Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-10

CD 10 take meals ana lodgings away
from home, subject to transient dodgers and
boarders' prices, which have not come down
so readily or so much per cent. as have man
ufactured goods. 1t is easy to say, if they
don't like the prices they can leave, but 1t
is not so easy to act on that advice in the
presence of general depression and enforced
iileness. 1t is great deal more natural
that they should combine as they have and
first try general strike that would compel
the rich stockholders, worth their millions,
to curtail Their own expenses and run the
roads on past accumulat;ons and prospective
gains, if on present loss. They would very
naturally suppose that the very hazardous
business would entitlc them, in the estima-
ton Of the public, to sufficient remuneration
so they could lay up something for old age,
and not be cut down so as to barely live from
hand to mouth.
A strike then is natural if not justifable,
and when one is inaugurated, It must, oil
necessity, be conducted according to the ma
tural law Of seli-preservation, and in viola.
ton, to some extent, of conventional and
perhaps strict moral.law. They are men OF
intelligence and limited learning they could
see no better way and they certainly thought
they were UNSUITABLE.
If We would be wise We would restore the
currency to the people that would revive
business and remove tie occasion oil future
strikes which will be sure to follow the stub
born contraction policy of bringing us down
to hard pan.
The military fired into the mob at
Baltimore. The mob retaliated and burned
a little railroad property. The next day
troops from Philadelphia arrived at Pitts
burg and began the work Of death. The
terribly fatal effects Of the shots fired BY the
troops exasperated the citizens as well as
strikers and in less than an hour thousands
of workingmen from the rolling mills, coal
mines and various manufacturing establish
ments hurried to the scene Of the conflict de-
termined to have revenge on the troops and
railroad officials who had got them there. 1t
is stated that General Pearson directed
the troops to fire before any resist
ance had been made, and the TACT
that MANY of those killed and wounded had
gathered on the hillside merely as spectators,
seemed to increase the bitterness OF the
crowd. Then followed the destruction of
millions worth of railroad property by hire
on the bloody Sunday. Now see how differ
entity the strike was conducted at Indiana
polls. The strike was fully inaugurated
Monday afternoon and by Tuesday morning
all freight and passenger traffic had been
arrested. Engines with the mail cars were
not inte1fered with. The railroad men
gathered in groops about and IN the depot.
There was no boisterous or loud talking, no
drunkenness or disorder of any kind. As
fast as trains arrived some of the committee
would step upon the engine and exchange a
few words with the engineer and fireman.
The passenger cars attached to such trains
would be quietly pulled off to the yards and
the engine and mail car move on. The
strikers disclaimed any intention of creating
disorder or of damaging property but were
firm in their declaration that no further
business should be done on the roads until
the recent reductions in pay should be re-
stored and wages then due paid. Governor
Williams refused to call out the militia
Mayor Cayen conversed freely with the
strikers. They requested him to close the
saloons of the city which he did.
Mr.. Sayers, Secretary of the Brotherhood
said the principal complaint was the pay
was not sufficient to support the families
and great inconvenience was occasioned by
pay being delayed the men therefore ask
that the old rates be restored. He stated
the strikers would not interfere with the
running of the mails, and that they would
forward passengers kept BY distralnt. IN
some cases they had forwarded them to theii
destinations and paid their hotel bills.
Strikes, mobs and bread riots have beer
common from time immemorial. Generally
legislation that distracts and contracts the
currency, producing idleness and wanI
among large bodies of dependent laborers
eliminates in strikes and mobs with more OIL
less destruction Of property and loss of life
and in this country they can never be KEEP
down by military. By the light Of the past
thousands have seen this trouble coming W
upon us and they have neither been prophet
nor instigators.
The strikers simply want work and wages
proportioned to expenses. The revival o
cash business is the only thing to produce
the effect Cash business can only be pro
duced by initiation in proportion to popnla
ton instead o. augmentation which make
one dollar have as much purchasing powel
as two dollars previously had, but destroys
business.
The war is not between labor and capital
but between both combined and the Shy
locks who have camored for and got con
traction of greenbacks and characterization
of silver. We can better afford to convert
our ignorant and depravcd people than tt
annihilate them by military force.
WINoosKI, Aug, 7st, 1877.
J. r. F.