The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-08-10

or was cut down to halt time. tho
Crispin was not required to manufacture
10 many pairs of boots aud shoes. and he
felt the effect Of half time in the coal
mines without knowing the canse--for
the coal miners wear out great many
pairs OF boots and shoes In tho year.
The machinists and blacksmiths en-
ployed in the construction Of locomotives
paid but little attention to the laws Of
supply and demand, and 40 long ~ they
had steady employment made no in
qnirics concerning tho state Of trade in
other localities but when an over pro.
duction Of coal glutted the market, and
the owners OF the mines struck against
reduction In the price Of coal, by putting
the mines under their control on half
time, Il did. not require 50 many loco
motives to draw the coal to market.
The result was suspension Of portion
Of the force employed in the construction
Of locomotives (this includes machinists,
molders, rattern-makers, blacksmiths
and carpenters). II soon became mp
parent 60 the trade unionist that the
strike could not remedy this evil, and he
began TO look for q better means Of
securing steady employment at living
wages.
While the leader OF the trade union in.
weighed against the forming Of " entang-
ling alliances with those Of other trades"
his employer had formed alliances with
other employers Of labor, and when q
strike took place he knew where to
look for men TO take the places Of tho
strikers. While the trade unionist was
devising the best means Of supporting
his brethren on strike, his employer was
interesting himself in having laws passed
by the State Legislatures which made it
penal offense TO engage in strike un-
der certain conditions. The narrow
minded policy that forbade entangling
alliances with those Of other trades also
discouraged any attempt on the part Of
working men to interfere with politics.
The leader Of the trade union, honest
enough in his convictions, no doubt,
looked upon politics n trade which
rascals alone should learn. The result
was that not few rascals found their
way into onr Ststc and national Legis-
latures, and We find the statute hooks Of
the various States dotted here and there
with laws framed wholly in the interest
Of cap tal-some Of them for the preven-
ton Of strikes-wlile not thought ever
entered the heads OF the able law. MAX
Ing statesmen about the causes which
led to the strike. II the State has the
right tn enact laws for the protection Of
the capital Of the rich man, il certainly
has right to make laws to protect the
source Of all capitai-labor. In their
haste and anxiety to please the capital
list our lawmakers sometimes injure him
a. much as they do labor. In illustra-
ton Of this l need cite but one act
passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature.
II became a law in 1877, and is entitled
IAN act for the better protection OF pas
sengers upon railways, and to insure the
prompt transportation and delivery Of
freights." Section Of that act reads:
b. il enacted, ETC., That. II any locomotive
engineer, or other railroad employee upon any
railroad within this State, engaged in any strike
or with view 10 lncite others 10 such strike,
or in furtherance Of any combination or pre-.
to bring about . strike, shall abandon the loco
motive engine In his charge when attached
either to passenger or freight tram Ut any
place other than the destination OF such train,
or shall refuse or neglect 10 continue to dis
charge his duty Or 70 proceed with said tram To
the place Of destination. ~ aforesaid, he shall
be deemed guilty Of . misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be fined not less than
300 nor moro than s5ai, and may lie impris-
oned for term not exceeding SIX months, at
the discretion Of the court.
The other sections OF the act follow in
the same strain. II the members OF the
Pennsylvania Legislature were actuated
by . sincere desire to afford better pro-
lection TO the travelling public they
would not have framed SO one-sided an
act. Az it reads, only the employees are
required to look after the welfare Of the
passengers. The railroad companies
may stop their trains 1t my time or for
50 long as they like, SO far as that act is
concerned. II the intention was to deal
justly by capital and labor, they would
have passed law requiring Of railroad
companies to give, say, five days notice
to their employees Of any intent on their
part to reduce wages, or Of any change
IN the management of the road likely 10
bring on strike, and also requiring
employees to give five days notice Of
their unwillingness to continue to work
after receiving such rotice, and then fix
| . penalty for refusal Of either party to
comply. Had that been done, il would
have afforded ample protection to
passengers. and would have secured the
prompt transportation Of freights. Then
workingmen would not have looked
upon the law as the creation Of corporate
capital-which it really is. The princi.
pal effect Of that law was to deprive the
travelling public Of the use Of one hum
dred and twenty-eight locomotives,
which were destroyed by the torch Of
the incendiary in the round houses at
Pittsburgh during the great strike of
1877, and to fasten IN extra burden on
the Industries Of that city, in the shape
Of increased taxation, to pay for dam
ages done to property during tho
troubles Of that year.
A strike cannot change the apprentice
system, . strike cannot ramove unjust
technicalities and delays in the admins
tration Of justice, strike cannot regu.
late the laws Of supply and demand ; for
i It cnts Of the supply it also cuts OF
the demand by throwing consumers out
Of employment, thereby cnrt.liling their
purchasing power. A strike cannot re-
move or repeal unjust laws, for at best
the strike secures but u temporary relief /;
it may result in an advance Of wages,
but If SO it il = dearly bought victory,
and ct the first available opportunity
another reduction il imposed. The
strike is the weapon Of force, and "who
overcomes by force hath overcome but
half his foe." II the men who willingly
lose one, two, three or six months time
in strike would continue TO work, and
set apart the money thus spent for the
purpose Of creating . cooperative fund,
aud il the men who contribute to theiI
support would set apart the money they
advance for the purpose Of adding il r.
that fund, they would noon amass SUI
sufficient TO erect factories or shops large
enough TO give employment to their i'll,
brethren. But fail to see any lastin,
good in strike.
Tho cause Of 40 many disputes betweel
capital and labor lies in the present wag
system. Take away the labor, and cap