Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-09

on the shoe irm," some one win say.
Quite true-very hard lines. But as II
happens the shoe firm Is not the only one
concerned. 1t employed 700 men, Knights
of Labor, and many OF these undoubtedly
have wives and children. When the
ruined firm ceased work these ZOO men
became idle. They are added 10 the al.
ready large army Of the unemployed. Is
It reasonable 10 suppose other shoe fac.
tories in Boston or Massachusetts, will
hasten to give these men work? They
must wait and get employment one by
one, as opportunity offers, and as matters
stand with the shoe industry, in It's de
pressed condition, 1t is likely they will
walt some time. OF course, they will
not stsrve or freeze. Somebody Will aid
them to buy food, fuel aud clothing, but
this will be tax upon men not able, be-
cause Of their own necessities, to bear such
a charge, Such cases as this are forcible
Illustrations of the short-sighted policy
which kills the goose that lays the golden
egg. How much more wisdom would the
knights of Labor have displayed in this
case had they been content, for the time
being, with the FIRMS assurance that 1t
was paying Gil it could afford, and re-
Trained from giving the thumb.screws
another turn. This is not an isolated
case. 1t is the magnitude OF the Boston
firms operations and the immense
amount Of It's liabilities that calls special
attention to the failure. All over the
country, In the last few years, such Gull
limitations have followed the stern demand
Tor higher wages, the alternative being a
strike for noncompliance, followed by
that un-Amerlcan method OF bulldozlng,
the boycott, IL employers dared to seek
relief by employing cheaper labor. There
can be no censure for employees who as
pire to better their condition, especially
when Gas Is often the case) they ought
really be better paid, bat labor must come
to take into consideration the ability of
capital to comply with its (abor's) de.
mands. There must be a reciprocity of
action as well as interest. 1t Is altogether
probable that If the Kuightly en-
ployes who forced this firm TO failure
had agreed to arbitration the demand
would hfve been abated and the disaster
averted. The seven hundred employees
could have been at work to-day. Per-
haps their wages would not be as high
as they desired or deserved, but the
would have been preferable to
no employment at all. 1t is a lesson that
ought to have as much weight as one OF
Mr. Powderly's circular letters, and IL 1t
is studied and applied as it deserves, 1t
should be Of some benefit in the future.
1t Is pleasant to believe that labor, taught
by such experiences as this, will grow
wiser and more conservative, and refrain
from pressing its demands upon employ
ars until convinced beyond ell doubt that
The employer is able to meet the demand.
Any demand that overtaxes the ability of
The party Of whom the demand is made is
unreasonable, no matter what the neces-
sity OF the party making the demand.
Not week ago John Bright warned the
weavers in an English manufacturing
district that they were driving capital
away, and consequently employ ment for
themselves, by claiming wages beyond
the ability of their employers to pay.
And the weavers were sensible enough to
heed Mr. Bright's warning. Let us hope
that these episodes will grow lesO rather
than increase.