The Labor enquirer., 1883-01-27
Necessity OF Unions.

erhood of Locomotive Engineers, de-
livered at the annual convention recent
| ly held at Louisville, Kentucky. 1t de-
monstrates the necessity of union in all
branches of industry. He says:
| The past year has witnessed the great
est conflict between, capital and labor
that ever occurred in this country. The
labor question is the one great problem
of the day, Everywhere it is now being
discussed Strikes, the terror of the
age, the bane of the capitalist and la
borer, the dread of commonwealth, are
now fixing the attention of the people,
and causing distress and horror, both
among the workingmen, their families
and the world at large. On this account
trade unions are being denounced, their
members subjected to invectives of no
complimentary character, and every
where a cry to crush them is being rails
ed. The press has taken up the as yet
unexpressed desire of corporations, and
expatiates at length upon the tyranny of
trades unions, representing these associ-
ations as huge monsters seeking the good
of no one, not even Of their own con-
stituents, but like despot, casting all
in chains who refuse to obey his man
dates, debating to ALL refusing to listen
to any. The associations thus regarded
bear no comparison to theinstitution Or
ganized by the locomotive engineers, ex-
cept upon general principles. A, trade
union is generally supposed to be organ
lied for the protection Of Aborers rep
resenting any one kind Of industry.
Protection is not tyranny. If capitalists
combine their wealth, time and talent,
control, to monopolzc their own branch
Of industry, even if it necessitates the
crushing out of less fortunate concerns,
WHY have laborers not the right to Join
hands for self-protection In union
there is strength, and there is safety in
numbers. When the country is rolling
in wealth, when all things indicate good
times, when stockholders and heads of
corporations surround themselves with
all that is luxurious, and count their
gains in high denominations, then turn
and either grind down the men who
made wealth by them possible, or refuse
to listen to their cry for pittance
beyond what they have been allowed, is
it any wonder that rebellion ensues?
Have laborers no rights" People say,
if they are not satisfied with what they
receive as compensation, let them leave
and seek it elsewhere; corporations can
readily fill their places. That is easily
said but is it so easily done? While
seeking labor elsewhere, who will fill
hungry mOuths at home? Besides, he
may not be able to better his situation
Go where he will he finds employers
all too ready to grind down the employed
and knowing him to be in need Of work
will pay but the lowest sum for his ser
vices. Without labor there can be no
capital; one is essential to the other, and
laborerS are Just as liable to have theil
demands satisfied in one place as in
another. Their association in this way
is quite as~strong as the combination Of
| n Tf Io hoe rinht n hold
off, hoping to gain his own especial point
so has the other. In the end one or the
other must yield. - Strikes among the
better class of trades unions are not in
dulged in for the sake of being arbitrary
but only as a last resort. We hold there
fore, that trades unions and similar com
pacts, though often abused, have on the
whole effected signal good. Labor is
better paid, and it's rights better secured
than otherwise it would or could be
Such being the case, the right of cOmbl
nation should be upheld, not only in
theory but in practice. Its surrender
would remove the mosr powerful instru,
ment IN the hands Of labor to withstand
the exactions Of capital. 1t should be
cherished as a natural and legal right
as the sheet anchor of prosperity. When
employers can justify the position they
may take up by facts and legitimate ar
guments; when they are willing to sub,
NIT to the principle that every labore1
is worthy of mis- hire; when they will
recognize the fact that by fair and liberal
treatment to those by whose toll they
are many of them building up colossal