New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-10
Trades ONIONS INEFFECTIVE.


The end of the freight handlers strike-one
of the most formidable and extensive strikes
ever organized in this Observation-Disclosures once
more the impracticabe nature of all trades
union organizations for the control of labor and
wages. There have been organizations of
workmen greater in numbers than that of the
freiGht-handers, and their treasures have
been better supplied at the beginning OF a
strike, but the result has been in the majority
of cases the same as that which has now over
taken this organization. Defeat is an old ex-
perience with the strongest OF them, but they
seem to learn nothing from such reverses. NO
amount of experience and consequently no
reasoning will make strikers comprehend that
trades unions are not and cannot be organized
in the true interests of the laborers. The pro-
positon that there is strength in union is so
plausible and popular, and the idea of securing
support when idle by paying small stipend
from their wages when employed Is so specous
and fascinating, that arguments to the con-
trary effect appear absurd to the ordinary
workipgInan Nevertheless it is true, as the
present and past experiences of strikers show,
that trades unions are expensive ana Intellectual
ORGANIZATIONS controlled in most instances 10y
a few men for their personal benefit and not III
the interests of the laborers who form and
maintain them.
The labor market is precisely like any other
market in which the laws of supply and de-
mand prevail. No organization is necessary
to secure good wages when there are two or
more men IN search of every lab0rer to be
found the Individual is apt to know his worth
under such circumstances, and to exact IT,
On the other hand, no amount OF organization
and concerted action can maintain wages when
there are two or more workmen clamOrng and
scrambling for every Job that is offered. EX-
perience and skill ought to count and they do
count for something. inasmuch as every EN-
ployer is eager to employ the skilful in prefer
ence to the inexperienced at the same wages.
But experience shows that the rate to be paid
ontbalances every other consideration, and EN-
ployers pay 10 more than necessity cOmpeis
them. 1t is the same law which regulates the
price of potatoes and of money, and it is law
as variable IA those of the universe.
There can be no complete and perfect union
of the workmen of any trade. To be perfect it
must embrace all the working people engaged
in that particular branch. 1t is well known
fact that the best skilled wOrkmen refuse to
Join trades unions they prefer to become the
foremen, aids or partners of their employers, or
to set I'D for themselves as employers. At the
same time the organizations themselves
avowedly exclude those workmen OF their
trade who are not skilled. Thus the most val
liable and the most numerous of every trade
are excluded from the organization Hence
complete union is impossible, and success is
not possible to any other sort OF body.
Even if the unvarying law OF labor and the
practices Of the unions could be reversed, there
is little possibility of forming an organization,
however costly and comprehensive, which would
be powerful enough to control the labor market
of a country to which the laborers of all parts
of the world are focking because the rate of
wages is comparatively high in America. This
is true of skilled labor. How much more eflec-
tive the reasoning is if applied to unsliled
labor the freight handlers on strike are learn
ing from bitter experience. 1t is the cheap
labor of foreign countries which Is supplying
their places.
Mo- only is it impossible to form n perfect
and effective union because of the refusal of
some to enter and the exclusion of others from
such organizations, bat IL Is impossible 10 form
such n body without cI,a ing two separate and
distinct interests. There is not trades union
in the country that is not thus divided against
itself. The seeds of discord are sown at the
birth. The officers or leaders and the other
members OF ali such bodies are indirectly antag-
onistic. Distrust grows quickly. The leaders
are no sooner selected than they become the OBJ
jeGts of the suspicion of the Others. This sus-
piciOn incites The leaders to action in order to
maintain confidence and they often do the
wrong thing at the wrong time. Occasionally
O trades union will strike far higher wa1ns in