Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-07-12
STRIKES.


Ill countries in which labor and
capital ere brought in contact are
subject to disagreements between
employers and employed, and what
are technically crmed ''strikes"
sc metimcs occur. 1t has been the
hoast of the Southern States that
strikes are almost unknown among
the various classes of laborers en-
ployed in our country, and the de-
preston aod general trouble caused
by these contests between labor and
capital are strangers to the South
crn cline. Recent event like the
Kansas exodus are, however, con-
vincing proof that these contests
| are just as possible amongst Us as
among the manufacturing aud min
| ing communities. The farming
lands of the South being in the
hands Of tho few, farm laborers will
necessarily form the large mass Of
the population. it is plainly 10 be
seen, especially since the recent at
tack OF Kansas fever, how easy it
would be to organize q strike
among farm labcrcrs " h;ch would
be ruinous both to the land owners
and the laborers and their families.
A general strike Of farm hands at a
peculiar season Of the year would
mean an entire failure of both food
and money crops, and consequent
distress and famine to tho whole
country.
With this possibility staring us
in the face, it is the part Of a sem
sible community. and of practical
Statesmen, to guard against such
catastrophe. The question is. how
is this to be done ? There is one
course, which if it were practical,
would be guarantee against the
fatal effects Of agricultural l. Dor
strikes, aud that would he the sub
division and occupation OF the ara
bic lands in the South, by actual
owners. Bnt we fear the day has
not yet arrived when this is practi
cable. Is legislation possible, which
will prevent these strikes and their
d est~uctivc effects ? We think it is.
and such }cgisla ton too as will be
perfectly just and impartial. Such
as will favor neither the laborer,
nor the capitalist, at the expense
OF the other. We think that sys-
TEN of arbitration could be legaliz.
cd which would, it were made a
part Of our legal system, satisfy
any reaso nablc emplorcr or
employee. Recently at Fails
River, the operatives who We're
about to go on a strike, proposed
to leave the subject tc the ar
bitration Of disinterested persons,
but the employers refused to agree
to the proposition. The fact Of re-
lu sal is prima facie evidence that
the employers were in the wrong.
It is often the case that the capital
list proposes arbitration to str ikine
hands, and it is refused. This
leads to the conviction that the
strikers are in the wrong. The
party who refuses to have a dis
pute with another, settled by pru
dent arbitrator gives ground for
suspicion that he is in the wrong,
or that he is obstinately self.willed.
If these arbitrations should be ar
ranged for by law, and the award
of the arbitrator made binding as
the judgement of court, we think
the danger Of the violation of con-
tracts would be very much lcssened
on the part of either employer or
employers. In France, thu neces-
sity Of such a course has long been
apparent, and councils of concil-
iation' composed of members select
ed by both parties, with q Presi~
| ,1ant nompd nv tho roverpment