, 1864-05-09
THE LAB0RERS' STRIKE.
Work On the Railroads susperded--Ihe Labor
Question.

Everybody is ttrking. The 1aboress' turn has
cone, and to-day the laborc1s On every line OF rail-
road centering In this nty, except one, wilt it is
believed, beon strike. They are now paid at the
rate Of one dollar and talf Per day, and demand
one dollar and three quarters. The managers Of
the Michigan Central Road have accedea to their
denandsi the othcrs are understood to have re-
Insed> and general strike Is threatened today.
The Worknen on the Northwestern Road struck
!ass @ Teek, and Yesterday some little disturbance
oers around the new men, and threats Of violence
Refe made; there vas, however, no demonstration
made beyond the verbal one.
cIfay evening, Rwhich the matter Is understood
70 hase boon decided on, but the fact is not knoTn
reporter ofthe Ta1nrNs went to ~ ,he .s han tsx bnr
wanted 1epeTte's sad lint I'll tSs gspsr, @ ~ wets e
unfFend]y to the working nan. We Wlsh mol 70
take 9p arms u defense Of Ihe osaer psRers eat
the same may be taid ror most II not all Of the pa
pere published in Chicago;
The T1aBrER Is not published u the exclusive
prietors nay good wsces to their employees. and
ho,d that tic aborcf is worthy Of his hire. They
be en- get for ir;' following the, same law as III
other articles Of Fala and purchase, which COM
maud high prices when scarce and less when p>en-
Fl Se 1s mann Or set q 70
dictate tho terms OF purchase and sale between
others, II workman thinks his compensation In
tuluelGAt, III LIE FGlleCL llHUt 10 ASK LOT m0tG,
and to re!use to work longerif his demands be not
acccded 10, but he has right to prevent another
Insn from working in the place he has vacated.
4 working man has no more right To
insist on place remaining empty because be does
rot choose 10 I'LL It till certain conditions are com
piled with, than the propr1etors Of the TRIBUNE
have the right to knock man down who prefers
another paper, on the ground Of lower subscription
price. or otherwise. And the workman Is no more
justified in demanding employment on certain
terms not agreeable to the employers than would
bc the etorekeepet Who+ asking certatn price for
his goods which is thought too high, assaults tia
customer and prevents him from entering smother
store .whe1e tho articls 1naJ bc Obtained more
cheaply. The question Of employment Is one of
mutual agreement-isA = bureain between the boss
and the workmen exclusively. No one e1se-not
even former employee-has night to Interfere.
This is the position OF the TRIBUNE, and tits the
one which 10 taken BY the lawmakers OF all civilized
communities. We are glad to see the dignity Of
labor maintained and acknowledged: and we hold
that that dignity is no where more ercely alsalcd
than when Any man Ia forbidden to work tor Whnt-
ever compensation he may deem sufficient, Ifa
man choose 70 sell his 9oodt Al less price than
they are intrnsi cally worth It is nobody's bas.-
ntef, provided he has come by them honestly, and
II be con obtain Tor them more-withont ms-rep:r-
sertatlon and fraud, 1t is tho business Of nobody
Hsreis the broad fundamental Law Of freedom to
worker, employer. capitalist, merchant trader and
customer.