The Washington critic., 1886-07-29
RESULTS OF AGITATION.

1t possesses additional interest from the
fact that 1t is written by Pittsburg
capitalist and iron manufactures, Mr..
Andrew Carnegie, who has always |
taken an intelligent and liberal side of |
The labor question.
The particular struggle to which he |
alludes, as forming distinctive cpl. |
sode In the pending agitation, Is that Of |
the spring just past. The disturbances
of that period, though not so extensive
as to be called general revolt of labor,
were nevertheless serious enough, es-
pecially in the more violent phases
which they assumed at Chicago and
elsewhere, to call for special considera.
tion, and, according to Mr.. Carnegie,
demonstrated several propositions very
clearly. They are briefly these:
First, they definitely fixed the dead
line" between the forces of disorder and
anarchy, and those of order, through
what is known under Democratic insti-
tutions, as public sentiment.
Second, they defined the difference
between liberty and license of speech,
in illustration of which is cited the de.
cision of Judge Mallory to the effect
that every one who counsels or incites
TO an unlawful act is equally guilty
with those who perpetrate the act.
Third, they show that "public senti-
ment sympathizes with the efforts of
labor to obtain from capital fuller
recognition of its position and claims
than has hitherto been accorded"
Fourth, they make 1t clear that while
it is, Of course, essential to the public
wants that no interruptions occur to
railway traffic and certain other en-
ployments, "the employer of labor will
find 1t much more to his interest,
wherever possible, to allow his works
to remain idle and await the result of a
dispute, than to employ the class of
men that can be induced to take the
place of other men who have stopped
work" There is an unwritten law
among the best workmen "Thou
shalt not take thy neighbor's job"
which Mr.. Carnegie holds should not
be disregarded by employers except as
q last resort.
Fifth, 1.-THE recent disturbances have
given indubitable proof that trades
unions must in their very nature be-
come more conservative than the mass
of the men they represent. If they fail
70 lya la ivo a1a MT n 4,
60 to pieces through their own ex-
travagance." Leaders like Mr. Pow,
derly and Mr.. Arthur will gain and re.
tain power; such as Mr.. Irons will soon
lose 1t.
If this much has been gained or even
little of this much, the severe lessons
of the late strikes have not been wholly
in vain. Yet Mr.. Carnegie's conclu-
sions would be much more satisfactory
and encouraging If they led us up to
the real causes of discomfort and
pointed out some remedy therefor.
After all that is written, we simply find
that the labor and capital which were
recently in contention have declared a
lluCC NJOH tOlbltlbDS w
both. There is nothing in these "re-
suits" however, to inspire we'll
grounded hope that hostilities are per.
manently over, or that contingencies
may not again occur to precipitate an
equally violent conflict.
1t may be considered settled that the
workingmen of this country will never
affiliate with the Anarchist element,
in schemes of socialistic revolution,
and that as rule they appreciate their
rights, their duties and responsibilities
as citizens, but the assurance of perma.
nent peace between employer aud en-
ploye does not lie in temporary eype-
dients. Its only certain basis is to be
found in conditions Of such general
prosperity that no man who wants
labor shall be compelled to go idle,
and no men who employ labor be com.
PEELED to shut up their mills or shops
or manufactures for want of markets
in which to dispose of their products
and upon practical points like these the
labor reformers and amateur politica
economists are as dumb as oysters.
To bring about this state of affair.
involves a radical reconstruction of oul
entire commercial financial and legls
lative policies, and must be the worl
of time-the growth of enlarged idea
in which the good of the peopl,
rather than of particular classes of the
people shall be consulted. Labor ant
capital meanwhile must protect them
selves and adjust their differences a.
best they may, but their normal rela
tions cannot be securely established
until the craftsmanship of the country
gets out of its narrow and paltry chan
nels and enters upon an era of enllght
ened reform worthy of a people
richer than any other upon the globe
in all the resources and facilities, were
they properly utilized, that go to make
a people great and powerful and pros
porous.
LORD SALISBURY is having no easy
time of 1t In the formation of his new
Cabinet. II was great disappoint
ment to him when the Marquis o
Harrington, the leader of the Libera
Unionists, refused place In the Cabl
net, for If he had accepted, 1t woult
have been In the nature of a binding
and formal alliance between the Con
servative party and those members o
the Liberal party who refused to fol
low Mr.. Gladstone in the latter's Irist
policy, and who form very consider
obla pnrtion of tho Honaa of GOmmOna