New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-23
L4BOR and THE MORRISON ELL.

| The defeat of the Democratic party means
| prosperity for American labor. The effect is
nearly instantaneous. When this Democratic
| Congress was elected, manufacturing establish
| ments BEGAN TO close at once. The defeat OF
| the Tariff bill, in spite Of the edict Of Demo
cratic caucus, by a combination OF nearly all the
! Republican and a few Democratic members
! has been felt instantly in the improved con-
dition and prospects of labor. OF this fact The
news from Pittsburg yesterday gives forcibl'
] illustration.
A controversy has for some time been in pro-
| gress between the iron manufacturers and their
employees The great depression of prices
caused in part by the offering Of the Morrison
| bill, not only forced many works to close, but
| compelled the manufacturers generally to con-
| slider reduction of wages as necessary. At the
conference between employers and workers
some time ago, the employers frankly stated
that, with the market i'll the state produced by
a possibility of Democratic tariff revision, they
could not run without loss at the present rate
of wages, and should be compelled TO stop man.
utacture unless wages could be reduced
There is every evidence that, at that time, the
manufacturers were quite united in this belief,
and their declaration was one which, had the
circumstances remained the same, they were
prepared TO act upon, though it had involved
the closing of their mills for many months.
The men, OH the other hand, were not willing
to accept lower wages. In their association,
they resolved to strike in a body if the reduc-
ton should be made. But in conversations with
many of them it became evident that they also
looked upon the defeat of the Morrison bill as
11o Nf fi,ntp an1s
Not few of them frankly admitted that, if
that bill should pass, they would be obliged to
yield. They could see, as well as the employ
els, that there was no help for it.
The Morrison bill was beaten. That very
night, one of the leading manufacturers
announced to others that, under the changed
circumstances, he should not be willing
to insist upon the reduction of wages; he
felt sure that the certainty of unchanged duties
would give more life to the market, secure
larger orders and presently bring better prices.
At the same time, one of the officers of the
WOrkingmen's Association, in an interview
with a reporter, stated that there would now be
no yielding by the men, and their success was
certain. AT a meeting of the manufacturers on
Wednesday, it appeared that several of them
not afford to close their works, so long as they
could hope TO continue running without absO-
late loss. II was therefore decided to invite
the worlunen to another Interview, at which, no
doubt the last years scale of wages will be
again adopted.
In this case, the relation Of cause and effect
is perfectly clear. The manufacturers could
not afford TO pay present wages II the markets
were to continue depressed by frcctrade rcvi-
sions of tariff or raids upon industry. But they
consent to the present wages rs soon rs the
danger of Democratic mischief making is ont
Of the way. Every vote to Kill the Morrison
bill was a vote 10 save workers and employer,
the cost of a long period of suspension. ASanm-
ng that the strike, had one begun, would have
lasted six months, and kept about 10000 men
in i1icness. The votes in the House 30 kill the bill
saved 10 the workingmen at least %ZO,OOO,OOO
and TO tho employers large sam besides. for