Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-11-04
Trhtlessness Of etlikca.

& BY returning to work under the oil
i requirements and at the old rates, Tn
Y railroad switcinen In Illinois ant
g Missouri, who had struck for highe
I wages, have added another to the abor
: tive attempts TO obtain by coerciv
measures nm increase OF pay. Th'
equally fruitless strike Of the coal min
= ers In Pennsylvania, and the memora
Bile "walk.outn OF the telegraph broth
erhood last summer, are further recent
instances of the futllity and calami
tous effect upon the strikers of such or
gained attempts to force a re-adiust'
ment of the relation of employer and
employee ON more profitable basis TO
the latter. The lockout deprived the
workmen OF their wages for several
weeks, and even had they gained the
advance c1ntended for IL would have
taken months TO make good the loss sus-
tanned through two or three weeks Of
idleness. In the aggregate the loss TO
the workmen must mount up to sever
al thousands of dollars,aud when IL is
understood that among the class of
men who entered the strike their fam
lies usually liveup TO their wages, it can
be seen that the suffering among them
is measured by thousands of dollars
that the strike cost them,
The principle of strikes is imperfect
and the occasion OF loss to both sides
engaged In them. The crushing com
petition of business results in the re-
duction of wages to point where it is
often difficult to support life; but the
rectilicaiion of the wrong does not lie
in strikes. Tradcs,unons or combina-
tions have their good and bad shapes
the former wher they arc used for pro-
lection; the latter when they are used
for oppression. The manufacturers of |
a certain article may combine to keep |
up the price of that article; but If they |
should attempt TO exact this price by |
prohibiting any Of their body from sell
ing it for less, their combination he.
comes oppressive. In like manner II
hundred workmen may combine not
TO work for less than certain remun-
Grafton, or not to work more than GER
tain number of hours daily, and they
lre quite free to do so, provided they
do not attempt TO interfere with those
who are content to work for lower
terms. But the employment of force,
which isa frequent accompaniment of
strikes, to intimidate workmen who
are willing to accept the wages rejected
BY the strikers, is the most ohjectona-
Die feature of these social disturbances.
Il denies not only the right of the
mployer to govern his business by
his wage-scale, but further
with the right of other
yorkmen 20 work ut rates that may
,e acceptable to them.
Whatever the result of u strike, it is
more hurtful to the workmen than to
he employer, and its effect ON the
business of the country is disastrous
aud far-rcachng. The sudden stop
lnge of work disturbs all expectations
on the continuance Of that
work. The shock is felt in all related
nd dependent branches of industry
nd trade, and in return affects, indi-
Getty, the workmen who created it. !
NE striker is ultimately tile loser,
hongh the stress of trade may he such
hat the employer temporarily accedes ,
. their demands, Tor in 4 duh season |
Ie Is sure to remember with resent {
lent the men who forced him TO sub
mission, and they are gradually got
i'd of and their places filed by men
Who are willing to work at prices fixed
y him.
Arbitration rs remedy for the difi-
ulty has often been proposed, but in
he absence OF appropriate legislation
pom that subject the decisions of ar,
are II nuliity so far us the en-
orcement Of their authorizations i,
oncerned. Either party that feels ii
as not rec lived justice is at liberty to
eject the decisions Of such committees
I arbitration, and there is no help for
;. The femedy lies in the common {
ense and mutual fairness of employees
nj employers the latter by paying
wing wages, and the former by work
ng to the hest interests of their EN-
lovers.