Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-03

What, exactly, do these tremendous
strikes, with their Accomplishments Of yio-
lenee and destruction of property, mean ?
Were they an unprecedented outburst, or
are they the first shots Of a long pitched bat
tie between labor and capital? Was it the
only or main trouble that some thousand
brakemen and fremen had been docked
quarter Of dollar day or have the work
ing class, as class, deep-seated grievances
against the capitalists, as a class, which can
be and ought to be removed?
We looked for an answer to some of these
questions to the meeting Of sympathy with
the strikers, held in Tompkins Square, New
York, last week Thursday. Among the
speakers at that meeting was Mr.. John
Swinton, one Of the editors Of the New
YoIk Sun, an author Of school books, and a
man of intelligence. Mr. Swinton, in his
speech, put the question "What is this eI-
traordiDlry, precedented. unparalleled vol
cano, earthquake, or whatever it is that is
shaking this continent from the Canada
border to California that has ten States in
its hands that has 1900 miles Of railroad
under its control, that has l00, 900 American
men as strikers, and that has two thousand
million dollars worth Of property at its mer-
cyg" His answer was in a word that it was
big thing. lie said Gentlemen, it is a
movement the novelty, the magnitude, the
power, and the prophecy of which are meal
culable." lie added good deal more about
the size of the movement, and delaredit to be
"a movement for the eternal fundamental
rights Of man''-but what its definite objects
were he did not state, or get anywhere near
stating. Other speakers denounced the
railroad corporations, and called for their
SUPPRESSION by legislative action and the
resolutions adopted by the meeting asserted
that ''all legalized and chartered CORPORA
tons, suck as railroads, mining, banking,
manufacturing, gas companies. ETC.. under
the present system ofoppression, are the most
despotic enemies Of the working classes, and
that it is the purpose Of the Workingman's
Party to confscate through legislation the
unjustly-gotton wealth Of those chartered
corporation. But this. We fancy, is
an idea which has occurred to but
very few Of the men who have
been blocking the railroads, and drag
ging engineers and fremen from the locom0-
tIves. No man but a crack-brained Com
munist can suppose that the destruction Of
all the corporations in the land would en-
hance wages or that free country, which
permits organizations OF everything else, can
refuse to PRINT organizations Of capital, |
for business purposes. The New York meet |
ing gave no solution to the problem.
We do not believe that one in hundred |
OF the workingmen of the country, on or of |
the railroads, has any idea that a general |
new distribution of property, by which a
pile OF money shall be taken from rich men
or rich corporations, and divided among the
laboring men, is possible. We do not believe |
that many of them think of such thing as |
a wiping out OF corporations, the running Of |
all railroads by tie government, or any very
graf alteration Of the relations between
llbor and capital.
What they mean is to use the means
in their power to secure higher wages, such |
as they have had heretofore. What they |
want is more pay now, hiis year, leaving |
next year to take care of itself and them.
They realize the power which combined ac-
tiJn gives them, and in the railroad business
this Iower is very great Railroad en-
ployes have means of prompt communica-
ton and extended organization, such RE- few
other classes possess and railroad stopped |
at one point, is practically stopped at all
points. The ease with which trains can be
stopped AMI tracks blockaded, tompts law |
less men To enforce their demands by lawless |
methods, and they Lave been quick to yield |
to rhe ten rtation and to seize their oppor-
tunity.
Norkingmen Of course feel the gradual |
reductions Of wages which accompany the |
settling up Of the losses and expenses |
the war. the return from inflated |
currency to hard money, and the coming
OF the country down to hard pan.
Sjme ofthsm doubtless believe, as they are |
told by the Communist leaders, that they