The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-07-26
The Great strike.

the quest3on - disposed of is: Ii the work and
the wages do not snit them, why don't they 9uit,
and go 1t something else, and - pEghibi< 6sh-
ers from working, who whisli TO Dc sof There
are some things else involved, ssss mast b met
some time, and il is well enough to look thsm in
the lace = These are the issues between Capital
and Labor, between Monopolics and the People.
Capitalists are allowed to dictate the financial
policy of the Government, aud it is regarded as
presumption for laborer to express an opinion
upon the subject; and the policy is shaped for
the interest of the capitalist, regardless of its
consequences to the laborer. Resumption is de-
manded and enforced by the capitalist, whether
it is ruinous to the laborer not; paper and
silver are declared legal tender, or are by law
made worthless just the capitalist sees ft I;
the bonds of the capitalist are made payable in
gold, when the law compels the laborer to re-
ceive paper in payment of his wages; and the
millions held by the capitalist in the shape of
bonds exempt from taxation, while the Ia
borer's scant possessions are burdened with tax
es. Monopolies dictate the prices of what they
have to dispose of, and dictate the prices of what
the purchase from others; they raise their own
prices and cut down those of others, at their
pleasure.
Men and their families must live. The great
masses of the people are willing and axious to
work for living, and even for a very scant liv-
ing, at that. But when they cannot earn a liv-
ing honestly, they will get it dishonesty, or
seize it by force. Those who stint, starve and
oppress the laborer, are the losers in tho end,
as these railroad companies are finding out.
This strike was occasioned by a general roduc-
tion of wages of railroad employees. The high
est wages most of them were receiving, was 81
per day, and further reduction of 10 per cent
was determined upon, reducing it to 80 cents
per day. single man can barely live upon
that amount; but 1t is utterly inadequate to the
support Of men with families, (and many of them
have large familes.) The Pennsylvania Road
had determined to double the size of their freight
trains, and double the running distance per day,
with the same number of hands, and the same
wages. This would throw about half the men
out of employment, aud double tho labor of the
balance. Railroading is the most hazardous Ia
Dor that can be performed. War is not more
dangerous to life. 1t is also the most onerous
and severe. Cold or warm, rain or shine, storm
or calm, they must go. Before day in the morn
ing, and late at night, and even all night, they
must run. The railroad employee knows not
the hour that he may be crushed to death, or
MANNED for life, and the com pany even refuse to
provide for his family or pay his doctors bill.
The railroader must be absent from his family
at least threefourth Of his time, and his individ
ual subsistence costs him as much as the support
of his entire family at home. For all this, it
was proposed to pay him 90 cents per day, or
about $500 year!
Railroad companies combine, and put up
freights at exorbitant rates. They refuse to
carry pound Of freight at less than their estab-
lished prices, and it may lie and rot along the
roads until the people submit. They are corpo-
rations, and there is no remedy against them
After fixing the prices of their own labor, they
proceed to fix that of their employees at less
than living rates; but if the latter combine, and
prevent freight from being moved, they are riot
ers and the troops of the United States are call
ed out to shoot them down. Or, railroad CON-
panies will engage in rivalry and competition,
and cut rates down to almost nothing. Then,
again, they seek to make up the loss off of their
laborers, by reducing their wages. These cor
porations meet and ii the salaries Of their own
officers, directors, attorneys, &C., at sums rang
ing from $4,000 to 10000 each, and then prac-
tice the most rigid economy for the company, by
paying the men who perform tho drudgery and
risk their lives for the munifcent wages of $500
year, with a rebate of 80 cts. per day for every
day they do not work! The corporation may do
anything, no matter how oppressive, and there is
no law to interfere; but when labor undertakes
to assert its rights against the corporation, the
whole power of the Government turns out to put
him down.
There is put little doubt as to the result of
this trike. 1t will he put down, and the ring
leaders punished; but the loss to the railroad
companies, in property and business, will be
more than sufficient to have paid liberal wages
to all their employees for years. The sufferings
of families, the losses to innocent persons, and
the sacrifice of life, cannot he computed. But a
settlement on any other ground than justice to
the laborer, will but leave the smoulderng fire
to break out afresh at another time.