Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-05-09
The WarWickShirc strike.

A strike or agricultural laDorers IS
novel and by no means an unimportant
event. A new leven must be working
in the popular mind of England when
those quiet, patient, dumbfounded
creatures set up for having II will of
then own. To see them attempting TO
manage IA strike is ms wonderful as to
see any other of the beginnings of life
in inert masses. as to see babes begin
to walk, or tadpoles become frogs. If
we may trust the accounts of news pa
pers, the Warwickshire laborers seem to
have begun il all by themselves, and to
have met under chestnut tree, where
they discussed their grievances; and
then they took counsel, first of an ex-
perienced man who had once been III
the black country and might there have
learned the elements of strike-making
from the superior mining intelligence
and, secondly, OF a dissenting minister.
These were their clever friends; the
men something of their Cwn stamp, but
who knew more than they did, and
could give something like shapeto their
dim purposes. 1t is not education in
any direct form that has stirred up to
action this portion of the population,
which it might have been supposed
most difficult TO stir ; for most of those
who Joined the strike and testified their
adherence to the movement could only
place their mark to the document by
which they signified their assent. But
those whom education has not reached
directly may be affected by it indirect
ly, and the agricultural laborers have
learned to strike because those who
have got new notions and taught them
sci es to urge new claims. IN more adj
vanced districts, have silently penet
rated with their influence the classes
beneath them. The rural poor have
been closely watched and tightly held
down by their master, the farmers, and
the basis of rural life has been an hum
BILE obedience and unquestioning ac-
quiscence on the part OF the laborer.
When change reaches so low a level
society must indeed be changing. Dis
tress has in old days led to rick-burn-
ing and brutal ignorance has led to the
destruction of farm machinery; but
those were only the outbreaks of hungry
or panic-stricken barbarism. But
strike. as strike is said to have been
conducted in Warwickshire, is a totally
different thing, 1t shows a power of
union, perception of the respect due
to law, a confidence that success can be
achieved without violation Of the law.
The laborers may possible be mistaken
in thinking that they will succeed, on
they may succeed at first, and then
push their triumph too far and suffer
for their temerity. But it is improba-
bic that a strike Of any considerable
magnitude should leave the condition
of the agricultural poor in the state IN
which it found 1t. It will at least have
taught them to think and to act. If
laborers in villages could think and
act, rural life in England would be a
new thing. Some of its placid pleas
ures and animal content might pass
away, there would be many victims OF
change, many would be crushed by
competition to which they were UNI
equal: the rural poor could never be
as they once were, the bondsmen Of
those who, what with wages and what
with poor-rates, secured them ut least
the certainty of bare substance. -
/ .SuturCI0Y ReUicW.