The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1877-07-28
THE GREAT STRIKE ITS CAUSES AND
LESSONS

LESSONS.
Ever since the mercantile and me-
,hanic,l arts have been practieed IN -
at all systematic. say about the
middle Of the thirteenth century, trades
unions. under one name or another,
have been in vogue Tailors guilds
wcavers' guilds, etc, were organized
throughout Germany. France and Eng
land There can bo but little doubt
that these class associations in those
early days Of crudely administered isw
we're not only seryiceable TO the meii~
hers OF the guilds themselves, but that
the discipline and unity maintained
among them was serviceable To gems
vral society, 10y atiording a rallying |
point a nucleus around which the law I.
abiding lovers Of quiet in those trouh- !
!ous days gathered for mutual prolec- !
ton and advantage. From the dim
haze Of the days OF which we are writ !
ing comes down TO us only the reports
Of good accomplished 10y these means.
Wherever manly Independence aud
personal liberty struggled for selfasscr-
ton the tradesmen's guilds were found
IN the front, bearing the heat aud
burden Of the day. ia costly assess
ments or entire contiscation but Tor
all this they lived aud prospered, aud
their mission Of good was continued.
No combination of tyranny was ever
strong enough to crush them out
At later period. say the fifteenth
and sixteeth centuries, these trades
unions became turbulent and were
often mixed up in matters outside Of
the immediate objects Of their own
| guilds, and they were found serving
I this or that petty tyrant as interest or
inclination dictated. They, like the
/ church, like governments and all other
human combinations, had become cor
rupt The original ends of combina
tion were forgotten or ignored, and
selfish and unlawful ends were sought
10y cruel and wicked means The
streets OF London often resounded to
the cries OF the innocent victims Of the
fury and blind rage Of the guildmen.
These trades combination came over to
America with the earliest settlers
Here they have grown and expanded
kept even pace with all other improve
ments, have so interviewer themselves
in our social AID Business fabric that
their weight aud influence has become
~ell-nigh all-poweriul. No complaint is
or has been made when their opera
tons have been confined to their own
immediate affairs, inside of the law and
not interfering with the rights, inter
ests or privileges of other classes Of So
ciety. Such has been their later histo
~ in this country, but in every case
where they have been handled against
the general interests Of society or bust
ness, they have invariably gone to Ia.
wall. strike so organized as to in
yolve or include a disaster 10 trade, Ia.
never succeeded. The tailors may
strike bat people must have clothing
all the same, and other sewers ar,
found to replace the gu.ldmen; so too
Of shoemakers, longshoremen, railroad
workers, etc.
The present strike, while it interfere,
for a few days with the carrying trade
must result in discontinue to the
strikers or in n compromise which
, will not in one years continuous
labor pay FOR the time lost in fore,
b ing it. There j, no law to prevent on,
r from quitting an employment at vii
2 which does not afford sufficient remu
: neration, but there is law TO protee
. the man who takes the place of the on.
? who quits, and brute force, intimidation
or other means may interfere for q
, few days. but it must finally give wa,
to the majesty Of the law. which pro
tects rich and poor, strong and weak
alike. This is the later, and we think
the better theory OF trades unions
. There are certain ends for which the,
may strive, but there are certain otbei
ends they must not attempt to com.
pass. They may force the railroads ts
pay more, or work them fewer hours
but to accomplish this they must no,
interrupt the transport Of freight, or de.
lay business, thus involving not this
roads alone, but innocent people in
, loss. The laws should be rigidly en-
! forced against the strikers, and they
taught that il they can muster thou
, sands, the government can muster it,
tens of thousands.
Our article ON Sunday briefly sketched