Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-22
Workmen's Strikes.

The rapid spread Of this principle Of
strikes" is a matter of really grave i'm
portance. IL seems TO be generally accepted
BY the restless proprietors Of labor As the
instrument by which the world is 10 be
laid PROSTATE at their feet. IL was sup
posed that civilized nations had long ago
outgrown the puerility of attempting to
fix prices or values by legislation. but here
in the blaze Of the nineteenth century Il
Is again attempted to revive the guilds of
the middle ages and to put an arbitrary
and forced value on labor. That the bub-
BILE will finally burst no thinking man
doubts, but whether it shall burst HARM
lessly in air. or shall shatter society is q
question to be squarely met before long.
That every proprietor of labor. (and
every laboring man, is such) should fix his
own price for his own labor. is perfectly
right, morally aud legally right. Those
who desire his labor may pay him his
price, or go without his labor, but they
can find no fault that the price is asked.
Nor on the other hand can the laborer
complain, if those who wish to purchase
labor, decline to pay his price. There Is
perfect freedom OH both sides. But when
number of laborers attempt 10 fix the
price not only Of their own labor but of all
labor no matter by whom to be supplied.
they are guilty OF wrong,-a moral and
,egal wrong. They are lettering the
nf md
narrowness of feudal times,
So long as strikes" were aimed inn
mediately at capitalists, and were tempo
rarily successful in forcing up the price,
they may have been popular, but the latest
phase of them. Is Of different aspect.
When Boston and New York Coopers.
''strike" against Barrels made BY Maine
CoOpers, as has been done recently, the
injustice Of the principle becomes more
apparent. This attempt to keep Maine
Barrels out Of the great markets is evil
dence of the superiority Of Maine Coopers,
and Of the folly Of their rivals. The full
development Of the prin ciple would stop
oil the wheels of business. We are glad
to see that this first experiment, to dam
the course Of trade is likely to prove an
ignominious failure, and the Maine COopers
may be sure Of market SO long Is they
make better barrels than their competitors.
The workman is the most independent
Of human beings. Labor must be had in
immense quantities. Food and raiment
and everything depend on labor. No man
can live without labor to be supplied by
himself, OF others. The workman il
always sure Of market for his labor, but |
the price of his labor like that Of materials |
depends on the supply and demand, aud
will be inexorably regulated BY them. |
Every artificial forcing up of the price,
reacts on the workmen In the |
increased cost Of living.
The man who has labor to contribute to
society. occupies Is honorable position.
IS he who contributes capital, or thought. |
There should be no envy, nor Jealousy be.
tween them. All are necessary for the
we'll being Of society. The laborer may
hold his head Is high Is any. He has that,
which the world mss have, and the world
must pay him for Il. He is the eq,nl Of
my member Of society, in the importance
II his contributions. He cannot control
laws however. no more than the
'apifalist or philosopher can. These latter
Gzivs 10 understand these laws, end obey