The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-06-15
THE LABoR sTRUGGLE

We talk good deal about the pros
perity of the country and the good times
of the past few years, and yet we are
confronted with the startling fact that
there are to-day 1OO,O men on a strike
because they cannot obtain what they
deem fair wages for their work. The
outbreak began almost with the begin
ming OF the year in few Of the depart
ments of labor such as the bakers, tag
ners, etc. Later came the brick makers,
the miners in different localities, and
now, the gigantic strike of the workers
in iron that threatens to involve q wide
spread disturbance in all departments Of
finance and trade. Between 5000 and
100000 iron workers are voluntarily idle,
and many Of the largest iron establish
ments in the country are shut down.
We suppose the principal blame for
this condition of things can be laid NJ
the door of capital as usual. The mind
OF the average man ia so constituted that
he gTasps al dominion regardless OF me
thOds or the rights Of others. On the
other hand the spirit Of independent
manhood, the outgrowth of our free in
situations, and based on the inheren.
rights OF man. having Its first recogniz-
alton IN the birth of the American ma
ton, and which has spread throughout
the civilized world modifying some
monarchies into real republics, save 10
the name, and driving governments of
absolute one man power almost entirely
from the earth; this spirit has formed
the basis of resistance to the aggressiORs
OF capital and laid just claim TO u
liberal share OF the profits of la
Dor, which is the great and only
real creator OF all capital. During
the past two years the manufactur-
ers Of iron have been r0aping immense
profits. In 1880, for instance, steel rails
sold at S42 per ton in 1881 the they ad
Vanced to as high as $50 per ton, and
averaged for the year over 500. The
general business of the country has
shared in q strong advance. Steadily
the prices of living have increased, rents
have been raised, meats and vegetables
advanced in price; wooden and cotton
goods, boots and shoes, hats and caps
have kept pace, until dollar purchases
but little more than half what it did
three years ago. Wages that supported
families comfortably then will only
| secure a bare pittance now. The in.
eVitable result has been this present
demand for higher wages. Unfortun-
ately the prices of good made iron
have fallen, and the proprietors of man
ufactories who have been accommodating
wealth at so rapid rate are 10th to still
further cnrtail profits by increasing the
pay rolls of their men. Man unwilling
ly resigns power or relinquishes his
grasp upon wealth. Hence this great
struggle. The working men feel that
thy are right and will suffer from what
they consider principle; capital is tena.
ciOus and unyielding. What will be
the outcome, it is not easy to prognosti.
cate. But that the situation is unfOrtu.
nate for the laborers is certain. 1t not
AOCPo OAN va ullllOlE
of dollars, but the little accumula.
tions of past years of toll will melt away
Comfort must, in thousands of cases, give
place TO gaunt poverty and want. if the
strike continues. We are glad that the
violent demonstrations that have charac
terized former labor strikes have not SO
far appeared in the present movement.
Only in q few extreme instances has q
resort to brute force been made. This
will have tendency to draw to the Ia
borers and their cause more sympathy
than they have met with in former strug
giles. No one denies the right of a man
to quit his situation if he desires to do
80, but when he undertake 90 by force to
control those who do not follow him, he
he loses the friendship of best classes OF
society.
We trust the problem of the present
important struggle between capital and
labor will be solved speedily in a way
that will be beneficial TO ALL