The Labor enquirer., 1884-12-13

yelopment Of those 10 sreaf fancsionL
capital and labor tEere Il : mutual On.
jterprise. and that BY urtue Of such
wages Is well Is profits sho1ld have due
consideration. That it u = much to the
Interest Of the companies Is ourselves to
establish . permanent board of concllia-
tion OF arbitration, ! medium by which
the present and all future differences
may be fairly and amlcably settled
! That strikes" are to both parties rum.
GUS but when the selfishness of the ay.
aricious provoke turmoil and trouble
then the experience of mankind points
to retaliation. That this is mistake in
which employer and employed are equal
participants will admit, but the day
has now come when strikes" must cease
and the miners of Colorado to-day pro.
pose Compromise, Cancellation and
Peace.
4 The matter Of percentage in wages is
L. III llA = d 3 !. I
bat secondary consideration as COM
pared with the admission of this princi-
pie in the adjustment of labor troubles
and is matter of mutual deliberation
and consent.
We maintain very reasonably that in
asmuch as labor and capital are twin
factors in the production of all wealth
that the right and privilege of both en-
iployer and employed should be harmon
ized.
That tribunal should be created and
maintained by which all differences
|should be deliberated upon, discussed
and solved without resort to the barbar-
GUS mode of terminating disputes by
STRIKES" Disputes are never settled by
such means. Experience establishes the
fact that as soon as one struggle is over,
and the men enabled to replenish their
homes with the necessities of life., they
again and again renew the struggle.
They see on the one hand pilesof wealth
and Injurious living, and on the other
hand destitution and starvation! They
naturally conclude that there is an un-
equal distribution of the wealth created,
and smarting under this imposition-be
/ it real or imaginary-they employ the
only means within their reach to obtain
their Just dues. What is the result
The business interests of the country are
crippled, and will always be 50 until such
times as employer and employed will
meet each other friendly upon a COM
mon platform, and agree upon a rule and
principle for the distribution Of the
profits of trade upon an equitable and
just basis. The product is the result of
capital and labor united and operating
| in com bined force. The operation is
jointly, and the enterprise is mutually
one, hence it follows in the course aof
reasoning, that both parties have equal
rights and privileges. one with the other.
Who then is responsible for prolonging
this strike? The miners admit that the
companies have rights as well as them
selves, and they are willing to respect
their rights and they only ask that the
companies respect their rights also.
Strikingly does the fact appear to me,
that if tn miners, by reason, possibly,
of being ignorant of the fundamental
laws of trade, base their demands upon
premises that are not tenabe; that the
companies, by reason of being probably
better posted in business matters and
principles and having had more extern
sive experience with the course of trade
generally, etc., could advantageously, by
meeting and talking matters over with
their employees, educate them to stand
ard that would result in harmonizing
their respective interests, and by such
means establish Peace and Prosperity.
This is medium of education that we
are contending and striving to obtain in
order that strikes shall be forgotten and
system organized upon a rational basis,
where reason shall be applied instead, Of
force,
We propose a practicable mode of
reaching this end, such as has been
already adopted by the mine operators
and operatives to govern affairs in the
northern part of the state. Under these
arrangements strikes will be impossible.
Operatives and operators meet and dis
,cuss matters upon common platform,
and instead of pursuing policy similar
to that of Hooking Valley, Ohio, where
over 100000 have been lost by one
strike in the present year, there is a
spirit of mutual concession to avoid
troubles -. ... s.' x
Some one will say that we want to
"run their business" This shows to
what extreme nonsensical grounds some
people will 60 when they cannot find
reasonable grounds for argument. Let
| the simple fact 60 forth that since the
principle has operated in the north there
has been peace and unusual prosperity
both parties pulling together like men,
realizing that their interests under such
a system are identical. -.-= l. ..
They say that any other form of con-
citation or arbitration would be equally
effectual is folly, for experience clearly
proves that it would be impracticable to
effect an understanding with each and