The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-10-22
Labor Strikes.

LABOR otrlkeS'
OF course the public understand tie full
N aiming Of labor strike" to DO the
refusal of the operatives to work for their
employers, and, if possible, the prevention
of others taking their places. founded upon
a disagreement in regard to wages, or some
obnoxious regulation. Such strikes are the
natural resource of workmen who feel their
individual inability to defend themselves
against the oppression of their employers,
but are usually inefficient, and more
deloterious TO the strikers than to the
employers. They may, in fact, be termed
the weak devise Of imbecility. To be sure,
on account Of the establishment Of Labor
Unions" which furnish funds for the tenn
porary support Of " strikers" while hold
ing out" Of late years these strikes have
not been SO marked with the violence of
desperation as formerly, but in their mildest
form they are to be deprecated as made
quate to the result desired and injurious to
those engaged in them. Take, for instance,
the last Fall River strike, of which the
Boston Journal says: 1t was in some
respects the most instructive Of the whole
series, because it is generally admitted that
the workmon had more semblance Of pro-
vocation than they can claim in the gener-
atty Of such cases. 1t was felt, and per-
haps with good reason, that their efforts at
agreement with their employers had not
been met half way. At all events, the
strike was as reasonable and promising as
any other which is likely to follow it, and
ought to have the benefits Of its example"
The result of this strike was, that after
two months Of idleness and distress, and
loss Of wages to the amount Of $500, 900,
the a" strikers" that is such of them as the
company would receive, have resumed work
at the employers prices Nothing has
been gained, and much loss has been sus-
taiued
The question arises, 'How shall opera
tives command fair wages without rcsorting
to strikes " This more particularly de-
mrnds tee attention Of operatives at this
time, as existing arrangements on the part
of employers look to the employment of
Coolies IN the place Of strikers, as was done
at North Adams, Mass, and Bellville, n. J.
To our view there are but two resources for
workmen, one Of which is, to commence bus;-
ness comparatively y, as was done by the
shoemakers of North Adams but it is not
always practicable, because Of the large
amount Of capital required for the machinery
and raw material essential to many kinds
Of manuta otures. The other is, the better
regulation by law, of the relations existing
between employers and operatives This
can only be effected by the election Of legis-
latlve and executive officers throughout the
country, who will enact laws equally pro
tecting labor and capital, and faithfully ex.
eeute them. But, as " the gods only help
those who help themselves the result
cannot he expected except by means of
thorough organization Of laborirg men every
where. They have long enough been
deludedi by the old parties, to realize the
fact, that there only hope is in party of
their own They need no professional
politicians, TO visionary theorists, but in
telllgent. honest, practical workingmen,
who appreciate the difficulty involved in
adjusting the differences between capital and
labor, and who will faithfully apply them
selves on its solution
Of course, we fully comprehend the fact,
that " strikes" are only incident to factories
or works, where large bodies of men are
employed, and that those occupied in the
tcchnica! trades, as masons, carpenters
tailors, &C., are generally well protected by
their Unions" and therefore have less
necessity for legal aid than other operatives
but the unrestrained influx of Coolies
will ultimately effect them, even If they
withstand the blighting result of the taxa
ton incident TO the banking and tariff
systems, which are now conducted in the
interest Of capital. Therefore, it is TO their
interest to prepare for the future, by joining
hands with the factory operatives, in estab-
fishing party, that will have power to
prevent the continuance of the "Coolie
Trade )" to reduce the tariff to the revenue
basis Of an economical government to
abolish the National Banks; to prevent the
squandering of the Public Lands upon
private corporations to equalize taxation,
and to regulate the hours aud wages Of
labor, and the general relationship existing
between labor and capital.
" Unions" are good as far as they &C,
but they only approximate that gland union
OF laboring interests which should be organ
ized into National and State party, potent
70 protect the sons Of toll, resist the usurpa-
tons Of capital, and by equalizing the
interests Of employer and operative, to
abolish the antagonism now existing between
them, and render labor strikes" unless
absurdition.-Kansas City Eceniag Nescs.