New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-07-01
I1BOR CONTROVERSIES.

The Termination of the Pittsburg strike does
not appear 20 satisfy many of the Western man
ufacturers. There il talk of formal separation
from the association, so that the manufacturers
west of Pittsburg may hereafter conduct their
business without further dependence upon the
manufacturers of that city. Many of them,
according to late reports, have thus far declined
to resume work at the wages proposed, and it
remains question whether they may not in the
end secure "A more ADVANTAGEOUS arrangement.
In that case the position of the manufacturers
Of Pittsbnrg will be IN some respects peculiarly
difficult, having to compete with manufacturers
both east and west OF them who will get labor
on lower terms. But on the other hand many
Of the Pittsburg establishments have an inn
portant advantage in the use of natural gas for
fuel.
The i'll success of the strikers ut YonlScrs. the
prolonged contest of the carpet-wcavers the
stOppagc of the Southwark mill because u strike
was threatened, and the strike of cardrivers ut
Chicago, are among the latest incidents i'm the
struggle between employers and employed. IL
has always seemed iemai kablc fact tlst
these struggles become more numerous and
more difficult of settlement at times when
when the cost of living is also much lower than
usual. At such times the working people have
more compensation than usual for any diff
culties with which they may have to con-
tend in the matter of wages. If they do not
get so many dollars as at other times, the dollar
will buy more food and more clothing. AT
such times too, their own interest is more
clearly identified with that of the manuiactu-
rers than in times of prosperity. 1t is then
clearly the most important thing, both for the
workers and for the employers. to prevent
pr0stration OF the industry and closing of the
works. In times OF general prosperity the
interests of the employers are not so clearly in
harmony with those OF the workers, especially
if the profits of employers unusually large.
But at this time there is scarcely any branch of
production in the country in which the profits
are sufficient to prevent the SUSPENSION of many
establishments. At such times one would
suppose the workers would be especially ready
to accept some temporary reduction in wages as
their share in the general i'll success Of in
dustry. But it usually happens that strikes are
more numerous than ever at just such periods,
and that the workers are more obstinate in
demanding high wages when prices are at the
very lowest than at other times when the pur-
chasing power of the money they receive is
much greater.
The course of the manufacturers in the West
crn Iron Association has been especially dsap-
pointing because of the peculiar posltveness
with which they asserted early in the season
that they could not afford to continue in opera
ton without large decrease In wages. After
making such claims, their acceptance OF the
moderate reduction originally proposed by the
workers is certainly calculated to weaken them,
and to strengthen the labor associations in any
future controversies. Probably the rapid
DEVELOPMENT of the steel manufacture by new