Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-08-02
The Labor Strife.

~>'~ ., ,Ss>s ossANo esuAoNS5 Sho iuuOT>-
ers, which began at Martinsburg on the Balti.
moro and Ohio Railroad, on tho 18th of July;
seems to have virtually spent itself. A short
account of the spread and terrible work Of
this unprecedented move will be- found In
our columns. Its origin was due to q rotuo-
ton OF ton per cont. On the wages of certain
classes of laborers on the various roa1s North,
which went into effect on the Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad on the lst Of July. We believe
contemplated reductions woro either proposed
or determined on at various times on other
roads. The strike began eighteen days after
the reduction Of the wages, and the rapidity
of its spread, as woll as tho wido area it
covered, showed thoro had been during the
eighteen days planning and union among
tho employees Of a ldrge number of roads.
For years past wo have heard of strikes among
the minere, mechanics and othor laborers of
the North, but they havo proved mere tempo
rary suspensions Of work which amounted to
;nothing, and in which tho laborers came off
second best. rs they always must, but no ono
ever dreamed Of such general and widespread
labor movement as the ono which has Just
closed. hseoms' that thousands were engaged
in it, and that in tho outset tho citizens and
soldier militia in the neighborhoods of the
strikers sympathizod with tho movement.
This emboldoned tho strikers and led thom to
oxcesses which tlroy Mother contemplated at
the outset nor can now approve Of, and which,
when committed. not only lost them tho
sympathy Of tho citizcns, but united all
classes against them. They became an un-
controllable mob ofmixod ru(ians and tramps,
bent on plumber and revenge. Life md prop
erty were destroyed and much OF both were
uselessly sacrificed In tho different sections,
of the country affected by the strike several
hundred persons were killed. and. wounded.
many being women and children. So, too, n
large amount of properly, chiefly belonging
to railroads, was destroyed. The greatest loss
CT !;:o and property occurred in Pittsburg,
the loss of property amounting to several
millions Of dollars.
The formidable character Of the n,ovemrhr
con best be realized when we consider that
the Governors of several States found it impos-
sible to preservelifea and property without Fede.
raj aid. The President Of the United States
found it necessary to draw the troops from the
rebclious South to kceppeaco in tho logaland
lamb like North. IF sucf troubles had oc-
ourrod horc they would have been perverted
by Northern Radicals into political troubles
and would have been pronounced ominous
signs Of now rebellion. The immediate
danger is said to be about over now, though
the strike, in mild form, is still spreading.
Travel and transportation has been re opened
on most Of the leading railroads and quiet
and order is being restored. Though tho
danger is over there is much in tho past ten
days which should lead our people to consider
how in the future to prevent or put down
such combinations. A concerted movement
Of laborers on our great thoroug ghfarcs and in
our leading oitios plunges tho country in
twenty four hours into small civil war,
destroys valuable property, snspcnds business
and produces general injury to all classes and
avocations. The greatness and partial sucs
coss of the recent movement will tend to
produce repetition on q larger scale Gt any
moment, and with thorough organization it's
suppression would not be easy nor without
much loss Of life and property. We in tho
South will for many years be exempt from
such dangers, but We e'cannot fail to feel tho
effGct Of such movements in the suppression
of business.