Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-04-22
A 1ruce to Labor troubles.

A 9ruce to Labor troubles.
Itall parties would act wisely truce
would DO declared as once between
capital and labor. What has been
gained by the contest by either partyP
Both parties have lost vast sums dur.
ing the few months Of the present
year, and the losses are increasing IT D
fearful rate. Do not both sides under
stand that this cannot 60 on forever
but that there will come q time when
the hatohet must be buried? Then
why not act the part Of sensible men
and say ct once, let there be peace2
Capital cannot afford to be cooped
up or retired. 1t must have something
10 do or it win become dead weight
upon the hands Of those who hold II.
Labor cannot prosper without capital.
Then with one dependent upon the
other why should there be strife? II
has often occurred to us that If capital
made half the effort to avoid strikes
which 1t is later on compelled TO make
I'm order to adjust them, these labor
troubles would be Of very rare occur
renee. 1t 10 useless to talk about ems
ploying the military to subdue popular
strikes. The military Is made up OF
the masses, and their sympathies are
naturally with those who have real
grievances to redress. A despatch
from East St. Louis says that General
Reece, In command of the troops there,
10 completely discouraged. The strtk-
ers pay respectful Difference TO the
troops, bus the troops cannot be there
all the time. The State OF Illinois can
not stand such heavy drain upon her
rs to keep q standing army in the field.
To Are upon the strikers and kill .
number OF helpless and very likely in
nocent men, women and children
would but increase the difficulty. This
country Is no hierarchy, nor Is it
either o limited monarchy where the
voice OF ruler becomes law. 1t 10 o
government, ~ President Lincoln said,
OF the people, by the people and for the
people. Men In this country cannot be
overawed and shot down with impu-
nifty unless engaged In very aggrAva-
ting, unla wful acts, without arousing q
resentment that would threaten the
stability Of the government II there
were NO causes for the strikes which
have brought labor and capital int
conflict, there would not be 30 much
sympathy for labor. while we would
by no means justify many useless
strikes that have taken place, we must
not ct the same time shut our eyes to
the fact that labor has been shamefully
imposed upon in many eases. Par
ticular pains have been taken 70 show
that the strike on the Gould system Of
Southwestern railroads was unjustifia-
Bile and uncAlled for, and thus 1t
appeared to many people whose
sympAthles were entirely with the
strikers Bat let an unbiased
mind read the evidence given before
the Congressional COMMITTEES Of the
House OF Representatives on Tues
day by Grand Master Workman Of the
knights of Labor, T. V. Powderly, and
then ask II there were not real grew
ances on the part Of the strikers? The
Texas Pacific Railroad has for several
years been In the hands of receiver
appointed by the courts Of the United
States, and thus being placed under
government protection indlgnities were
practiced upon working men, and even
honest debts repudiated simply because
1t was supposed to be beyond interior
ence. Mr.. Powderly says that q
solemn compact entered into to pay
certain wages was deliberately broken,
and the spectacle was to be seen OF
penitentisry convicts In striped suits
working side by side with honest labor.
II these things are true was there not
cause for complaint Is 1t right for 8
railroad monopoly to take refuge be-
hind the United States Courts by plac
ing itself in the hands Of the court ant
thus guarded defy honesty and insul
the dignity OF labor2 1t Is poor policy
nnder any circumstances, to pay star
walton wages. The few dollars save'
by such miserable parsimony, later OIL
costs the capitalist dearly. The work
man is worthy OF his hire, whether b
Is n skilled or unskilled laborer, An
fair pay for an honest days wor
ought to be the rule all Aroand. Labo
never strikes when 1t Is prosperous
At any rate would it not be proper an
judicious to give labor q fair hearing