The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-06-12

Senator Morton. then a leading mem.
Der of that body, and large portion
of the brains OF the party, proposed
for adoption a resolution precisely
like this Of Senator Morgan's. Then
the republicans were all in favor of
it, and some of the same gentlemen
who are now opposing it made highly
creditable arguments in its favor.
The republicans were in the majority,
and they felt safe in having their
man counted in should a close contest
occur. circumstances and the si!ua-
ton have changed somewhat. The
democrats have control in both
houses, and with suspicion worthy
Of those who contemplate fraud, the
republicans are assuming that the
opposition is composed Of roRues
and cheats. VIA. vas right
when one party was in power
Is gross wrong now that the
other party is on top. If the
republicans had ever claimed to be
consistent in their course they would
blush at the stand they have taken in
this matter of counting the votes 70:
President and vice-presideIt. 1t is
time that some rule vas adopted for
governing in this matter. and what
could be better or more proper than
that Congress should count the votes
and declare the result? 1t is certainly
safer for all concerned, than TO let
one man, the vice-president, do the
counting; there is less liability 10
fraud and corruption, and less danger
Of the wrong men being placed in
Office. There will never be
another electoral commission, no
matter how serious may be the
occasion; hence the proper plan now
proposed for avoiding trouble, and
preventing fraud, should be adopted.
~
4 FEW days ago a brief news items
in the HERALD mentioned shat
miners' union was in contemplation
by some OF the miners at tie Park.
Since then more has been learned of
the proposed organization. We had
hoped that Utah would be permitted
to get along without such 4 society
as ia contemplated. The troubles.
the evils and the annoyances OF labor
unions have been noted all abOu. us,
but We have failed to discover the good
resulting from them. At Leadville,
Col, for two weeks past. they have
been indulging in one OF the results
of a "unio1." The miners ara en-
gagged in strike that ia costing them
thousands OF dollars da:Iy-mO,e. in
deed, than they can mako good in
weeks and months of steady, faithful
employment, provided tae terms they
demand are acceded TO. But therei5
little probability of this being brought
about. TIE employers, in soma in
stances, may be compelled, by cir
cumstsnces, to yield, but it will be
only a temporary submission. As
soon as they are relieved from
the pressing necessities surrounding
them at the TINA of tbs strike, th.y
will make it a point to g9t even with
the men WHO took advantage
Of the situation to Cypress
them. That IS a natural consequence
Of all strikes. and will be SO long as
man remains human. So few COM
plants are heard here against en-
ployeFs of miners, that the public
thought the relations between the two
classes were nicely adjusted for the
mutual benefit of both; and We be-
lievo this is the cass generally. For
that reason, We say, We had hoped
| there would be no attempt to disturb
those relations by the organization of
a Miners Uaioa. which certainly
would have that effect The Park
movement, we learn, has no! Jet as
sumed positive shape, nor is it as
yet formidable. The plan OF the
organization is being arranged, and
unless The leading spirits in the
matter can be made TO see in advance
the evil results that muet follow the
perfection Of their undertaking, the
union will be established and have
at the outset q large number of men,
beTs. One object, we understand, is
to raise the price of labor, and q
second is the reduction of the hours
OF work day from tan to eight. Our
symPathies are ever with oppressed
| labor in its honest struggle with
capital. The poor man is generally
right ia his theory. but when he acts
with s union and under its control,
he is almost always wrong. He be-
comes the oppressor. and in most
! cases loses the claim which be had
for sympathy in bis struggle. In the
Park effort, We regard The movers as
treadiDg on dangerous ground. They
are blundering-We do Lot sag viii
lully-to say the least, and
if they shall succeed in their under
taking they will soon learn the truth
of our assertion. Tho miners, and
no: the mine-owners. viii be the
sufferers by q forced disturbance of
the existing state of things. Wages
paid to miners hereabouts ere not
large, It is true, but they are generally
fair. In most cases the miner receives
all that his employer can afford to
pay; that is, be gets all that
his labor produces. It is no: as if q
certain known product were to result
regularly from SO many hours' labor.