The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-20

and threatens serious injury to business
interests. r &
Plain truth is sometimes extremely I'M
palatable, and it is sometimes equally I'M
pleasant to speak right out in a manner not |
to Be mistaken. N1MI
The writer of this article has had no
little experience IN dealing with strikes
upon public works, more particularly rail
road construction, and has no hesitation in
saying that he never knew strike to result
in any permanent advantage to the strikers.
Even if there is temporary yielding on
the part Of employers to the demands of
employees, it is only question of time as
to how soon such striker will find himself
discharged on some pretext or other, and
consequently thrown out of employment
Our sympathy is at all times in favor of
the equitable rights Of labor. Capital in
its nature is oppressive and unjust, and is
remorseless in its exactions when acting
through the agency Of a corporation.
That corporations have no souls has be-
come an automatic saying, in other words,
corporate action aud responsibility lifts
from the shoulders Of individuals their
personal responsibility, aud individual con-
science is lost in the substitution of one
kind OF responsibility for the other.
This is necessarily so, for the reason that
corporations in their business relations are
represented, and can only be represented,
by the officers who are elected for the pur
pose of managing their affairs. It's officers
by virtue of their position act in a repre-
sentative capacity. In accepting the trust
they are in duty bound to act for what they
may deem the best interests of the corpo-
ration they represent. This leaves them
no liberty of Individual action to deal with
laborers except as the interests of the cor
poration in whose behalf they hold EN-.
ployment may require.
Incorporated capital is aggregated for
the sole purpose OF making profits and
receiving interest on che investment in the
form of dividends. Its officers are Sc
lected for their known or supposed expe-
rience and ability to successfully manage
the business to this end. IF they prove
incapable and inefficient they are shortly
displaced and others substituted who are
thought to be moro vigilant and compe-
tent. Men therefore who inaugurate strikes
or inaugurate plans for a compulsory ad-
vance Of their wages are confronted by the
whole force of combined corporate capital,
the will and determination of the corpora
tons officers and managers, as well as the
judgment and force Of law, which is bound
to protect the corporation in its business,
80 long as it is legitimate and within the
limits Of its corporate powers Among
other things which the law protects is the
right of corporation to fix
the price which it will pay for
labor; it also has the right to transact its
lawful business without being iuterterec
with; without molestation or hindrance by
organized associations or riotous proceed.
ings. Any violent or disorderly attempt tC
interfere with its usual business,or destroy
its property, at once places the offenderI
in the catagory of law breakers, and give
the corporation the right to invoke tht
aid Of the Jaw in the defence Of its right
and property.
The excuse for a strike is always tn
allegation Of insufficient wages, and yet
seems to be strangely overlooked by tn
employees that their wages are invariably
ruled by the laws of supply and demand
In times of general prosperity we seldom
hear Of a strike. The reason is plain
At such times the demand for labor j
large, and consequently wages are fair.
any branch of business is becoming over
stocked with labor there are others whicl
are not, and thereupon labor like any othe
commodity is transferred to where it is i
best demand. But whenever it happen
that all kinds of business becomes stag
nant, or unusually depressed, labor
among the first to feel the effects.
Though free combinations among tn
working classes are legal, if there be n
coercion or intimidation, yet the policy {
combinations is considered by the bette
class of people as very questionable, eve
as a matter of self interest.
Unless coercion OF intimidation al
employed the combination can nevt
succeed, and all intelligent persons adm
coercion is illegal and reprebensible.
Every attempt thus far, in this or ar
other country, to override the law
sunnlv and demand nv atrikas or con
binations has proven disastrous to ii
parties attempting it, The unvaryiu
history of every combination to fix the ru
Of wages is that other laborers are brougl
in TO take the place of thos
on a strike, or else the bushes
suspeBds operations and is remove
to some other place where it vii
not be subject to the same troubles Eve
where the combinations have numbere
thousands, aud where they have e.
deavord to sustain themselves in the
combination by the accumulation aud III
of common fund, in the end they hay
found the result not only disastrous
themselves and their iamilies,i in the loss
time and wages, but have also found, tht
indirectly they have driven their employer
toopen new paths of enterprise or to the sui
sutution OF more machinery and less har
labor. A large majority of people undout