Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanfordwas an American tycoon, industrialist, politician, and a co-founderof Stanford University. Migrating to California from New York at the time of the Gold Rush, he became a successful merchant and wholesaler, and continued to build his business empire. He served one two-year term as governor of California after his election in 1861, and later eight years as senator from the state. As president of Southern Pacific Railroad and, beginning in 1861, Central Pacific, he had tremendous power in...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEntrepreneur
Date of Birth9 March 1824
CityWatervilet, NY
CountryUnited States of America
The country blacksmith who employs no journeyman is never conscious of any conflict between the capital invested in his anvil, hammer and bellows, and the labor he performs with them, because in fact, there is none.
Legislation has been and is still directed towards the protection of wealth, rather than towards the far more important interests of labor on which everything of value to mankind depends.
The employee is regarded by the employer merely in the light of his value as an operative. His productive capacity alone is taken into account.
The advantages of wealth are greatly exaggerated.
Laboring men can perform for themselves the office of becoming their own employers.
There is no reason why the women of the country should not greatly advance themselves.
Each individual member of a co-operative society works with that interest which is inseparable from the new position he enjoys. Each has an interest in the other.
I have always been fully persuaded that, through co-operation, labor could become its own employer.
When money is controlled by a few it gives that few an undue power and control over labor and the resources of the country. Labor will have its best return when the laborer can control its disposal.
Money is the great tool through whose means labor and skill become universally co-operative.
The real conflict, if any exists, is between two industrial systems.
There would be no idling in a co-operative workshop. Each workman, being an employer, has a spur to his own industry, and has a pecuniary reason for being watchful of the industry of his fellow workmen.
I am in favor of carrying out the Declaration of Independence to women as well as men. Women having to suffer the burdens of society and government should have their equal rights in it. They do not receive their rights in full proportion.
The production of wealth is the result of agreement between labor and capital, between employer and employed. Its distribution, therefore, will follow the law of its creation, or great injustice will be done.