The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-23
WHAT IHE STRIKE TEACHES.

WHAT IHb SEklhE IBAGHE Ed.
The collapse of this strike should
teach workingmen a lesson. The
great body of telegraphers went
into it at the dictation
of leaders, whose motives are i'm
pugned. After loafing in idleness for
weeks, while the places lately filled by
the striking operators were being
given to others, it is announced that
the strike is a failure, and the poor
deluded operators now act with about
as much unanimity in begging to be
reinstated in service, upon any con-
dition, as they not long ago evinced
when ordered to walk out of
the offices. And what may be
said of the knights of Labor, over four
hundred thousand strong, who an
nounced readiness to sustain the
operators until the demands made by
the leaders were complied with.
Where are the leaders now, and where
are sustaining Knights of Labor?
Thousands of men and boys and
women and girls are left without a
cent upon which to live. These poor
people are even denied the sympathy
of the charitable, for the reflection in
dulged in is, that they gave up labor
and an honest competence arising
therefrom, not upon their own Volt
ton, but at the will of schemers.
Outside of very few, whose purposes
have most probably been personal, at
least not for the general good, there
was no good purpose, as the sequel
shows, in this great strike. Why, it
might have been supposed, from the
backing given the movement by the
Knights of Labor, from the promises
of sustenance held out to them, that
this strike might have gone on for
twelve months, but Il few short
weeks suffice to terminate it. There
was even talk of a great telegraph
system, to be inaugurated by the
t5rotherhood, which would break
down. the organized telegraph
companies, ND which would make
the telegraphers ~ great representa-
tives of the greatest meaopoly the
country ever knew. These poor
thoughtless people, working without
capital, without any definite purpose,
except to blindly follow schemers, have
been ruined, and the world sees and
knows now that they were helpless
us they are left penniless. While the
leaders made the operators believe
their united will was an irresistible
pow er. before which would fall any
form of opposition, these very leaders
were dragging the poor wretches
TO their most perfect humiliation,
to abject dependence and to
utter poverty. 1t has been charged
that the leaders organized this strike
for several purposes. One was, it is
said, to drive the poor women and
girls out of the profession, and in this
they have succeeded; another improb-
able reason was. that the telegraph
kings employed them tor stock specu-
lation; but the most probable reason
is that they organized the strike for
the purpose of selling out when the
most money could be made. Without
any warning this nice Ohio gentleman,
who directed the strike, announces it
failure, and straightway hun
dred thousand people plead for
the places, on any terms,
lately vacated by them. In the mean
time these places have been largely
filled by those who came to the COM
panies in time of need. and only the
most competent operators can now
hope to regain positions. The poor
women and girls are crowded out OF
the way, and the leaders have, besides
this, encompassed, it is presumed, in
dividual ends to the utter ruin of
thousands Of working people. We
are in favor of working people being
well paid, but we are also against
these strikes, which undo every inter-
est, and which unSettle the soundest
financial condition of communities.
All laborers are worthy of their hire,
and when individual demands are
made and refused the world. is open
for other employment. Strikes are,
as this one, which was the great
est this country has ever known. de-
monstrates the ruin of strikers. En-
gineered by despotic and often the
most corrupt agencies, they drag vast
numbers into ruin, from which ma
jority neverrecover. Having become
the willing creatures of a despotic
few, they are ordered from places,
which others are ready to fill as soon
as vacated; and then the thoughtless
and reckless resort to lawless ex-
cesses, and an entire brotherhood
loses public respect and confidence
What villainy, what ignorance, what
wretchedness, what squalid want and
utter depravity, one and the other de-
pendent upon and being successfully
worked out through the other, mark
the course of these strikesl Were they
unknown to society, its condition
would be improved, and the laboring
mans elevation in society would be
correspondingly secured.