The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-06-08
The Labor Strike.

The Philadelphia Times gives the following
intelligent and succinct account of the great
labor strike and its effect which is now attract
ing the attention of the whole country "The
labor strike among the operatives in the iron
and steel industries of Western Pennsylvania
and Ohio, although only tour days DID, has as
sumed gigantic proportions. Already nearly
one hundred thousand men are idle, although
not more than half that number are really en-
rolled among the strikers. the remainder be-
ing composed of miners and laborers who are
thrown out of employment because the mills
are SMUT down, thus cutting off the demand
for coal and coke. This enforced ldleness re-
suits in loss to the workingmen themselves
of not less than $150,000 daily, which in itself
is very serious matter, as expenses go on
with memorable certainty, whether receipts
are correspondlngly regular or not
The strike originated in a demand from the
Amalgamated Association Of Steel and Iron
Workers for a new schedule OF prices, which
averaged about fifteen per cent higher than the
scale of 1881. The operators rejected this de-
market was such that there was no profit in
the business even at the present rates. The
men then decided to quit work on June 1, and
the fires were put out. AS one result, Pitts
burg is no longer the smoky city, but enjoys
as clear an atmosphere as country town. AT
this time there are probably one hundred mills
idle. These are in the Ohio and Mississippi
| Valleys. None OF the mills east of the Allie
ghenies or south of Kentucky are yet involved
| in the suspension, and present indications do
not lead to the expectation that they will be-
President Jarrett, of the Association is striving
to prevent the spread of the strike, probably
for the purpose of keeping the remainder OF
the Association in condition to contribute to
the support of the present strikers should the
| lockout continue for any length of time
There are various opinions concerning the
outcome of the strike. These vary according
to the standpoint of those expressing them.
Meantime the operators are taking the op.
portunity to make the necessary repairs tc
their works while idle, that they may be ready
for active business when the strike is ended
From the best information attainabe it is be-
lieved the stocks OF rolled iron, nails and Other
manufactured products at the suspended works
| will not serve the trade longer than sixty days
| when consumers will have to look elsewhere
for their materials unless labor is resumed
The Pittsburg operators are very sensitive
about their trade and fear an influx of foreign
iron or the diversion of their traffic to the Eas
or South. This may lead them to sign the
new scale as soon as their present stocks are
worked off and their works repaired. They
produced last year about twenty per cent O.
all the rolled iron manufactured in this coun
try, and they very much deprecate the loss O.
this immense trade. But whether they will
yield OF not depends upon the staying power
of the strikers.
One notable feature of the strike is the per
feet good order maintained by the workmen
On Saturday last some thirty thousand of them
assembled at Beaver, with their families, at s
picnic which was as orderly as an ordinary
Sunday school gathering. The terrible expe
rience Of 1877 seems to have taught the wage
earners that they have nothing to gain by
violence, but rather that they only prejudice
their cause by resorting to extreme measures
They haye one very great obstacle to contend
with in this movement arising from the fac
that they are demanding an increase of wages
upon declining market. They have, how
ever, this much of justice in their CLAIM, thai
the price of living is probably fifteen or TWEEN
ty per cent. higher than last year. 1t is, how
ever a great misfortune to the whole country
to have so large a portion of its producing
force idle even for short time"