr v r. t b th ht th t th j d, n th t n n t f th f r t n f t n th p pl, n d n r f d f rr n t p bl p n n t n xt nt th t h th r th p f t p r r p n, r pr j d, r p bl f p rt v. nd bt dl, th r d n r f th, b t t d n r th t n nt r d n r l. Th j d h t rn d f r t p p l r l r t ll t, nd n t h d nl th v f th l, t ll p ll d t b r n nd, h n d l n th n l t n, th t th n l n t v r n t r bj t t nt n h n, nd th t h l n rn d th t t t th t, nd n n d r h t t h b n nl n d n d t r n n t pr nt t t. n pr n p l d ff lt th p p l r l l t n, th t pr v l n p n n r n t l th r r r l th r, r v r, f tf l nd n rt n, nd d nd t d h t th ll n th t z t rr. n p rt l r l l t r t n, p p l r nt nt tt pt t t p d th t th rld bh r, nd t n r ft n f b rb r n d rn v l z t n. Th r n n th nd v r t t bl h p l, nd f n t ntr ll d b th pr p nd r t n nt nt f th v t j r t f th p pl, ht d n d n. t ll, v n th l l nt nt n p rt nt f t r n
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. 0. h ld ll th p p l r v t p n h t. T xt nt h b bl t l d th p bl nt nt, nd t b t h r f th p pl nd n h l l t n h f l b h t n dv n f nt nt th t h p r v pr v n, nd th t h d n t pr v. B t t b n h l l t n f r n dv n f th p bl p n n f th d ld b f t l f r l t r nd r, n h rn f r v t r, t tr n h pp rt. Th t p rf t l,n b tr tl n d r d, f t l th p p l r ppr v l, n ld n th f ll nd pr p r n b l t ll, b h b t l b d n ll n t b rd d t t, nd t ll b d b d h n v r t f t d. nd t n r ll f n fr ntr t d b n t t t th t l th f nd t n f n r l n nt. t ll, th p bl p n n th t t b n d r d n t th t f th p n d r l, h h b x t d nd p n t, nd t nl l t b p r n nt, nd f r th t r n b d r rd d nd v n t t d f n P tt f r t, h n h f r t d d t p r, t t d f n th h f P rl nt nt l th d l b r t j d nt f th p pl h d b n f r d nd h d b n v n xpr n. v r t t n l n n p bl l f h h d n th f r t t d b th p p l r ll nd h t t n h p h n b h ll n j d n h t th p n br z f p n n, nd h t th f x d nd rt n rr nt. T th
08 TH N RTH R N R V. p rt l r pl nt, r p rh p n t th n r f n nd f pl nt. v rn nt l b d t r nn b r v r l l t n, nd t b nt l r bl f th l l t n p rp l h t l. t th tr th th t th b t v rn nt th t h h v rn l t b h h n th n th t nt rf r l t th r d t nd b n ff r, th t th f t x t n, nd l v t th l r t h r f nd v d l l b rt. B t n n th r n th b t v rn nt th t h h v rn t, h h t rt nl pr nt t ll t th t pr t t n r, nd f r th t r n v p rp t l n f r t. Th r t pr bl n v rn nt, h t h v x f pr t t n th n f ff l r l l t v nt rf r n nd th pr p r th d f lv n th n f tl n t b f l l l t n. n th ntr r, th tr pr n pl ld t b, t xt nd lf v rn nt h b f nd n t nt th th f t f th t t nd th d rd r f t. b n lf v rn nt n th f l t b l h t n th v r l t n, t, nt, nd t t nd ff r t t x t, l, n th v r l tr d nd p t n. Th, b n r h v p l r l f th r n n f r th r l t n f th r b n, n rr r f r th r, t l r ph p n f r th r, t. nd t ll nf r t
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. 0 th v l nt r rr n nt nt l t f nd th t th n d n nd r th th t nfl t th th p bl nt r t. J t th n n f th p pl l v n n n l l t n t n nd n p l r n z t n l l t pr t th b t l l v rn nt, th n n f th p r n n d n th pl nt n b n r n z t n l l t br n t th b t r lt n th p rt l r b n. Th t t d n t, nd d, th l l v rn nt nd p nd nt th r t b d ppl d t t ff r th t l b nd th t rr t r l l t, nd n d r h th l l ff t th n r l. Th t n n n p r bl p rt f th t t, nd h r bl th n t t d t, nd nl pr p rl v rn d h f t th n lth t l r. B t h r, n th f th n t r l p r n, th p r v n f th t t t b d r t d, n t t th n n nd t n f r th p pl n h t n rn th lv x l v l, h h th p pl th lv t b d t nd r t nd b t, b t t p n th l l th r t th n b nd, nd pr v nt n th b th t ht pr n fr t p r r p n nd x t nt, r th v l th t ht r fr n l t f d t n t th t t t l r. d n t n th nn r t ff b th lv th
0 TH N RTH R N R V. f t n l n f b n th n r l b n t n f pr pr t r n th n h nd, nd f l b r r n th th r, n t n f r t l pr t t n. N th n t f r t v ld r pr p r f r ll pl r h v n nt r t n th pr p r t f th b n, ll l b r r h v l, nd h t nj r l ff t n pr j d ll. B t th v l l r n th nd p rp f th b n t n f r n t d f n p rp p rv d n ll, th pl r f nd r n z d f r pr t t n n t th l b r r, nd th l b r r n t th pl r. t th ld f bl f th b ll nd th b r r l z d b t n th b th b ll nd b r r n r b ll n n t p r t n, nd, n r r lt, b th r ff r n. Th v r l r n z t n r l l t h v th v rn n h n r f l ttl n lth nd th l l t v nd d n tr t v tr b n l f h r r n t r p rp, th v t r v nt h th r. L b r r b l v th r n n n t, nd th l n h r b th n pr v nt th r b t n b n t th r f pl r. pl r l p n th r n b n t n n r t r t th th ntr l f th r n b n. Th th t nd t h th r n h t l tt t d, nd b h nd ll f d f n. h r ht, n r b t th r n n th r tr f r n p th n th r ht, nd th v l r
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. bl t n f d t, ll l n th, th t th nfl t p n h nt n th th l p n xt rt n t p t l t nd h rd h rt d t r. Th l l t n f th t t t b p t d n p rt b l v n th t l th t r n t b pr p r n th lv r d pt d t n th f v r f r bbl, nd th th r p t n th t rr pt n n tr l nt l h h nd d nd h n r bl n t rn h b p n l l t v h ll, nd r f t xp h r p t t n b nt r n th b r. Th r v r r v l, nd th ff t th t t t l r nd ll l f th n t. r ll n rn d, th r f r, n t bl h n b tt r t t f th n, f th t b p bl. Th t t h pl p r t nt r f r b l, b t pr b bl n nt rf r n ld b b n f l th t nt b nd th r pr rv t n f p bl rd r. pl r nd l b r r l ld r nt n f rth r nt rf r n n n rr nt bl ddl n th pr v t n rn. Th pl r p ll ld n t n h r ht t ntr l h b n n h n t n r t t p, h nt r t d t r r t h n ntr t, nd t r t ntr t b n f r d p n h. n ll th h ld b t nd n p n pr n pl f n r l pt n nd th t t t r p t h r ht, b th r r ht th t b l n t ll, nd r f nd nt l. B t h n tr t n t n p n l l
2 TH N RTH R N R V. n th n, b t h n p th th l r l f d n t nt d p pl, b r t r p r n th t t th n th n th l r p n. nd h n d nt nt r l, t p n th t r h fl n d n r. B t th l b r n l r n t ll h n d f rth r n l ht n nt p n th d ff lt pr bl th t n rn th r l t n f l b r nd p t l. H th rt, n d l n th th pr bl, pl r h v t n h h r nd, nd h v n r ll b n bl t nt n t. B t n th l n r n t tt r l ttl h h p rt h th t p r r, f th nd t n fr h h th d ff lt pr n t t ll nt n. v t r n n r l d t r nl t h t nd n t br n b t p b t p b t n pl r nd l b r r n n v r b b d p n th tr ph f n v r th th r t t fr n r l nt nt. f n, " b n n, t b n d pl," t nt th t th h l l r ht. B t th r n n h h th b n nn t b x l v l h n nd n n h th htf ll r rd ll d f th pr bl th t n rn h ll n t v rl th. h l n p rt l r t bl h nt b l n t th pr pr t r, t l n l b r nd p t l r ll nt l, n p rt l r b n, n d r d n th r t, h th t f th h br n t t th l b r f th h f rn h th n. f
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. f rt n r tt d b r r l r n t d th th n th n nt, nd r n r l, b r f th p l t l t, l n d t th d t n. f f ll n th r p rt ld nj r l ff t th, t n rn t pr v nt t f n nd f th f ll tt d, th n t rd h p bl n t th nj r n n. Th xp r nt r n n lf v rn nt t xt nt nv lv d n v r nn r ntr v r th t pr n p t b tt r th r l t n f l n th v l t t nd n th r t r d f th tt nd nt d n r n r t n xt nt d n h th b t rn n r b nd r f n t n d r th fr h h th pr n. t nt f t h n r t b d f l b r r thr d n th t l f th r b n, v n th h t b d n nd r n nt r l t n v f th r r ht r r n r nt r t nd, ll n l r n ll n l, t h r th n n f th r t r th r f ll. Th t th r f l h, n t d f b n n x f r t rn n fr th, ht r th r t r nd f d t t d th. f l h n t b xp t d t d f l h th n n th n b t r n th f ll ll pr v nt t. B t th f ll t lf l l t b n n f n v d bl nd t n. L b r, th rld v r, h l n d ff r nt d r b n th rv nt f p t l nd n r ll, h n n t n l v d b l,
4 TH N RT R N R V. n t l l t pr th r nd th th nv t n th t th b n x l v l th t f th r pl r. n th n tr r, p v rt nd nt, n p n th fr th t pp f, r v r nd n t nt r nd r f th r p r n l nt r t nd t n v t bl th t th h ld ff r nd r n f r n f th nd th r f l t r v th n f b t n fr th b n, f r r n th j t f h h n t pp r nt t th. nd h t th b th n n nd r n f r n n rn ll f r th v l t n f l fr b l, nd th r l th t f n ll pr v l r d t b th r d l p r t n f nd p n nd. nd h n th r ht th n r nd th r n th n r r ll b pr p t n th r d nd th r th r, th r nfl n r p t v l ll d p nd l r l p n th t t f nd f th th ddr. th d nt nt d p pl, th r n th n r r rt n t b t nfl nt l, nd th th r f r t h v th n f r l. Th p rt n f pr v nt n n n d r bl d nt nt bv nd t ht t b ll bv th t th b t r t f r p t l n rd l r l t n b t n th h p t nd th h l b r v t t f t r pl nt, nd th t th b t pr t t n f r t t n t df t nd r n r t v nd tr. nd t n f r n z d nt
L B R ND P T L B F R TH L. n v th lv ppr d b l v th t v rn nt th t p rl t v h r l f n rth th r pp rt. Th n, ll f h v b n r r l nd n nt t th pl nd r f th n t n l tr r n th nt r t f rt n r lr d, nd t th t r n f t p n h h th p bl p th d v d nd. B t th nr fl t n nd l bl t d nt f ll rp r t n th th th t r j tl bj t t pl nt, r v n t f rth r nd nd n ll th t h v p t l r bb r nd pl nd r r, b f f th t n p h v b n. h rt r f v rn nt th t th p pl n p r d f dn t r t hr d p r r t, f h n t n b pr v l nt. Pr p rt f h n t n r ll p d, th t th p pl n p r v th t th p rt p t n th b n f t f x t n n t t t n nd t n t f th r. Th t nd n f v nt t th t n t bl n th d r t n f l r r p rt n t r n z d l b r n th n nt f p bl ff r nd th l t ntr l f b n b l n nn r th t thr t n d t r. t d n r t nd n, b t f l l n r nt n n th nt r t f pl r nd pl d nd th pt n br n b t nfl t h r th r l nt r t r b t nt ll d nt l. Th n tr nd l t r, h h t r th pr p r t, n t f th b n r l, b t
6 TH N RTH R N R V. th n t br d n p n n h, nd n t t t pl d f p f r h h th f l f v r n n rn d ld b r t. t h ld d th n l t rd pr t t n l b r n l n t th t nd v lt r f t, h h n t dv nt f l b r tr bl t pr p n th. nd p r h p t h ld d v n r t rd v n r n th t, fr th d nt nt nd nf n f nd pr n n fr l b r ntr v r, nd th r tt nd nt pr v t n nd ff r n, n th n th t r d ll h v h ll b f r l t d nd t l n th p t n f r b r l r, th p pl. T.. l t.