The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-07-27
The Labor Revolt.

1ne LnDOf Revolt.
Events have followed each other with such
startling rapidity, since our last issue, that
it is difficult to present in limited space
even the most prominent features of the
great war against the railroads of the United
States, which commenced last week with n
strike of the firemen on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. We present, however, a con-
nected narrative of the march of events up
to the hour of going to press. The strike is
no longer confined TO the workmen employed
upon the railroads, but thousands of unem-
ployed men, many of them of the very worst
classes, have joined in the movement, and
declaring war against capital, have Inaugural
ted bloody and destructive contest. 1t will
be many months before the country settles
down to its customary quiet and the hum of
industry is again heard in the land.
Whatever of right or reason could be said
in behalf of the railroad men revolving
against what they felt was grinding mono
poly on the part of great corporations, is lost
sight of in the present necessity of protecting
the community from mob violence When
society is once more enabled to protect itself
and civil law is again respected, both sides
can be heard, and public sentiment will de
mand and enforcean equitable adjustment of
the matters in dispute.
There are, of course, two sides to the
question. On the one hand, the railroad cor
poralions assert that the depression of bust
ness and the heavy losses incurred in the re-
cent railroad contests for freghts at low rates
have caused them to suffer heavily, and
transacting business at loss, they were COM
PEELED to stop altogether or reduce their ex.
penses. They chose the latter alternative.
On the other hand the strikers claim that
their wages have been reduced from time to
time, until they have reached point where
it is impossible by their labor to provide
bread for their families. They also assert
that while these reductions have been made
the salaries of the chief officers of the rail
roads have remained as they were, large
dividends have been paid to stockholders, and
considerable additions made to the surplus
funds.
There may be reasonable grounds for com.
plant on the part of the strikers but they
oyerrate the profits made by the railroad
companies. The fact that so many railroads
are in the hands of receivers, from inability
to meet their obligations, shows that the
business of railroads is not prospecting.
No one questions the right of railroad
managers to employ labor at their own
stipulated price, nor the equal right of the
laborer to abandon his employment the mo,
ment it ceases to yield n support for hmsel
and his family. But in view of recent events
it may well be doubted if capital can with
safety disregard the Scriptura injunction and
"oppress the hireling in his wages" or that
violence on the part of the oppressed laborel
is proper remedy for his grievances A
temperate spirit, with mutual consideration
and forbearance, would have avertcd the
calamites which have flooded the country
for the last week.
If those who inaugurated the strike could
have foreseen the dircful results which have
followed it, they would doubtless have PAUSED
before taking action. The ball once started
in motion gathered momentum every houl
Ike an avalanche, until it overwhelmed witt
ruin many peaceful homes. The great arm,
of tramps who infest the country, and thous
ands CT unemployed oilers, who would no
work except at the prices paid to better men
eagerly took advantage of the opportunity t,
wreak their vengeance against capital, ant
inauguratcd war against law and order
which society, for its own preservation, mus
suppress. The railroad companies can sur
vive the shock, but it will be disas
trous to the laboring men of TIN
country. For every dollars WORT
of property destroyed by the mol
the State will have to pay, and the burlel
will fall most heavily in the end, where taxa
ton always falls, upon the productive indus
try and labor of the land. Thus, in one shap
or another, the men engaged in dcstroyin.
railroads and other property will be com
PEELED to pay the losses. Unfortunately TIL
innocent will suffer with the guilty, and b
obliged to shoulder portion ofthe losses in
ficted by the violence of the mob.