Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-07-28
THE GREAT STRIKE.

road strike. STRIKES" arc n matter Of
common occurrence. Every little While
tie press records The fnct that some class
of operatives or workingmcn, dissatisfied
with the amount Of wages paid by their
employers have quit work, and these
strikes are frequently accompanied by at-
tcmpts on the part of the strikers 10 in
dGce others TO unite with them, violence
in some cases being resoited to, to nc.
compiish tie end. But it was reserved
for the railway employees to inaugurate a
strike which assumes the proportions Of
an nsurrection. From small beginnings
it grew and extended until it deGcd the
civil power Of several States, and was
only TO be coerced into submission 10 the
laws when the military power of the
States and Of the general government
was called in rcqui,i.on.
Il is tie Old conflict between capital and
labor and viii hpye tie same old
ending. Tho railway authorities, in view
OF the depression OF business felt compell-
Cd to reduce the salaries. and wages Of
all classes Of their employees, and .he en-
ployes at once refused to work at reduc-
cd wages. Had they stopped here there
action would hnyo been one which they
could be called upon to justify to no one
but themselves and those dapcndentupon
them. Bat they did not stop here. They
were determined if they did not work
none others should, and tast rs railroad
trains arrived they were taken in charge
by strikers, their crews compelled to quit
worl: or join them, and the cars switched
Off and lid ty. Such n course could
bring but one result. First the civil and
then the military power Of The country
was invoked 70 restore order MIA protect
the tights Of property. But ono result
will follow those who have caused the
tumult and bloodshcd viii find themsel-
YES in The laws stern grasp, while the
condition Of things they sought to better
has only been made worse. These con-
ilcis between capital and labor nrc Of fire.
qgent oCcurrcnce, bat tie instances in
which labor gains the vantage ground are
few ana far between. There are times, ii
is true, when labor car d mand it. price,
but those times arc only when he demand
is heavy while the supply is light. Cpp-
iial and h5or are to Il certain extent de-
pendent upon each other, but when a
conflict arises between them IN nine coscs
ont ten labor mast 60 70 The wall, for
labor must have bread.
Ifmen were at nil times governed by
reason, it Is possible that organizations in
/ the cntore,ts Of labor would prove more
beueGcial than they now do. But when
there j. such IL conflict Of interests that it
cannot be reconcicd in the ordinary
course of business, passion too often
usulps the place of reaean, ard man, in
the desire to adjHst his real or ltuciod
wrougs, Is led to the commission Of net.
which work more to lis own injury than
! tina. Of tauy one else. The willul destlLc-
/ tioa ot The property Of those WHO have
/ given him employment but refuse TO give
! him moro, except upon terms he con
cciFcs to be uju,t, !. certainly no way
I OF obtaining situation at wages which
ave sufficient. ] blocks ont Himself and
oHQ-, by wilhd.awirg from the labor
mWhct ihat icmand which existed before.
1 Admitting Il at, in a general sense every
man ha- right to do what lac pleasos
with his own, be has no liyL. to molest
o.Lo.s. When mca organize for the os.
tensib'c purpose olnrotecting tho rights OF
lnhor, they arc entitled to pablc sympa-
/ thy just so long as thcy work 20 this end
while respecting the rights Of others, and
no longer. 1t does not commend the
cause of the railway strikers to public
sympathy 70 know chat Whole trains OF
cars have been burned and pilngcd, that
the buildings Of the company are mass
of smouiderng ruins, or that n score or
two Of men who have responded to the
call Of the authorities for tie preservation
OF the pnhiic peace and the protection of
private Interests, were murdered by the
cXaspcralcd mob. Yet slch is the posi-
ton Of ,hoee who are participants in the
strike. Another feature Of the strike
must soon be felt irit be- continued. The
great cities Of the Ea-t-Ncw York,
Brooiiyn, Boston, Philadelphia and Bal
timogc depend upon the West for their
daily supplies Of breada and meat. twill
not take long to exhaust the supply On
hand and then great suffering must fol-
low to tha poorer classes in all the lnrgc
cities. With famine at their doors they
too viii no doubt be led to the commis
=. sion Of cxcesscs which may be 10 them a
cause OF life long regret.
The railrond companies aro rc2olute in
resisting the demands Of the strikers, and
though the latter yet have sway and are
constantly receiving additions TO theil
strength, it is only question Of time
when they will be compelled 10 give in
The companies had the choice Of three
things-to run their trains Mt loss, t,
raise fares and frcights or TO reduce
wages. They chose the latter, hence the
present Trouble. Untold suffering vii
follow, no good result he obtained and The
counties and municipalities put 10 enor.
nous cost to pay for the property destroy
cd.
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Nor PROVEN Tho COMMITTEE ap