"It means that the men who hold the means of life control our lives, and, because we workingmen have tried to get some measure of justice, some measure of betterment, they deny the right of the human being to associate with his fellow"

In this quote, James Larkin, an influential labor leader and social activist, highlights the battle in between the working class and those who have power and control over important resources. The "way of life" refers to the fundamental resources and chances that sustain human life, such as food, shelter, work, and economic security. Those who "hold" these means are basically the owners, employers, and capitalists who control the markets and resources critical to daily life.

Larkin is stressing the power characteristics intrinsic in capitalist societies, where a small group of individuals or corporations wield substantial influence over the economic and social conditions of the majority, who are the working class. By controlling these necessary frameworks, they naturally control the lives of the workers, dictating the terms of employment, salaries, and working conditions.

The quote points out the intrinsic injustice in this system by stressing that attempts by workingmen to look for "some step of justice, some step of improvement" are often prevented by those in power. This struggle for justice includes efforts to protect fair incomes, sensible working hours, safe working conditions, and rights to unionize. Larkin slams how the effective reject workers "the right of the human being to connect with his fellow", an allusion to efforts to suppress collective bargaining and union activities. Relating to fellow workers is crucial for organizing and promoting for fair treatment and improved conditions.

In essence, Larkin is clarifying the resistance dealt with by labor motions, where the mission for freedom and improved living conditions through uniformity and collective action is met opposition. He requires recognition of employees' rights to merge and act collectively to challenge and rebalance the class structure that define and, in many cases, restrict their lives. Through this, Larkin champs social justice, equality, and the significance of uniformity in facing economic injustice.