The Portland daily press., 1883-08-09
The Strike Failing,

Appearances indicate that the strike OF
The telegraph operators will not accomplish
Its purpose, at least not in the way expected.
The Western Union Company and the Balti-
more aid Ohio Company, which have held
out, seem likely TO come off vctors in the
contest with the brotherhood. They are
not doing the business they did before the
strike, probably are not yet able to do
promptly all that is offered, but they are
making shift to get along, and their situa-
tion constantly improves. 1t is the duh sea-
son, and that is much in their favor The
people eontrive to do a good part of their
business by mail which, while it does not
swell the profits of the companies, helps
them to get along with such help as can
now be obtained. These new operators are
constantly gaining by hard work a better
knowledge of their duties and more skill in
manipulation. Having maintained them
selves so long We judge they will be able to
hold out, and that the Brotherhood will be
poMerless to force them to yield.
The order issued to the operators work
ing on railroad wires, which was given this
week, was evidence that the organizers of
the strike felt the necessity of resorting TO
more extreme measures. The failure of the
operators on these lines to obey the order
shows that they have lost confidence in the
success of the movement and think it wiser
to continue working for what wages they
receive. This is the last card the strikers
had TO play, unless they resort 10 violence,
such as cutting the wires. they have
played it aud lost. If they resort to attacks
upon property, or to personal threatening
and violence, they will forthwith lose the
best part of the sympathy which has hereto
fore been with them. Men may wish them
success and regret that they have not
achieved it. bat they will not countenance
any other method of prosecuting the contest
than by exercising their right of refusing to
work. If the companies can obtain other
operators in their places they have as clear
right TO do so without hindrance as
the operators have to refuse to work.
And as for the unlawful destruction of prop
erty to force settlement of a dispute about
wages, it is an offense against the common
rights of all and will be Immediately con
demned.
We suspect tue sympathy of the public
with the strikers has not taken the form
which they expected it would take. 1t GER
talnly has not taken the form of effort to
contribute to the embarrassment of the COM
panies. Very few lawsuits, for example,
have been instituted. Most persons and
firms will think twice before they go to law
with the Western Union Telegraph Compa-
ny for refusing to send despatch immedi-
atey They will send the despatch by mail
or walt the telegraph company's convent
ence as the cheaper and less vexatious solu-
ton of the problem. Business adapted it.
self to the situation and not so much Deepen
dence was placed on quick communication.
Furthermore, great many who would be
glad to have the operators get better wages
II they are discontinued are opposed to
strikes as a means of enforcing demands
and have not cared to see this strike sue
coed because they do not desire to have
strikes encouraged.
The talk about holding out until January
is all nonsense. Between now and January
an army of fairly competent operators can
be trained, not so that they will be as eff
Gent as those who have gone out, but so that
they can do passable work. In fact, so far
as the companies are concerned, the worst
is now over. With every succeeding day
their ability to do their work increases, and
they become more independent of those who
have left the service. This may be regretted
but, judging from the best information on
the situation we can obtain, it is the fact,
and the strike is already failure.