New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-02
TIE GREAT STRIKE.

Early last April the WOrkingmen IN the iron
and steel works at Pittsburg, Chicago, Cincln-
natl and other prominent points submitted to
their employers a revision Of the scale of
wages 10 take effect UPON the first Of June.
The manufacturers rejected the proposed
scale, informing their men that the advance
in wages which they demanded would increase
the cost of producing iron to such degree
that there would be no appreciable profit III
the business. So the matter rested for time,
the operatives remaining imnovable in their
| demand for increased pay and the employers
resolutely declining to make any concessions.
At length the operatives submitted modified
scale whose chief feature was demand for an
advance of 90 cents ton for pudding. This
being refused 10y the manufacturers, the work
men fell back upon their original scale and an
nounced that if it was not acceded to they
would strike on the first of june
The scale was not acceded to, so yesterday
| the men made good their threat. The result
| is enc of the largest strikes that has ever taken
place in this country. 1t is roughly estimated
that some $50, 900 men are in it. a dispatch
from Cincinnati states That the puddlers of every
rolling mill in that city have quit work, and that
all but two of tho mills have shut down. At
one have been put out. A similar state of
things Is reported at Chicago and Youngstown,
and other iron centres. Without stopping just
now to discuss the question whether the en-
ployers or employees ought to yield, we cannot
but deplore the strike and regard it as the
outcome Of anything but wisdom. These
150, 900 men who to-day are idle Cannot afford
to turn aside from work for an indefinite pc
Rod. Many of them, we trust all of them have
saved up something for a rainy day, but 1t Is
sad to think that their little savings, which
ought not to be drawn upon save fOrsckness or
related contingency, will disappear while they
stand out for higher wages, which in the end
they may not get 1t is announced that some
$500 900 is in the treasury of the strikers.
That is a good deal of money, but it will not
last long when $50, 900 men come to depend
upon it for support. The Pacific Mills strikers
began with plenty of money of their own, and
large amounts were sent to them from SYM
pathizers in various parts of the country. And
still it was not many weeks before they had
reached the end of their supplies and had ex-
hausted the benefactiOns of their friends.
A strike, at the best, Is only IA makeshift. 1t
is in no sense a radical remedy. 1t establishes
nothing permanent basis. AS a rule it
bears harder on labor than on capital. AS a
rule it is organized and managed by demagogues
who, masquerading as workingmen or the
friends of workingmen, are simply in the move
ment for what they can make out of it. Tie
present strike may have its basis in justice.
1t is hardly likely that it would have at
tanned such mammoth proportions unless
there were believed to be wrongs that
needed redressing. But the public, aware that
there has been percepti5le falling of in the de-
mand for iron of late and consequent falling
of in prices, will be apt to take the side OF the
manufacturers They will judge that it is
unreasonable for men to strike on falling
prices But for the sake of all concerned it
is earnestly to be hoped that the lockout will
be of short duration.