The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-06


neers and the brotherhood OF Trainmen.
falling under the control Of unwise or un-
scrupulous men, make them trouble by dis
organizing labor and by interfering in an
improper and unbearable manner with their
conduct of business A thoroughly organ
lied trade union is O formidable body; and
long experience proves that such an organi-
zation, however proper and legitimate Its
objects and purposes may have been IN the
beginning, is extremely apt to fall into the
hands of designing, over-ambitious and un-
scrupulous men, who abuse tho power
in their hands. 1t is very doubtful
if trade unions have been of any use
that they have done them infinite
harm. The spirit of most of these organiza-
tions is mischievous, because it leads tho
members to regard themselves as special
class, as laborers for life in certain in
dustry. as entitled to q living from that call
ing and as suffering wrong if they do not get
what pleases them. The members of the
Trainmen's Union, for instance, seemed in
tho late strike to act upon the presumption
that they had moral, if not legal.
right to living as trainmen on
the roads they served. But this is
an entirely un-American presumption. No
man is entitled to living out of any calling
here. If he is a butcher, a baker, q lawyer
or doctor, and if he can no longer earn
satisfactory living by that calling it is his
business to go at something else. To hold
otherwise would be to make him slave,
and it is really sort of slavery which the
essential spirit OF the trade unions en-
courages in their members.
But the unions exist. They are o great
inconvenience to employers. They cannot
be broken up, because the right of
organization is and ought to be
as free to workingmen as to any
others. To resist and defeat them is
expensive, often ruinons, and, after all, set
ties nothing, for their attack is presently
renewed. The tyrannical spirit Of the
trade union was shown in the remark of
Mr.. Arthur, chief of the Locomotive Engi-
neers Brotherhood, last spring, in Boston
that he had only to raise his hand to stop
every railroad running out Of Boston. The
cost of even successful resistance was shown
in the case of the Boston and Maine Railroad.
It defeated the strike, but at an expense of
probably hundred thousand dollars. The
recent general strike has mainly failed, but
it has cost the roads and the country prob
ably good deal more than fifty millions.
What, then, is to be done? Some silly
people demand huge standing army, which
is nonsense. Others wish to get stringent leg
islation against strikes; but this will do no
good, and it is doubtful if such laws as are
demanded would long remain on the statute
book. Sensible men see that everything
cannot be done by ''main strength and stu
pidness." And, after all, what the railroad
managers absolutely need is not only SER
vice, but the good will which alone yields
jealous and faithful service. Absolute
fidelity to trust, even in the hum
blest man on the road, is Of ex-
treme Importance to railroad company.
A careless switchman, needless bridge
tender, trackman who overlooks cracked
rail, o station man who hammers oil the
wheels and does not listen for the sound of
n fracture-any one of these may cost the
company hundred thousand dollars by
what is called an accident. Now, no re-
pressive laws and no standing army will
give the company the faithful and Jealous
service it requires from great many men
in q great many places where they must
be left good deal to their own consciences.
Is there no better way?
Mr.. Vanderbilt has just shown his graft
tude to his men by making them a free
was we'll done, but we believe he could have
done and can yet do, ut no greater expense,
a much better thing. Mr.. Vanderbilt en-
ployes twelve thousand men. It is of great
importance to him to employ only capable
and faithful men, and to keep these per-
manently in his service; to make them, MS
he wisely said the other day, ''part of u.s."
Suppose, now he should prepare and carry
out system of life insurance for all his
people? He can readily and cheaply COM
mand the specia. skill needed for this; the
contribution OF the company to the fund
would not be onerous; the management of
it would add trifing detail to tie Office
work, but the effect of it would be
to bind all his most thoughtful, his
best men to his service. Suppose, in adj
dition to this, he should plan q pension
system, whereby after fixed number of
years of faithful service workman should
be entitled to q retiring pension, it need
cost mis- company but trife, certainly far
less than an accident but it would once
more bind his best men to his service
Suppose, again, he should encourage his
people to form cooperative societies for
the purchase of food and other supplies !;
should even take the trouble to let the Lus-
ness be transacted in the beginning by his
own business men 4; suppose he should
look about him and see if he could
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