Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-27
me ImpendLng Labor troubles.


pending in the iron regions of the North
and West The knights of Labor, an
organization formed with the avowed OBJ
ject of defending and protecting the
rights and dignites of the laboring
classes of the country, is reported to be
at the bottom of the movement, while
the "Amalgamated Association, as an
other of these labor protecting organi
cations is called, is also fomentiGg the
disturbances, and has demanded con-
siderable increase in wages Of iron work
ers. Notwithstanding the extreme
dizziness of the iron trade.
As was only to have been
anticipated, the manufacturers have
unanimously refused to accede to these
demands, and, in consequence it is
announced that after June 1st the mills
will generally be shut down. When this
is done, in Pittsburg alone 10000 men
will be thrown out of employment, and
when TO these are added the iron work
ers Of Wheeling, Steubenville, and
throughout the entire iron region of
Eastern Ohio, West Virginia and West
ern Pennsylvania, not to mention those
in other sections who will probably join
the strike, the number will be more than
doubled. It is estimated that in one dis
trict, composed of Eastern Ohio and
Western Pennsylvania, at least 10000
persons will become idle.
How a strike of these dimensions can
succeed seems beyond comprehension.
All the money thatit is claimed the Anal
gamated Association has in its treasury for
the support of the strikers is $50, 900.
Such q sum is Insignificant to supply the
wants of so many, and even with all the
private savings Of the strikers, and what
contributions they may receive from
their friends added thereto, it cannot be
very long before they will be reduced to
the verge Of destitution. On the other
hand, no more favorable time for resisting
the demands of the Knights of Labor
and the Amalgamated Association could
be presented to the manufacturers.
Thanks to the protective tariff which has
restricted the American iron market
to the home demand, the iron
supply has largely exceeded the
demand, and as the only natural result,
prices have fallen, and trade is dull.
Manufacture, under such circumstances,
cannot be proftably prosecuted, nor can
the mills be run, even at the old prices
Of labor, without a loss. A shut down,
therefore, means money in the pockets
Of the manufacturers all around. 1t will
not only save them the expense of run
ming their mills, but it will enable the
prices of the supplies now on hand to be
kept up, so that the manufacturers can
eventually dispose Of their surplus stocks
without any serious loss. Then when
the surplus stock thus caused by over
productiOn-thed direct result of the pro-
tective tariff-shall have been disposed
Of. the supply shall have again fallen
below the demand, and, in conse-
ouence, orders will again come in.
and trade will again become active,
perhaps the mill owners may offer
the workingmen their old terms,
and they, their money all expended,
weeks and months of valuable time lost
to them forever, and reduced almost to
the last stages of poverty and want, will
be forced to accept. If this does not
teach the laboriug man the utter fallacy
Of the arguments Of the prOtectiorists to
the effect that a protective tariff is bene-
fetal to them, and if they do not realize
that such a tariff, under any and all cir
cumstances, works only TO the advan-
tage OF the capitalist and against their
interests, then it must be concluded that
they are past teaching. and the most
powerful arguments will only be thrown
away upon them.
The legitimate result of such a condi-
ton OF affairs as is now threatened can
but be disastrous. Such large body of
men cannot remain for any length of
time out of employment without most
evil consequences. Idleness, poverty
and want must breed discomfort. which
must increase until at length we may see
a repetition of the riots and horrors OF
the summer of 1S77-riots brought on
by idleness and want, caused. as is ex-
actly the case now, by overprOductlon,
a glutted market, dull trade and reduced
wages. 1t is sincerely to be hoped
that the country may be spared such ter
uble scenes Of disorder and destruction,
but if matters do not change for the
better. and if the threatened strikes are
carried out, as at present indicated, to
their legitimate conclusion, the pi aspect
can only be regarded with serious appre-
/ hension.