The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-29
Tho oharIcston strike.

Within the last few weeks we have had a
remarkable and heretofore unprecedented
outcropping Of ''strikes" in Charleston. The
longshorcmcn, the ship carpenters, the house
painters, the tailors, and we know not what
other fractional part of our toiling humun-
ity, have suspended their work and deman-
dcd higher wages. Without pretending to
enter into tho merits Of the controversy, and
without even calling the attention of those
whom it concerns to the simple principle
that proper workman's union is defensive
and not offensive, we must say that we think
the present conflict is most unreasonable.
The strike ordinarily is the resort OF the i'm
poverished workman against the thriving
proprietor. In the present instance il has
been prccipitated by knavish politicians.
1t is an attack by labor upon the proprietor
just when he needs every favorable circum-
stance for the re-cstablishmcnt of business
on which, not his support only, but that of
his hands depends.
So long us the world endures we suppose,
the contest between labor and capital must
so on, and with the same varying fortunes
as those which attend the competitions Of
the bulls and bears of New York. The man
of means will naturally endeavor to secure as
largo return for his Investments and his
risks and his losses Us he can; and the man
OF muscle will seek to appropriate the larg-
est proportional share OF the profits which
he has toiled to secure.
In normal state OF society we should
have no occasion to deprecate such con-
flict. we might trust in the operation of
the laws of political economy, as other COM
munities do, for the regulation Of wages.
This interest has method of ofadjusting itself,
If not in accordance with the highest prin-
ciples, at least in such n way as contributes
to the general prosperity and to the wealth Of
the State The conflict Is unequal, for usually
the employer has some means to fall back
upon, while the workman cannot afford to re-
main idle for II week or II month without incur
ring the danger of starvation. This is one of
the safeguards against the interruption OF
those general and useful enterprises in which
the capital OF n country is invested. But if,
rs sometimes happens, tho laborer triumphs
and secures larger proportion of wages
than would properly and naturally accrue to
his work, his success invites competition
among his own class. The supply soon be-
comes greater than the demand, and as the
number of. workInen increases they under
bid each other to obtain work. Thus cupi-
tai RECEIVERS its lost ground, the labor-ratc is
resumed, and the ringleaders Of the strike
are obliged TO leave tho country for want of
employment. Such has been the expert
ence of the English operatives. The vari-
GUS combinations, often tumultuous and even
violent, which have sought to fix an arti-
1cial scale of prices, haye proved but
mere eddy upon the broSo' deep stream of
the national prosperity. ItftM the depart
ments of industry an incxorablc law, the
law of supply and demand, has prevailed
like decree of fate.
Mr.. Buckle calls attention to the fact that
the Revolution in England which eliminated
dhd collapsed in the Protectorate of Crom-
well, was more OF m industrial than por,
litical movement. fhe like remark may be
made in reference to the French Revolutlonr
1t is suggestive circumstance that each of
these national labor-strikes resulted in
personal government, which crippled labor
and exiled liberty itself.
In Charleston strike just now is, as'we
have intimated, most unfortunate. AS Adam
Smith has abundantly shown, an increase of
wages is absolutely dependent upon, and
must be in proportion to, the increase OF
funds from which the payment is to be
drawn. Where the revenues Of business
and the stock invested in it are limited, the
wages of the labor employed must of neces-
sity be lower than in tfie wealthy establish
mcnts of fourishing community. To sug-
gest New York prices as a standard for
Charleston is simply prepostorous. We are
just beginning to live; capital is not abun-
dant; the profits Of trade are uncertain;
men Of tho highest accomplishment and char
acter are reduced to salaries which satisfy
the necessaries of life, but afford little more.
The season is not auspicious for strike.
And il it were, might not Captain Stoddard
aud his obsequious cohorts Of longshoremen
prudently and modestly wait-until their
betters were served? 81
There were, We doubt not, exceptional
cases Of grievance represented in the recent
movement cases where wages were not re-
munerativc and where the industry needed
special recognition, because it required the
labor OF the brain as well as the hand. It
was all unfortunate circumstance, however,
that the most inferior kind OF labor was the
most clamorous in its. demands and the
most riotous in its demonstrations; that it
is o Radical League with q Radical leader
and Radical ward who have presumed,
in the name Of the laboring class, to demand
the control OF the wharvcs and shipping OF
Charleston. It will not take long to settle
this business.
The present population OF Williamsburg
County is: Whites, $3.50, and blacks, IL, 1856.
Total, l7,476. In 1860 the population was:
L