Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-13
The Authorities and the str,ke-S

A. we have freely criticised certain pOrtions
CT the course OF our Territorial authorities I'm
dealing with the riOtOus strikers, we very will
ingly present the subjoined representation from
an intelligent source, Of the position of Cover
nor Cooke and the Board of Public Work. i,
the matter. The writer, after referring to adj
verse criticisms upon the conduct of the Terri
torial Government, proceeds as follows:
"PeTmit me TO say that a change has t,ta,
pace IN the sentiment Of those who were in
cined 20 find fault with the city authorities for
failing, on Tuesday last, to dispense the threat
ening strikers by resort TO force of arms IL
now turns out that Governor Cooke hasi ouiesly
engaged n large posse coD,stdtass, suffi cieut h,
oYerPoWer and capture the entire body OF dr.
tuTbers of the peace, and that this citizen police
were TO be used only in sid of the regular police
and only in case absolute riot should occyr
before the decision OF the wages question ut that
moment under consideration by the Board of
Public Works. 1t known 90 Governor
Cooke that in n few hours il would be decided
that labOrers should BE paid re edsh one dollar
and hlty cents per day, which would be much
better than even two dollars per diem paid fp
udds, groceries, ETC., as was heretofore the Gus
m.
IT, therefore, o few hours delay could be had,
ne difHculty would be solved peacefully and
s.O-t satisfactorily TO the laborers. With this
trtain amieable solution OF the trouble within
most immediate reach, Governor Cooke was
tetsrmnesi 80 fsr A. he Il concerned, IL possible
not To resort 10 the alternative OF force, which
uuald probably result in blOodshed and loss of
Hence
20 stop their work for a short time.
Gov a.. Okes plan wss successful; the rioters
dispersed; no i,yes or property were DESTROYED,
and on the following day labOrefs. riotously as
web as peaceably inclined, were at work.
When absolute necessity requires 3 resort 10
force i am sure Gov Cooke, when his action Il
required. viii promptly execute his whole duty.
But force does not convince the mind of its error,
though il may compel Obedience to the Law. The
cause Of complaint remains, and the difficulty
is within the possibility Of repetition On the
other hand, the misguided IaSorers, inclined TO
take the law in their own hands, observing that
the cOnserVatOrs of the law were their best
friends, and proposed 20 be just and fair, were
wen by this course. snd the cause OF dificulty
With the foregoing disclosure of facts and in
view OF all the circumstances, Gov. Cookies
course was founded in wisdom"
The above represents the particular circum-
stances and set Of facts upon which the authori-
tie acted. The views we have expressed we're
those We believed, and still believe, To be sound
ami wholesome as applied 20 all riotous demon
STATIONS and the mode Of dealing with them.
They are the same we have had occasion to
maintain repeatedly in these columns in the
past.
are prepared to give very hearty praise to the
juC cment and tact shown by the authorities
ties in dealing with the labor question IL
IL was requisite that there should be an ADJ
iustment OF prices on the advent of the new
government. Manifestly Si.25 per day was too
little, though various corporation contractors
had made their contracts on estimates based on
this price. a corporation act (Of Washington
fixed the price for corporation laborers at ~ per
day and prescribed that eight hours should con-
stitute the days labor. This law had proved
nullity, however, because it placed the rate of
wages higher than could be sustained, and be-
cause the eight hour rule, here As elsewhere, was
q failure, the mechanics and laborers themselves
being the first to discard IL. And Of course the
corporation had no power to say what the con-
tractors should pay their men, or how many
hours should constitute their days work
The strikers, who seem to have been melted
by mischievous parties for purposes Of their own,
were made to believe, however, that the Terrific
rial authorities had the power to establish % per
day and the eight-hOur rule; and, further that
they were ready to do it
Under the circumstances the negotiation of an
amicable arrangement between the contractors
and the laborers, fixing sl-5O in cash as the rate
of wages, evinced tact and good Judgment on the
part of the authorities. This rate of wages Ia
open % further adjustment should IL be desira-
Bile, but il viii probably be found to be a fair
com promise between the employers and the en-
plOyed, and IS about the same as that paid In
other cities -..r..
A higher rate would have compelled the re-
ductiOn of the amount OF Improvement carried
on, and would have injured the laborers by in
vitiIg competition from abroad. A lower rate
would have been insult Gent to enable the labor
ers % support their families.