The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-07
The Labor Strikes-Alarming Tendency
Towards Violence Manifested by the
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Workingmen.
It will be seen from the news furnished in
another column that the labor movement
threatens to assume lawless character, which
cannot fail to exercise a most injurious infiu-
ence on its chances Of success AS long as the
workingmen respected the law and abstained
from interfering with the rights of others an
amount of sympathy was felt for them by the
general public which considerably embar-
raised their opponents This valuable moral
support would have undoubtedly been con-
tinued had the men on strike maintained their
peaceful attitude Even in face of provoca-
ton they ought to have known that it was
their interest to keep well within the limits of
the law. Indeed, so patent was the necessity for
the most scrupulous respect for the law that
it argues complete want of intelligence on
the part Of those individuals who have been
guilty of violent interference with those who
differ from them. 1t is no doubt annoying to
the workingmen that they cannot secure per-
feet unity of opinion and action among them
selves, but the law of the land secures the
right of every citizen to follow his own judg-
ment in all lawful matters, and no mob COM
binations can be permitted under any excuse
to interfere with this sacred right. To per-
NIT number Of workmen to coerce their fell
low aborers even to pursue course Of action
which was for their undoubted benefit, would
be to undermine the whole structure Of our
social and political freedom. 1t is, therefore,
with deep concern and regret that we regard
the state Of excitement which existed through
the city yesterday and which was due in chief
part to the threats of violence so freely in
dulged in by many of the men on strike
Unfortunately the advocates of the rights of
labor did not in all cases confine themselves to
the utterance of threats, but proceeded to put
them into execution.
| The police authorities seem to have been
fully informed as to the gravity of the occa-
| sion, and to have taken steps to be ready for
any emergency. Squads of officers were de-
tailed to points where it was considered their
presence might be required, and every prepa-
ration made to promptly suppress any attempt
at riotng Indeed, we fear that if it had not
been for the deterrent effect Of these precau-
tons yesterday would not have passed with
out q serious conflict between the strikers
and the recusant workmen. In fact, such
conflict was about to be inaugurated in Hester
street, between q committee and number of
men who were at work and refused to leave,
when the police interposed to preserve the
peace Similar scenes were enacted Mt other
points, and it was considered advisable to
place guard of police on several large facto-
ries in view of the threats made TO destroy
them. Men who imagine that they are serv-
ing their cause by indulging in vagaries
of this nature must be very stupid 1t
is difficult to understand in what way
they can hope to serve their interests by de-
priving themselves of the means of earning
their bread To burn down factory is the
silliest way that could be imagined of punish
ing a manufacturer, as the loss would certainly
not fall on him, but on others who are alto
gether innocent of any crime against the
workingmen. Unless, indeed, our trdes
unions have adopted the monstrous fallacy
put forward by the most impractical section of
the French Commune, that labor and capital
are necessarily enemies, such a principle,
followed to its logical conclusion, would reduce
mankind to state Of barbarism. and cqn never