Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-16
THE LABOR PROBLEM.
Breakers Ahead-PrOpOse Strike
of the PennsYIVAnia IrGInwOrkerr,
Etc.

The Philadelphia North american, which
is always conservative ia its discussion of
labor and business topics, in a leading edit
torial In late issue, says:
"The present depressed and unsettled
condition OF the iron trade is the blackest
and most threatening of the clouds which
darken the business horizon. 1t is no exag-
geration to say OF this great trade that it
furnishes the best means of testing our in
dustrial and commercial status. When the
iron men are busy, when their mills are kept
running on full time in the execution of
profitable contracts, when the manufsc-
turers are able to pay the highest .wag es
to men In their employment, an d
extensive production is not followed by-
undue accumulation, it follows as a tolerably
safe inference that the country is active ana
prosperous; and the converse holds equally
good. Such falling away in the orders
sent In as compels the iron men to put a
limit upon their output, to run their mills
for less than full time, to discharge some Of
their employees, or to order a general reduc-
ton OF wages, is sure sign that the national
prosperity has received a check. 1t shows
that something has gone wrong in the III
dustrial system of the, country; that some
thing has occurred to clog the wheels OF
trade and to impede the progress of tue
nation. This, unfortunately, is what the
state OF the iron trade indicates at the pres
ent time.
''For some months past the m anufactur-
ers OF iron have not been doing 3 satisfac
tory business. The prosperity upon which
they entered at the time of the great revl-
val of trade throughout the country which
took place three years ago he's not been
maintained. Especially during the past
year have they had to complain of q dfmi-
mutton in the volume and In the profits of
their operations. 1t would not be practi-
ahl II 1fe
tended discussion of the influences by which
this reaction has been brought about. To
great extent it may probably be attributed
to the abandonment by various railroad
companies of enterprises In which they had
somewhat impFovidently embarked, or
to temporary suspension, under the
pressure OF adverse circumstances,
OF plans for the improve ,ment and ex-
tension OF their lines, In W hich the iron in
terest was deeply and beneiacIally interested.
But what yer doubt there may be as to the
cause OF the reaction, it's results are unfOr-
tunately indisputable. Tie iron manufac-
turers have done less business than they
were justified in anticipating, and as what
they have done has been at a reduced profit,
tney nave accordingly found themselves un-
able to pay the wages which they well
afford to give in better times. The natural
result has followed, and the situation,
already so discouraging, has been seriously
complicated by the fact that the men have
refused to accept the reduction, and are
even now threatening to have recourse to
force.
"If they should so decide, the conse-
quences would be disastrous in the extreme,
alike to themselves, to their employers, and
to the general welfare of the country. The
threatened strike is one which would throw
10000 men out Of employment, which
would psralyze one of our gre atest indus
tries, and inaict an injury upon our material
interests from which recovery would, of
necessity, be slow. Happily, there is still
room for hope that the threat ned dan
ger may be averted, and that some
compromise may be arran ged between
the contendiDg parties, which will
admit Of the dispute being
settled upon a stable and satisfactory basis.
The case is one In which there is great
deal TO be said on both sides. The masters
were justified In making the reduction both
by necessity and by the terIns of their agree
ment with the Amalgamated Iron and Steel
Association, bat it must be admitted that
the men have a substantial grievance. A
time when provisions Of all kinds are dearer
than they have been since the war, and
when the price Of meat is going up every
week. is certainly not a good time to cut
down wages"