Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-03-03
SOMETHING ABOUT TRADES.UNIONS

SOMETHING ABOUT UNIONS
The existing strike has of course
suggested q discussion of trades
unionism in all its bearings, and many
persons have been led to express
disapproval of labor unions. These
persons, we are satisfied, are not thor
oughly informed on the subject.
England is the home of trades.
unionism, the first local union or char
tered "guild'-that of the City of
London-dating back as far as A. d.
1915; but at first they were for the
benefit of merchants or employers, as
until comparatively recent date com.
binations of workmen to obtain in
creased wages were everywhere the
object of severe legal penalties. In
1924 these penal statutes were ,e-
Pealed, and all act was passed to pro-
tect combinations OF workmen or EN-
ployers from prosecution for conspir-
acy under the common law. Under
this favorable Legislation trades unions
grew 20 such vast proportions that at
the beginning Of 1876 the number of
members enrolled in the United King
dom alone was 100000! In the
meantime the movement had spread
until trades unions could be found in
the United States, in Germany, Swift
zerand, Austria, France, Belgium,
Holland, Denmark and Italy, and
some of these associations have grown
very powerful in numbers, wealth and
influence. Most of these societies
have declared themselves opposed to
strikes except as a last resort, and
many OF them require their members
to try to settle disputes by arbitration,
before applying to the society for au-
thority to strike. These societies are
generally benevolent in their nature
and aims, and are recognized ally
and support OF law and order wher-
ever they exist.
They were not always so, however,
and the early history OF trades union.
ism would fill many pages with the
darkest deeds known to criminal an
mails; and without going into details
here, it may be stated that it cost the
United Kingdom over S.50,OOO,OOO
to educate the trades unions up to
their present STANDARD of usefulness.
But that education has been so thor.
ouyh that strikes are now seldom
heard of IN England or S ,otland, all
matters OF difference between EN-.
ployer and employee being generally
Submitted to boards or committees of
arbitration, composed equally of
''bosscs' and workmen.
The Miners Unions Of the West are
the outgrowth ola par, Of trades.
unionisn. Their object is the secur
ing Of good wages, the shortening Of
hours of labor, the maintenance of
the natural rights of their members.
This as against the employers. 1t is
also their aim to care for such of their
members as are sick or in distress ard
to bury their dead fellows. Tbs is Il
benefit TO the entire community, since
they do, with their private funds, that
which the city, county or state would
be compelled to do if they did not.
In some cases they 60 further and (as
on the Comstock lode, at Bodie and
elsewhere,) they agree, in considera
ton of their rate of wages ga per
aay) being paid, not to hold their EN-.
W"ycrs responsible for accidents
though they be fatal-in the mines.
Miners CUious are therefore very
beneficial to the communities IN which
they exist and nave Il being; they are
also great aids, when properly con-
Quoted and treated with common de
cency, TO their employers and to the
authorities, IN suppressing insubordi-
nation, shotgun men," etc. And they
are an undoubtedly great benefit to
TIE mlIIe.uwner in various ways which