Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-09-28
On the Rocrn, TnI.rrenh s,riLs.

The notable event of the midsummer was
the great strike of the telegraph operators,
which was less startling but not less suggese
tive than that Of the railroad men six years
ago. The tendency of the time and the nat
ural phenomenon Of an age of invention is
the consolidation and organization of labor as
well as Of capital. The click of the moving
machine, the rapid sweep of the tedder and
the horse rake, foretold new epoch in agri-
culture Of which the vast western farms are
the illustration. The spinning. wheel has CIV
en- place to the factory, the hand-press to the
magnificent Hoe" 1t was inevitable that
the myriad single stage-coach companies all
over the Union should yield TO the railways,
and that the scattered railway lines should
combine into 'systems." II was in obedi-
ence TO the same tendency that the telegraph
became practically one huge webof commun-
ication under one control. As nothing is
more obviously true than that in union is
strength, and as this truth is the cornerstone
of our political greatness, it was natural that
it should be universally applied to industrial
enterprises.
But when its application makes all railroads
practically one railroad and all telegraphs
practically one telegraph, several conse-
quences ensue that are not always foreseen.
Capital instinctively combines to monopolze
the ownership Of all the means of communi-
cation both by the wire and the rail. But
actual communication is feasible only by the
labor which operates both, and therefore the
returns of invested capital are dependent up
on labor. Labor in this country is both in
telligent and politically enfranchised. 1t
thinks and it votes. Naturally, therefore,
like capital, it combines to monopolize the
operation both of the wire and the rail which
capital owns.
Here are two immense forces, each indis-
pensable to the other and the condition of
that happy cooperation and mutual advantage
is friendly understanding, The less friendly
understanding there is, the closer and more
rigid will be the organized combination jeal-
ously TO maintain supposed rights. But open
and resolute hostility between the two is not
only fatal to both, but injurious to the COM
munity. Prolonged to an unreasonable de-
gree, the hostility would compel the interven-
tion of the community for its own security.
In every contest between these two forces
one of them has the advantage because of it's
greater capacity of endurance Capital has
reserve upon which to draw for daily support,
but labor depends largely upon its daily
wages. The remedy for this disadvantage of
labor is found in the accumulation of relief
funds But these are necessarily limited,
and inadequate for any long g-continued idle
ness. The chief resource of labor, there
fore, must be more and more thorough COM
bination. This combination will be hastened
and perfected in the degree of its intelli-
gence and political power; and as these we're
never SO great as in this country, it is here
that the combination will be most rapidly de-
veloped. 1t will be hsstened also by the sit
uation and by experience. The railroad
strike of 1877 was appalling because it was
clear that its extension would isolate every
part of the country. But a combined strike
of he ~ roi1roads Nd taIa
graphs would Immediately paralyze the in
dustrial activity of the country, and it would
be an intolerable public calamity.
This is to be avoided, without public ac-
ton, as we said, only by friendly under
standing. There must be g reasonable for
bearance and concession on both sides. A
mere stubborn determination will settle moth
ing. Even if it succeeds at particular time
and in single crisis, it only accumulates a
heavier account for the future. Undoubted-
ly the bargain between a laborer and an en-
ployer is q private arrangement. When
man hires a groom, or when another man
agrees for a certain sum and within a certain
time to build house, their bargains do not
concern the community. But when there is
bargain between great bodies of persons
which necessarily involves the order and con-
venence of the whole community the situa,
ton is very different, and the community
will properly protect itself.
The telegraph strike has had the good re
suit of promoting intelligent reflection upon
the whole subject. 1t was plain, also that
without detailed information upon the rea-
sonableness of the position of the operators,
there was general feeling that they were
probably justified in certain demands. There
is, indeed, no legal tribunal to which the de-
mands could have been referred for judg-
ment and adjustment. 1t was, as usual, a
dead pull between the two forces, and the
more fully organized naturally triumphed
But nothing was settled by the result and
certainly such movements were not made
either less probable or less possible hereafter.
Yet promotion of the intelligent considera-
| ton of the whole subject is certainly great
gain. 1t is gain that more persons see the
folly of condemning the organization of labor
1t is gain that strikes are seen to be some
times the only method of protest against in
| justice. 1t is gain that the fact and the rea-
son of the vast and unprecedented combina-
tions of capital and labor are more clearly
perceived. And it is great gain that the
| right of the community to regulate and re-
strain them for its own advantage and safety
is acknowledged. 1t is also a gain that the
strike has turned public attention to the ques-
ton of postal telegraph, and so strongly
that the proposition of some scheme in Con
| gress would not be surprising. Geo. Wnl.
| Curtis in October HGrper'S.