Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-07-26
BALTIMORE AFTER THE BATTLE.
What "a Great Fire ~ Little Spark hiHdIefh-
Il Discussion OF the Liffie Spark. and
Whether IT Ought To Haze Been StgacS.

What "a Great Fire u Little Spark kiHdJeth 80
a Discussion Of the Liftie Spark. and
Whether 1t Ought 10 Haze Been >tgacs.
BALTIMORE, July 2s, 1S.7.
Editor Of The S,ar: AS l predicted, the
trouble here was of brief duration. The riot
ing was sympathetic, and inconsequential
as far as II went, bu W. owe il to a finely
organized and competently controlled police
force that it did not degenerate into pillage
and destruction, as the lawleSs and idle ele-
neBts were Wiling To maze the resistance of
The strike and the sympathy 18th the strikers
rreteNt for plumber. Among all those
arrested Tor diSOrderly co duct which fol
loves, not one of the late railroad EMPLOYEES
was found. Such a fact is significant proof
ihat they were not OF the rioters. The effect
OF the last reduction of wages showed that 4
struck the spark OF destruction. The whole
country was finder box. Workmen dis
conieIted, complaining of both real and
imas mary grievances. ware ready To- b. tlpS-
peraie. and when the B. 4 d insisted upon
their order being fulfilled. il was like firIng
train or fuse leading TO SO macy 20 WIDER
magazines.
To have their poor pay for hard work c-t
down by those who ride ina SumpfuOuS >pP-
clal cars, costing more than $4,000 each
mo e VINO declared hut recently that their
CON parties were highly prosperous, recon-
meIding great dividends aud boaStiug OF
huge sUrpluses-appeared SC insincere and
heartleSs 10 these poor workmen that the q
assumed 10 protect themselves in persuad-
ing, and at times threatening, their fellow
workmen. If they yielded TO the order. The
result was more Than they Dargaiuel for. I
heard an intelligent man to-day combat
either the policy or equity OF the argument
that the railroad company had the full right
10 secure labor at the least com uSatIou,
ard 10 answer an argument OF the New York
ISiIUHC IN this wise: "If 100 men are en-
forced Idlers, and 600 a. WORK al - per day.
would II not be entirely proper To offer the
lait' ~, and II they declined 10 employ the
fo1mer?' says the Tribune. "NrS,'' replied
IL! friend, but If The latter, prompted by
want, accepted the half wages would Il how
ever rot lie equally proper after the first 1000
had suffered from their loss Of employment
Ia employ them at - cents per day and dis
charge he others, and by continuing To de-
pend upon human suffering as your ard you
may afterwards reduce the wages to - cents
or less per day"
at is a bad rule that won't work both
ways" says another. The Police Commits
siOners, Ine Mayor, etc. who have the APP
roii tment of large bodies OF men are S,COTp,
10 SEA ce The best Interests II The state and ciIg
They can get police officers just as good as
those low on the fierce for one hd,f of the
present pay, and other city and state officers
al the same reduction. Why not do il? From
a railroad standpoint of argument it is their
bounGen duty a. agents OF a corpora lion to
pay labor at the least rates that starvation
forces il to take. / don't accept such log cal
conclusions, or did think it policy TO prom
1se labor only the least pay that the Su fer
ings of others Will compel them to Ia ke. Such
q lolicy carried out would put the whole
country upon half pay as well as the hard
WpIh UGeultD Oh the TdllrOdu Trains.
The firemen make another good point, and
that is that inexperienced men cannot fire
an engine, and the regulars are cheaper at
Sl.5c per day Than any new men would be
be at 81, "but railroad officials don't care
they say, $50 they succeed in Furnishing us
for contumacy, no matter how much ma
chinery may be ruined"
Among the experiences of those working
four days in the week at II 80 per day, and
compelled to support themselves when idle
and up the road, is. that iirenen have been
known TO work all day On their return TO
Baltimore without food-until they reached
home. An engineer declared he would work,
but what" he said, ''can 1 do with half
famishet fireman?''
Acco riding TO one still in the employ OF the
company, but few of these nrcmen can Ia l<e
home more than 3. 80 per Week, the balance
Is essential road expenses when at work,
unless they do without food or lodging.
Now, if the paper founded by Horace Gree
ley will apportiOn that - 50 to pay rent, fool
and cloth az for a family, il will show the r
arithmetic 10 great advantage.
Inc least wages for labor will not only de-
grade and debase our working people iuto a
lawless, dangerous and brutal class, bat
will destroy the prosperity of the country.
That they can be paid a fair days wages for
days hard work, without affecting capital
unfairly, is clearly within demonstration.
ASrROLOGER.