Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-11-19
Possible Settlement Of the Fisheries
Question

Possible Settlement Of the Fisheries
Question.
1t is reported that the Canadian govern
ment is disposed to make some settlement
OF the fisheries trouble, and that the min
listers of that government have under dis
ctlssion plans for the formation of IA com
mission. which shall have authority to
decide the questions of treaty rights now
ut issue between the provincial and United
States governments Ottawa advice
state that the Canadian minister's desire
the appointment Of Il commission of five
two to be chosen by Canada, two by the
United States and one by France. This
commission is to have power to settle all
questions that may arise during the next
20 years. One feature of this plan, which
is said to have the approval of the colonial
Office in London, is that the fishing
grounds of Canada Newfoundland and
| United States shall be open to the inhab-
itants Of either country after the first of
July next,
Americans will hardly be willing to
agree to such a proposition. The eXpe ri
erce of this country with the Halifax COM
mission has hardly been such rs to
encourage us to enter into an
other of substantially the same character.
Canada's proposal, however, is signlfi
Giant, because it shows that the provin
cial government is becoming tired of try
ing to maintain its absurd and unjust in
depreciation of the treaty of ISIS. 1t a
commission could be mutually agreed
uron, which should have simply the
power to settle the present difficulties,
without any future jurisdiction or au
thority, probably the matter might be sat
is}lcsorily arranged. But it is really Of
small consequence to this country wheth
er it Is arranged or not. The American
fishermen are not at all at the mercy Of
Canada ana ask for no favors from our
Northern neighbOrs.
Lessons of the Chicago Labor War
The great strike in Chicago, which has
ended-it is to be hoped, permanentlY-by
the return OF the packers to work, fur
ni-hes another instance to the inability of
organized labor to cOcrce ample aud or
ganiHed capital. 1t ranks in extent aud in
result with the strike of the Western Mon
employees and the great Southwestern
railroad strike, all of which have taught
tine lesson, that great and strong corpora
tions and concerns, in this country, need
not yield the ordering of their affairs to
their employees, or to walking delegates"
unless they choose to do so.
There are two reasons why this is So
In the first place, extensive strikes attract
large amount of unemployed labor. This
has been noticeably the case in Chicago.
The employers have found no difficulty in
getting all the men they wanted, and as
the labor required is not of highly-skilled
sort, the new men soon become AS efficient
AS the old ones. The Knights of Labor
cannot control and dominate the entire
working class. There are now, and there
will hereafter he, plenty of workingmen,
not connected with labor organizations,
who will be ready to step in and take the
places of those who break their engage
ments with employers,
The second reason why strikes against
such heavy concerns does not succeed is
that where there is scarcity of
labor the employers can hold out
| longer than the Worklngmen. Where
the number of strikers Is large, the
expense of supporting them in idleness,
which falls upon the knights or the trades
union, is too great Il burden to be borne
| for any length of time. Small cOntribu-
| tions from several thousand workmen will
support few scores of strikers for a long
time but where the contributions have
to be distributed among thousands, it is
easy to see that the expense of maintain
ing an extensive strike must be disastrous
ly heavy.
The Chicago pork and beef packers have
learned valuable lesson themselves, and
have taught other organizations of the
same kind valuable lesson by their eX
perience in the recent labor war. Strike,
will not be entered into so rashly as they
have been hitherto, especially when the
revolt is against large and powerful con
Germs. so little has been gained, and, IL
fact, so little can be gained, by such re
volts that the workiugmen generally
ought to gain wisdom fromithe experience
of their fellows The best way to Obtain
concessions from employers is still to ap
ply for them in an orderly and respectful
manner, to show that they are reasOpa
bic and rest the nope of success on rea
son and argument, rather than on strike
and boycotts The latter may cost tn
employer dear; but they cost the work
ingmen doalcr; as the latter can les
afford to bear the loss,
\ Presidential Possibility.
In Il DOSSihle event the nited state