The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-26
The Telegraphlc Strike

States and Canada and the companies
which have hitherto employed them. On
the one hand fifteen thousand men are
facing to the front, demanding that their
grievances shall be redressed, and behind
them stand hundreds of thousands of
workmen in other fields Of endeavor, and
| behind this latter is the sympathy and
moral support of millions. The opposition
forces appear equally determined, equally
defiant and are backed by the power Of
| gold. What they lack in numbers is made
up in coin. Shekels supply the place of
| sympathy. And whilst thus arrayed, and
seemingly immoyable the public is made
to suffer. Telegraphy has gotten to be al
most as essential to the transaction Of COM
mercial business as the postal system, and
any interference with its expeditions op-
Grafton means delay, inconvenience, if not
absolute loss to those whose interests are
in any way promoted by ready means of
communication between the centres of
trade. 1t is but natural therefore that
business men generally should feel more
than an ordinary concern in a movement.
which, in many cases, is costing them
dearly, and that they should demand the
reasons therefor.
Approaching this, the telegraphers have
promptly furnished to the press a state
ment Of their position, which we publish
in another column. They present strong
case. They point to systematic reduction
of wages, running through years, whilst
at the same time the Western Union. as
the Representatives company has piled up it's
dividends, and watered it's stock until near
ly fifty per cent. per annum is realized
upon the amount of capital actually in
vested. With this immense increase of
revenue, derived from the work of the
operators, there has occurred decrease of
over 25 per cent. in the wages paid to those
through whose efforts this vast accumula-
ton has been possible. On the other hand,
the company has not sought to defend it.
self from the charges preferred against it,
but relying upon the gold in it's Golfers,
defiantly announces that it can supply the
places OF the striking operators, and reap
signally failed to do either. and every hour
seems to but add to the embarrassment of
it's situation.
The public, from its own experience
with the Western Union, is not unprepared
to believe the story told by it's employees.
Wherever that company has had it
in it's power it has ground the peo-
pie mercilessly, and when complaint
was made of the exhorbitant demands,
it was met by q threat to close the To-
cal office. They had it in their power to
make the public suffer, and they had no
scruples in exercising that power. Now
that other parties are IN position to retail
late upon them in some degree, little SYM
pathy for them will be felt if they are dosed
with their own medicine.
Whilst the operators have behaved adj
mirably since the strike commenced, yet
we can but think that in more respects
than one mistakes were made at the out
set of the movement. In the first place
their action was based upon the assump-
ton that the Western Union is represen-
tative company. This is not the case. 1t
is gigantic monopoly, welding power
full influence and overShadowing all of its
competitors. 1t tolerates no opposition
and whenever unable to buy up so-called
rival concerns. undertakes to crush them
and generally succeeds. In the sense,
therefore, of its being one of class, it is
by no means representative. The sins it
may have committed should not have been
visited on the heads of others. Unless the
employees OF other companies can show
equal injustice practiced upon them, they
ought not to have been forced into the
strike. 1t may be that in their opinion
the wages paid were disproportionate to
the service rendered. Indeed, that is very
probable. There are few men in this
world, no matter what their avocation,
who if allowed to fix their own compensa-
ton, would fail to make use of the plus
sign. 1t is human nature to look upon
ourselves as possessing more talents and
virtues than the community gives us cred
it for. But mans estimate of his own
abilities cannot be allowed to determine
their own market value. If the plea of the
| Western Union operators was they were
being oppressed by company whose divi-
dends were piling up by the million, and
that they should be allowed to participate
In the prosperity brought about through
their instrumentality, then it ought to
have been shown that the other companies
were in an equally prosperous condition
before the same rule was applied to
them. 1t should have been made to ap-
pear that the companies were able but UNI
willing to do justice, before it was under
taken to cOerce them.
So far as the Western Union is involved
our sympathies are entirely with the
strikers, but not so as to the other compa-
MES, unless it can be shown that the oper-
ators have right and justice upon their
side and have not undertaken this contest
simply because they have the power. 1t
will not do in this country for any class of
men to enter into close organization for
the purpose of exercising the power thus
acquired for their own benefit and to the
| injury of others. We have had too much
of this experience with the Western Union
and other monopolies. 1t is against the
extreme Of either organized labor OF organ
lied capital, that society must set it's face.
We favor the organization Of labor, so as
to render it powerful to resist the agrees
sions of organized capital, and vice versa,
but no farther. There the line should be
drawn and drawn by the strong hand of
the National Government, and there 1T
could be drawn if the men chosen to frame
the laws We're such as could neither be
fiattered MOI bribed nor bullied A perma-
nent adjustment of the respective rights
OF labor and capital lies in effective legis-
lation. Strikes may prove of temporary
benefit, though they more frequently
prove the reverse. but just as soon as ex-
listing difficulties are tided over the revival
OF the 'svueeze" process commences. So
long as the root of the evil is permitted to
remain intact, so long will there be re-
currence OF the subject of complaint.
If this strike shall have the effect of
fastening the day when the National
| Government shall take charge of the tel