The Indiana State sentinel., 1883-08-22
STRIKES

The first and the general verdict rendered
by communities in regard to strikes is that
they are wrong. The same is true when wars
occur Still strikes and wars take place, and
so thoroughly convinced ere the Nations of
the earth that wars will continue to happen
that the proverb In time OF peace prepare
for war" is universally accepted as indicat-
ing the right policy to be pursued. When
men hippantiy declare strikes and wars to be
wrong. they simply express a surface fact,
under which lies other facts relating to other
wrongs which make wars and strikes neces-
ssry and inevitable. We do not care to go
into details about wars. The United States
have had fair share of them, from Lexington
TO Apo mattOx. Who is there to say these
American wars were wrong, or, il wrong,
that they were not the result of other wrongs
deep-seated injustice, injurious, long-endured
violations Of the right which men were
bound by every consideration of honor 70
rectifys What is true of war is equally veri-
table when applied to strikes. We speak Of
the rule, not of the exceptions. There have
been wars, and there have been strikes
doubtless, which the student would find it
as a rule it viii be found that wars and strikes
have been provoked by hagrant departures
from the right, and that the
world anticipates more wars is fully
confirmed when even cursory glance
Is given to preparations everywhere going
forward TO make attacks aud repel invasion.
1t is always gratifying to read of our advanc-
ing civilization, of the steady tramp of hu-
manity toward higher elevations; of the tri-
umphs of schools and Churches, but the hag-
gard fact remains that even now the strong
opp-ess the weak and the rich grind the
faces OF the poor. The survival of the fittest
means the survival of the strongest, and the
collapse of the telegraph strike brings the
facts into the boldest possible prominence.
The verdict of the world was that the tele-
graph operators were right and that Jay
Gould and his confederate sIuggers are
wrong. and yet the operators have gone
down. and Jay Gould's patent rat trap,
which symbolizes his success in all of his un-
dertakings, is ''oa top
1t ought to be ceaselessly kept before the
American people that a colossal fraud has
won q continental victory. It ought not TO
be forgotten that the Western Union Tele-
graph Company represents the hugest swim
die that was ever fastened upon the business
affairs of the country. 1t is difficult to con-
ceiVe that the statutes, Federal and State. are
so framed that q corporation can with entire
impunity collect dividends from the people
on $4,000, ,000, when not one farthing Of the
gum has been invested. But this
is done annually. and yet when
hard worked and over worked men
demand fair share of the millions they
help to earn, and strike for their rights
they 90 down like reeds before tempest
The strong suryive-not the strong In virtue
truth. manliness; not the strong in integrity
and fidelity to obligations; not the strong in
devotion to God, country, home and tc
wives and children-but the strongin money
and the power which money confersL Il
that what we are to understand as the sur
yiysl of the fittest? But If we are correctly
informed the simple defeat of the telegraph
operators tells only part Of the SAD
story. and the least unpleasant
part of il. It will readily occur to mos
men that Jay Gould ought to have been sat
isfed when he saw the shattered columns oil
the strikers coming back and confessing de
feat. They we're q moneyless band, wenJ