The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-08-06
VINO is Biam alb G.

TIE LATE STRIKE AND ITS RESULTS.
The indianapolis Seminal, discussing
the recent strike and its results, gives
some wholesome truths:
"There are those who find too much
fault with the railroad employees because
they 'conspire' TO prevent Others from
working. They say, ii they do not
choose TO work for small and inadequate
pay, let them get out Of the way and let
others do it who will. Now, these rail-
road organs profess TO find wonderful
amount of wlckedness involved in this
position. We propose to draw com.
parison between this so.called 'con-
splracy' on the part OF the railroad en-
ployes and the combinations SO
frequently entered into on the
part OF railroad presidents. Tom
Scott, Jay Gould, Vanderbilt and
Garrett meet together in New York, at
Delmonic's around a table with dozen
bottles Of champagne. They advance
rates 25 per cent and reduce wages ten
per cent. This was done within the last
lew months. These four men dictate
term to over tour hundred thousand men,
They do not consult them, nor reason
with them. They do not go to them and
say, "Men, these are hard times, freight
and passenger traffic have fallen of
largely. Owing to the financial policy
OF Sherman and Hayes, business
has declined In volume almost one.
half. We have agreed not to make any
more dividends among our stock holders
until times get better. Instead of Mr..
Scott and the balance of us taking S2j,-
900, or $50, 900 per annum OF our private
salaries we will agree to take one-half or
one.iourth less. Win you not, until
times improve, take, say ten per cent
less of your wages 2" Does any one
have the slightest doubt as TO the result.
The employees would have been glad to
meet such views promptly. Instead OF
this the magnates OF the trunk lines
made from 6 to 10 per cont. dividends
among their stockholders, increased
their rates % per cent. and reduced
wages 10 per cent. During the strike"
Jay Gould and others formed ring TO
advance Lake Shore stock, and by
simply letting some outsider into
the secret, heavy, six-iooted
Californian assaulted Gould. He con
celved that his rights had been in
frlnged upon, and proceeded to redress
them In his own way. Laws are made
quate to reach certain wrongs, and men
will frequently In their own way en-
deavor to avengetheir injuries. IL is hui
man nature. Here comes an editor, or an
attorney, or q judge, in the interest Of the
railroad oligarchy, and says, well, II these
employees do not want to work at the re-
duced wages, then let them leave. But
where can they 20 to! This powerful
railroad combination controls all tn,
roads in the country, and employees cal
lind work no where. They are worse of
If they leave. Under such a despotlC
combination of circumstances they are
crazed and maddened beyond control
and as human nature seems to be the
same as each generation comes and goes,
We may rest assured that men will al
ways be maddened and crazed under
such circumstances. Men will conspire
together not tn work themselves nor TO
let others work. Railroad Presidents re.
uuce ule wages OF their employees ten Der
cent? and conspire and combine that
other roads may not give more. Has the
railroad president any more right to con.
z spire against the employees than the EN-
" ployes against the railroad presidents
Tom Scott says to Jay Gould. Wander.
bilt and Garrett: "Gentlemen, you mus,
not pay your men more than 81. 25 no,
day; neither will H. They agree not tc
dOit. They combine not TO DO il. I'm,
railroad employee combines with nj,
brother employe not to work for II. Botl
combinations use every instrument with
In thslr reach to carry out their ends. /
Y the railroad employees are guilty o
wrong doing so is the railroad combin
ation,v