, 1886-04-01
Labor Troubles.

Close upon the heels Of Chinese
eVictions, riots and military rule come
all sorts of labor troubles, including
strikes, boycotts and threats Of arson,
pillage and even murder. On the
Pacific coast it has been claimed that
the sole cause Of distress among dav
laborers was centered in the Chinese.
They We're made the scapygoats Of
every evil under the sun, and it was
urged by the loud mouthed "agita
tors" that if the ''leprous heather"
were driven away peace and prosper
ity would shine upon all. 1t Will he
seen, however, that extensive strikes
are prevailing in the east where there
are no Chinese. Business Is para
lyZed, property and lives are en-
dangered, and all the while the la
borers are being injured 10y self
enforced idleness. On Puget Sound
the strikes among coal miners have
resulted in almost a total cessation of
labor in that industry. throwing
many hundreds of men ont of EN-
ployment, and decreasing our export
trade till many of our finest vessels
are compelled to lay by and discharge
their crews. Among longshoremen
the same spirit is manifest. Capt. J.
B. Libby says of the longshoIemen's
strike on Puget Sound:
"When I arrived at Tacoma Tues
day morning a committee of three
from the newl y-organized longshOre-
mems union waited upon me, stated
that the organization had been per
fected, and had made the demand for
an increase of wages for common la
borers from 50 to 81 and of former
from the present rate of 81 to So per
day. l told the committee that /
was willing to give them all 1 received
for loading the vessels, but that l did
not think they should ask for more.
They then called a meeting to con-
slider my proposition. When they
returned they stated that they had
resolved: First, that none but mem
bsrs OF their union shall hereafter be
employed; second, that the force on
each vessel snail not be increased
above the number employed at the
starting in of the loading; third, that
the men shall receive 40 cents PEI
hour and the foremen so cents pei
hour for all the time employed
fourth, that no man shall be discharged
during the process of the loading OF
vessel; and fifth, that the men
while at work shall be allowed tc
smoke all they see fit. l told them
plainly that to accede to these de,
mands meant financial ruin to me
and my firm, and that l should re,
fuse to make the desired conces-
sions."
Messrs. deLion & Libby have near
ly dozen vessels now on the Sound,
which they have contracted to load
If they aecede to the demands of the
laborers they get next to nothing for
their own time and labor If they
delay the vessels they are liable for
heavy demurrage. 1t would seem
that there is no limit at which wages
can be placed to make employers safe
from strikes. Laboringmen are in
iuring themselves immeasurably, and
are bringing disaster upon public
business, by their unreasonable de
mands. They are killing the goose
that lays all their golden eggs, are
frightening capital away, and are
seriously unsettling the business OF
the country. The turbulent LEADERS
among them who illuminate discon
tent and incite strikes and boycott:
are enemies of public welfare. Theil
pestiferous business is in no wist
impeded by the departure of Chinese
as is proven at Tacoma.