The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-06-20
Current Opinion.
A LESSON. OF THE STRIKES
Iron the N. Y. Times. 60


quire what proportion of the thousands
forming that long column OF strikers
that filed our streets on Monday were
thoroughly American. According to our
observation, the thorough bred American
artisan is not prone to strike. He looks
sharply enough after his own interests,
and likes to get the full price of his labor,
just as after he is paid he likes to get the
full price of his dollar. But generally he
lis not inclined to attain his object 10y
striking, lie seeks his end by other
means, appealing to the reason, the sense
of justice, and even the interests of his
employee He knows that he may geaer'
ally rely upon these to secure for him a
fair remuneration for his labor and be is
intelligent enough, and generally well in
formed enough, to appreciate rightly HE
employers position as well as his own. :
The fact is that in this country the ar
tisan is better paid than in any other
country in the world, and has not only
political rights, but a political influence
which he has no where else. Tie latter
he has because of the nature of our polit-
ical institutions. He is q citizen of a
commonwealth member of society in
which there are no defined classes, and In
which no condition Of life has any legally
secured privilege. His high wages, arc
the consequence, directly or Indirectly,
not Of any popularity Of form or of prin
ciple in our Government, but because Of
the material conditions Of life here; and
chiefly the existence of vast tracts of I'M
occupied land at the West, enough of
which to provide present comfort aud fu.
ture competence, possibly future wealth,
may be obtained by any man who will go
and take it. So long as this condition of
things exist, no considerable body of men
will remain in the more thickly settled
parts of the country, working for other
men at wages inadequate to provide the
comforts Of life according to the modern
standard.
Emigration is always taking westward,
either to till the soil, or TO supply the va :
rious needs of the tillers, enough men to
relieve the labor market of the East of
any great and long-continued superiority
of supply. An artisan who is master of
his trade, and who has average Intelligence
and information, knows that in this coun,
try he is sure-~in the long run at least
of employment at fairly remuGerative
wages. He knows, too, that one Of the
surest ways, if not the only sure way, to
bring about lack of such employment,is
by demanding and insisting upon such q
high rate Of payment that employers in
his trade will cease to find it profitable
investment of their money and their la
Dor, and will bring their business to a
close, and leok about for other ways of
using their capital. He knows that il, byI
strikes for higher wages, or
for shorter time at the same wages which |
amounts to the same thing, he helps to
make houses or piano-fortes' cost more
han people in general who need them
2an afford to pay for them, they will have
% content themselves with smaller AMI less
houses, and fewer or no piano
.ortes, and that therefore he diminishes-
perhaps extinguishes-his chance of
steady employment at good pay. VII
This view Of the case is very commonly |
AIKEN by the Intelligent and thorough
Ored American artisan, who is, therefore,
generally not inclined, Of his own motion, /
% strike work for higher wages. Such, 7
1t least, appears to be the case with the
3oberer and steadier men among them
hose who are the best Workmen and the
pest citizens. Ayrecent writer, recounting
lis observation of a particular case, says
hat he had the opportunity of observing
our men, e-carpenters, at work day
oy day. Two were middleaged, intelli.
gent, thoroughbred American mechanics |
They were prompt and steady at their
work, and took pride in dong it well and |
overcoming any difficulties that presented
They belonged to no union,
ind spoke Of unions with no very high |
aspect. The other two, younger men,
belonged to union They came lateand
vent early; they sighted their work
'corned it, took no pride in doing it well,
vent out four or five times in the course
# their short day to the grocery, and
seemed to know more and care more
tbout their own crude views of political |
economy than they did about their bust
less. auss aaa-.sae.a.
This story accords entirely with the
'esults of all careful observation. Among
inc skilled artisans the best workmen are
lot generally ready to take part in
strike. Good, thorough, intelligent work
has diminished almost exactly in proper.
ion to the frequency and the success of
strikes, and alsoin proportion to the In
Of foreign born and bred work
men into the mechanical trades. These
men, as general rule, act under the i'm
1uence of two notions acquired in Europe
-ene, that capital, which in this country
S almost invariably acquired by labor, is
he enemy of labor, and must be put un.
aer compulslon to treat labor fairly. the