Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-27
MUSCLE VS.. MONEY.
The Labor Question the All-Important
Problem Of the Times-1he Lead
Ing Factor
In the Next Presidential Electien-The
Effect Of Trades UniOns-Strikes
and Arbitration.


To the Editors of the Appeal:
There seems to be in some minds the
doubt "a to what will be the leading factor iu
the next Presidential election or campaign?
The sign Of the times al point to the labor
question as the sll-important one. Since the
big strike in 1877 the condition OF the laborer
has changed for the better IN many things,
apart from his financial condition. At that
time few papers that were not counted "a
radical made the labor question one of great
Importance, or gave prominence 10 their
grievances. Now the press generally sus-
tains them, and keeps the question constantly
sgitatsd in editorials Their organisations
are assuming giant proportions, and the
laborer has been educated in them. Apart
from the unions of each trade, there is a
vast body of men aud women organized all
over the United States as knights OF LABOR,
with well-conducted journals and Papers,
With a circular of principles, whose demands
are coinc;ded in by hundreds OF nen OF all
Is equal pay
for both sexes, for toe same work,
for il needs no microscope TO find this griev-
| ance, and unless the men help the women in
their demand for fair pay the time is not far
distant when they will combat woman's labor
as they do convict work, owing to Its low
wages. The national suffrsgists have always
| declared that this fact was owing 10 the lack
Of the ballot. Primarily, yes; but most OF
| oil to WON sn's isolated condition from work
| ers Of her class and from lack of organlza-
| ton such as men have, and even before they
| did have such organisations men discussed
| grievances in their daily converse or in busi-
| ness placer, while women were practics lily
| alone. 1t is very apparent to a close observer
/ that now, as women have become equally
| skilled in many branches of labor with men,
| their pay must be Increased, or they will hll
so many avenues of employment as 10 pre-
vent men from gaining them, owing to their
low wages, and the result will be that men
will, as organized bodies, fight them bitterly.
1t is q favorable sign that men are them.
selves making the demand, as they did in the
present Geographic strike. The demand for
arbitration, instead of strikes, is q most
favorable sisn, and this is one of the urgent
demands of the body of people calling them.
selves Knights of Labor, and this alone will
tend to settle the difficulties between laborel
and employer in a peaceable manner, fol
even the most calious must feel pity for tbs
poor, underfed, hard worked miner, who,
when making his just protest, is put down i
collected in Gro sds or are guilty of the leas
overt act, by calling out the soldiery. Revo
lutions are always unexpected or take sucl
form as we are unprepared for. 1t will b
we'll if this be a revolution OF ideas that i
pending, and does not end ia a revolution
sealed in blood. The vast sales OF Henri,
Georges work, and its being read by al
classes, is a significant fact, and it is no I'm
usual thing to fnd this and kindred work
on the reading-table Of the gaily-dresse'
woman of the world, showing that the femal
mind is fast being aroused to the great issue
of the day. This organized charities o. lead
ing wsmen everywhere has also brosdene
heir views, while they remain in strfc
church lines. An article published in tn
|; Nation, of July 18th, is certainly an unju,
| one concerning the strikers, for it plaInl
I, states that the spirit of the people is on
l calculated to compel the striking tell
: raphsrs to act differently. A brief sun
] ming up OF the questions Of the gre'
D strike of 1877, much of which l ssy
8 may interest some not familiar with this al
important question, the inevitable coufi,
: between labor and capital" In 1875 Ii
: Baltimore and Ohio road, by official al
uouncement, gave its net earnings as s4,500
g 600. and declared a dividend of ten per cen
{ 90 its stock. Yet in the three months pri,
10 this railroad rsinmen and brakemen hs
e heir wages decreased, while brides to eli
u and State politicians, large salaries to pres
: dents and boards caused a cutting down
O wages, until the operatives were nearly 7
g 4 duced (where they had large tamilies)
: starvation. One Of the strikers writing
q hat time said: "We do not want 10 force
on with threats. The late strike was not i
e tended 10 break out as it did. Things bro
y loose and took a direction we regretted.
we find ourselves answerable for results '
! had no share in or control over. Neverth
II less, we accept the event as a symptom Of I
p disorder that is consuming our body, al
pray the country 10 look to it, for it is not
!, passing complaint" Signed "a Striker"
the North american Reuiep, October, 1877
Now the bodies of organized laborers q
able TO identify their members, and will
lin event Of protest or public demsnd) al
y also TO dispense the mob of sans culot
character, and unless these demands
labor are honestly met, the time will Coz
8 when capital and labor will lock hor
% in combat. DR.. Arnold, OF Rugby, say
III Nothing is 80 convulsive az the strain
keep things where they are, when opposed
advancing tendencies" And to-day o
10 labor question demands, as never before, I
as consideration of our wisest men and tru,
philsnthropists. The new order Of thin
81 which labor reform hsralds will prove eve
i, way benefcent, if people can only Be lars
- minded enough TO receive it, and understsl
Y. that when 4 vessel filled with iermenti
liquor is tightly corked an explosion is q
a to follow. In this respect nothing can
ie more encouraging than the general reviy
ie of thought on this question, which the stri
e. of 1877 promoted. Rebellion turks eS
behind oppression" is n m=xim worthy eve
ls stateeman's regard. Who dsres censure t
u laborer for urging his pay being raised, VIII
u it is On record that Jay Gould stated, unc
oath, that he needed the services of f.
State Legislatures, and created them with
y money, finding this the chespsst ways" VII
the Chicago Board Of Trade and other boar
OF can, by the c~resiion Of a corner" in wb,
e or pork, impoverish thousands and sweep
Ai roofs from over The heads OF families
, their manipulation? All pass, as beyond
law or above it. Tue buying and ceiling
is futures is demoralizing scd destroying u
Of limited means, and, by srousing the
CT is adding to what these capitalists
pleased 10 call the Franks of
70 Communists. Yes, there are Communists
u America, a ring Of them, that will yet deslr
free institutions by their conduct, Just as {
y sueh fortunes in the haod4 Of a I
!! Romans des roy the great Romsn repub
u 10 August Of 1877 Ofton ard Her
. Smith, Jay Gould and Mr.. Vanderbilt q
u in Saratoga, consolidated the Western Unit
Atlantic and P ci6c TelegrspH Compani
Ifuiiod onnpo tbap,ol1az I'D IL,