Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-24
GEN. BUTLER ON GTRIKE2.
Relations Of Labor anA Capital

BuuAIo, n. T. April s&-Ths following = n
ful text OF Gov. Buffers letter 70 The labor naD
meeting last night:
Dear Sill answered your telegram inviting ne
10 ake part In q meeting OF laborng men OF Bunafo
on the Ssd inst, In consideration OF their ngnt&
hxpressng regrets that it was impossible fcr Ne
TO be present because OF imperative professional en
gagements, desire by this note 20 add word o.
formal regret wish &c eai q pean @snd 70 what Sssy
likely Is as familiar 20 you as 20 myself but which
IN puh.e discussions have not seen much alluded
70, which explains the reason why strtkcs--that -
the refusal 10 work by laboring men for wages Of
fered-aTe so rarely successful Let me premise By
saying that do not think strike should ever take
place IL honest and fair-minded dealing was always
mad between capitalists and lsboring men, because
when
SOME ADVANTAGE rs 10 BIZ rAKrx OF ~ LAsoRrn
y the capitalist unfair dealing takes place
that call for a strike ever exists have been an
employer OF labor 10 considerable extent for more
tnan quarter OF century, and can say no strike
has ever occurred OF the slightest extent where I
have had considerable interest as compared with
the wnoie. A strike Is not contest between labor
and capital, but between two kinds OF capital the
property OF two different sets OF men What is
usually called capital Is the earnings OF labor with
It's aggregate pruts when that capital Is employed
In productive industry. IL that production stopa
nothing Is lost by such stoppage except profits
which might be gained II production went on. The
capital untouched The profits only are lost on
the other hand the laboring mans capital Is the
capacity 70 earn or produce the capabiuty he has
tai OF the laborer per1shes In the using as well g
In the non Use
rHE ONLY ACCUMULATION or THE LABoRrNo nAHS
CAPITAL,
leaving out what he may have saved OF his former
earnings Is the worth OF so many days work TO be
done by HIM III he loses day the earnings of
that day are gone foneyer. III he lies idle month
the losses 10 him OF that month can never be rv-
placed He may work and earn another month";
but that does not make good the lost month.
Therefore, being Idle strike he loses all his can
tai and profits against the profits alone on the
part OF the capitalist Hence, have always said
that strike, while comparatively useless and
even II it were useful IL Is beneath the Dignity of
an Amer1ca an WORKMAN should not be the resort OF
the laboring man TO settle his differences with his
employer.
II he is wronged In his relations with the en-
poyer, as he would In every other relation Of life
he ought 70 IND an adequate and prompt remedy
Dy the law OF the land, and that law made by rep
resentatives elected by his ballot This Is no new
thought OF mine. gave voice 10 IL In public some
twelve or fifteen years ago. end now recalling IL TO
mind, speak TO you OF II for the that have
seen going on long. and what will turn out 20 be q
useless strike disastrous but not equally 90 10 both
employer and employe.
CONTESTS ARISING BETWEEN KnPLoYEs AND In
as TO their rights are the only ones OF auy impor-
tance In which efficient, IL not too prompt tribunals
are given by our laws But there Is no court OF
arbitration, or other court. that can decide the
most important or all controversies TO those having
them, as well as 10 the country In general differ
ences, arising between what usually termed labor
and capital May We not hope that Q law VIII be
which these controversies can be justly and equit-
ably settled