The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-08-03
THE STRIKE.
Editors Herald:

During my stay in this place am
in position to see your paper very
aoon after its arrival here, and of
course the first thing after perusing
my letters is to see what is going
on in Zion.
One of the items lately CLEANED is
that Watermaster Wilcken (under
instructions from the city fathers,
who in turn are no doubt acting at
the request of the able, energetic
and Influential committee appointed
by the Twentieth Ward "dry
benchers' to look after their inter
ests i'll regard to the water supply
Of that region) has peen prospecting
in the mountains and is likely to be
able to coax a few drops down to
where water is so much needed; in
deed, have long believed that to
be q practicable means of furnish
ing a limited supply for household
purposes. Tunneling and water
pipes will win. but the fathers
must not be afraid of a little
expense for water pipes. have no
doubt that Cne-half the money
already sunk in the aTtesien we'll
would long since have yielded a
decent supply fer the dry settle
ment Not that I have any COM
plant to make about the well; let
the experiment go forward, but not
at the expense of other improve
ments.
Another item which suits me is
the suggestion that the city should
purchase any water right belonging
to any and all persons connected
with the mill recently burned up
City Creek. Let the water right be
bought and paid for; the water of
the entire stream be utilized IN
the interest of the citizens of Salt
Lake City. No flour or marble
mills should be allowed.
These suggestions made, / now de-
size to say few words to the HER
AID and its readers. In doing so
permit me to premise that it is
always unpleasant 10 take issue
with man in his own house, or an
editor in his own paper.
However, as most questions have
two sides to them. it is well enough
occasionally to discuss public sub
ieets pro and con. The theme l
propose to take up now for Ventila-
ton is the strike of the telegraph
operators, which is now the prevail
ing topic of conversation and spec
ulation.
l have clipped the following ex-
ceipt from a late number of the
HERALD, wherein the editor gives
expression to his views on the SUBJ
iect:
The princi lie upon which striking
rests ID sil wrong. It is amply the
weaker party making demands on .he
stronger and attempting to enforce them.
Arbitration, or at least no greater exsc-
tions on the psrt of the lsborer than ia
consistent with his position and his em.
ployer's interests, and these unaccom-
pursue. Something may then be
effected il circumstances warrant il; 6u
eItortioneta and dispropor.ionst claims
bscke1 By proposed striking as the re-
| suit OF refusal, will hardly ever prevail.
Those who control large Interests and
receive and disburEe great Gums Of money,
will not be coerced in that way:
The first proposition contained in
the above extract is that the prin
cipIe of striking is wrong. Let US
see. The operators believed that
their employer was not paying a
fair compensation for their ser
vices. They so informed the en-
ployer, and asked an increase Of pay.
But the stronger" party, instead OF
| complying or proposing 'sarbitrat-
ion," treated the application for
| increased compensation, with 81
lence and contempt.
When the "We8keI" party became
convinced that there was no hope OF
a change, they made up their minds
and so notified the employer, l be-
lieve, that they would quit work
which they did
Was there wrong in the principle
or in the as? / say no; no person
will contend that any one employe
did not have the right to quit work
If one had, all had the right, and in
quitting work each took the risk of
consequences. 1t is true some, per
haps all of them. may lose money
and may be in worse onditlon
financially than if they had con-
tinued to work at the terms paid by
the company, but is that a reason
why they should put in obeyance
the rights of free men?
The first strike Of any moment
that remember to have read about
IN tbs history of the American
people is that little affair at Boston
when the people, having had sur
felt of government at the hands OF
royalty, made the memorable strike
against the stamp act, by not only
refusing to buy and use the Gea upon
which stamp duties were demanded
but they valiantly, defantIy and IN
lawfully destroyed cargo OF tea IL
Boston harbor. ,,
Was the principle which dlctate1
that strike wrong? l think not. Il
was not only right, but was the
opening wedge which led to the IN
dependence Of the colonies.
The people of the United States
have so long submitted to the out
rageous monopoly known as Iht
Western Union Telegraph Company