New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-05
MLLL LILLE STRIKE LASTY

1t is natural that opinions dllier "iucJ do
70 the probable duration of the great strike OF
iron workers. The men, and nearly al
tradesmen and bankers, who have opportunity
TO Judge of the situation by personal COLI
ference with the parties, believe that the con-
fest will terminate speedily. 1t is argued that
the manufacturers have never shown any
faculty of standing together; that the men
are held firm by species of coercion or ter
rorsm. while each manufacturer Is tempted
by self-interest to abandon his associates
that stoppage of production will soon raise
the price of iron, and that some mahuiao-
turers will then sign, being able to take large
contracts at profitable rates by yielding 10
the strikers, and fearing that, II they refuse,
others will be the first to surrender ana VIII
fms get the cream of the profits. 1t Is urged,
too. that there is constant jealousy between
tbe iron manufacturers of different cities;
that they view each other with suspicion and
dstrust. and cannot be expected to feel
| toward each other that full confluence
which Is necessary for their success
against strong and Weh-oiganizeu
| strike. These reasOnings have much 1Orcc,
it must be admitted, but the impressions OF
| the striking workmen, and OF the business men
who are largely dependent upon their CUSTOM
would naturally be somewhat Influenced by
their personal interests.
| On the other hand, the manufacturers claim
| that they have never been more thoroughly
united than they are now; that they have pre-
pared themselves for long struggle, ana can
better afford to lie idle for many months than
TO produce more iron at a loss; that each one OF
them has taken his position voluntarily, without
any of the coercion or terrorism to which the
men have been subjected; and that their organ
ization will be heartily sustained by all Tor Their
mutual defence. They believe, too, that a
considerable proportion of the workmen have
been opposed to the strike, and will not long
consent to subject their wives and children to
suffering at the dictatiOn of associates who
have no families to care for, and that such
men will soon begin to act for themselves.
In these reasonings also, there is much force,
and it is fair to assume that the real spirit and
purpose of the manufacturers are better known
| to their associates than to others.
In the end self-nterest will probably gov
eu and it may not prove true that those who
are able to make the greatest temporary sacri-
fees will prevail The men are compelled to
consider whether it would be to their interest
|
iron in this country more costly. If they do
if is almost inevitable that fewer establish
meuts will be able to produce, consequently
fewer workmen will be employed and the ne
cessities of the unemployed must III time force
the rate of wages much below that Which
| might now be maintained Again, every adj
vance in the rate of wages here Is an addl-
tional inducement to the skilled workmen OF
England, Belgium and Germany, of whom
many are not fully employed, to migrate to
this country. The iron manufacturers them
selves, if forced to pay higher wages than
they can fairly afford to pay, will be very
likely to make special arrangements with
workmen from abroad, and the number OF
skilled men who can be obtained within q
short time is large enough to crowd out OF
employment permanently considerable pro-
portion of the strikers Even if the mills
start with the advanced rate of wages il
would be impossible to prevent them
from changing employees one establishment
after another, as fast as they could secure com
petent men under new contracts. Indeed the
workmen who have at any time succeeded il
coercing American employers into paying ex-
cessiye wages, in any branch of industry, have
almost invariably found themselves crowded
out of work, either by the intention of en-
ployers, who do not like to employ men that
dictate to them if they can avoid 1t, or by the
force of natural laws, which inevitably over
crowd any employment i'll which the remunera
ton is disproportioned 10 the reward OF othel
labor.
Intelligent workmen will probably conside