New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-28
THE FUTURE OF LABOR.
CV. POWDERLY ON STRIKES AND ARBI-
TRAr1DN
From Tae North american Rerftp for My.


man in America is brighter today than " over Was
Notwithstanding the seemngly strained reaIiops az
present existing between empower and employe.
That we are passing through an epidemic OF straes
lockouts and hoycots Is true but the fact must no n
organization we should havea great many NOR" SITES h
months OF the present year. -.
The growth Of organization for past ten years mas
heon steady ard healthy only where orgsnl1oto
Is in its infancy serious troubles such rs strikes an
lockous exist. Tho causes from wIlch strhe y, ,ho
country but the methods of dealing with tue troubles as
they arise different In places where d"
labor exist, where the seeds OF , ~
have Just been planted disprlng p,os adTand"d IN
become involved IN strlges, l n az follows: until
recently very few workncmen Cared To EXPRESS tnca
that thew we're certain OF an imnedlntc dismissal
from the service of the man OF company aey w"Ikou
for if IL became known that they IN any way laNfeu Vuo
association OF workuencn for mutual prolecuonh'
With such sentiment EXISTING IN tue breasts oi W"IH
iuguen they could not be expected L. feel very hln!
toward the employer who 50 iealousiy watched !heir
every movement ana whc th ~, g as ers hsn rSe
While the real bore and slnew of the 'lu
remained enforced silence, except whore IT could be
heard thorough the medium of the press and rosiIum
through chosen leaders, smother class OF men who seldom
worked would insist on rcleseh,ing l'9"r "nu ~ ~
making glowing speeches on the rights ana wi"hss oi
man would urge the abolition OF PROPERTY, r or pt tne
equal division OF wealth = such SPEAKERS w! Y
SUGGESTING that GOOD Thing to a." YOU'D G ,I Who
listened such speeches felt that in suppreSsins oTEaa
izaiion among his wOrkncn he was rerf"lhhg Ivy
De the mos , ..I f maj he took no int, rest
in them o;hcr nan 10 ret 20 many OF toll out Of
Them i"r AS lew shiIncs as possible, Tic consequence
The erjng Of tue honest expression Of opinion
the part of labor. became possessed OF the idea tha e
raw head ana cody bones curl soD" orator was Tue
real representative Of labor and determined exercise
vigilance and precauon than eyer III Hespig h
help out Of the laoor society. inc sie'Her wiz 10
limited advol atcd the destruction OF properly OF
,ne nanS ~ al ycTy kny and in Ecwne manner
OF lbOr associations giving out the IMPRESSION 'haV no
held m' mhcrshp IN one Or more OF them. WorRlhgmen
VINO were denied the sht organize very frequently
MI Scientific lecture on Tie 'esl means OF
the wrorSs o: labor. the thoughtful workman could
readily trace hlance between the enroYc Paneu
Workmen employed by those VI frowned labor or
carnations became sullen and moIoS,i they 50" M
their and they hnslly determined to throw on
hood The action, of superintendent or boss very
often tended To widen the breach between empos ei ana
ompoye. When the organization ad come IL lVus , d
very feeling existing on hoth sides, ana 'elOie
studying laws OF the society they joined or becoming
oonvrisdDt with lis rules or REGULATIONS fesarulnS ano
settlement OF disputes or grievances. me WorKinei
determined 10 wipe out Of existence the whole system OF
petty tyrannes that had been prac'lSed on them Tor
years. reiag drilled in orcanilation and feeling
remedy suggesting itself was the tIike And on the
OF er hand, the EN- lover "a" fct mat eNeil mos o!
his workmeu in organization would be duectei against
his interests determined To take tune by inc oreck ana
FUN them all the street. TnHs We md the
organization i'll its infancy face 10 face with stnhe OF
Tms condition OF affairs existed in great many
aces throughout tho United states IN the beginning OF
the present year. Absorbed in the task OF getting large
dividends the employer seldom inquired OF ms snueiin
endeut how he managed The business intrnsted 10 his
how he treated the employees. In housinuS
places oughout the United states, many super
ntendentS foremen or petty bosses are interested IN
empoye told plainly that he must deal al the store or
ms liquor from the saloon III which ms boss has an
deal these saloons. forfeit his sua-
ton Laws have beeu passed in states against the
EeeTng Oi company stores. but the stores are kept
nevertheless and wolkmen made TO ieel that they
In many cases the owner of mills factories or mines
OF the existence Of such institutions as
the pluck 81" the appl cd to the company store
but they stand away from their employees that
they cannot hear the mulhur OF complaint, ana II
whisper Of does reach their 1t comes hrous
the boss who Is not only interested In the but III
keeping existence secret from his employer The
keeping o such stores Is another source on inu'uce To-
workiucn for their existence tends Ia widen the breach
between employer and employe 1t may seem tlat am
the statement is made that seven out of every ten
eupernteudcnts bosses interested in the manage
ana derive profits from the operation of stores
Which employees are forced to patronize | make an
;ri;cV iia he stands tIn email Of mi other men is
but Tor a citizen who is given TO understand that
lie must patIonze certain store, 81 that he cannot JON
certain society 10 feel restive and. where much Is
PROMISED and little obtained. apt 10 lose fat
in laH-makne system which oblgcs the woi kman
ca es wnoro the laws violated to his detrment II
he prosocues lie discharged II he does not rosecute
attractions Of law hut simply complains he is tod to
invoke the majesty OF the law IN his own behalf In this
lose hope III law and law makers .
rae constant itching and irritation caused by the
OF the employer to their welfare ana the in
justices practiseG them by petty bosses, 60 on until
the feel that the only remedy Is through the strike
In this way men who belong to 10 organization are
Workinriuen are rot as a rule educated men. When
while they ccl That they have been
wrongcd. yet they are lacking III The cOn'lnand OF
language necessary their case properly tho
world, and set torth their caim IN such way as
arouse lreudices create false impressions. The
other SIDE baying the adv nnaee OF education, either
persona ~ by right of purchase. ana does mould
pubic opinion IN great many cases. 1890
nave pointed out one or two OF the little things
which cause deal Of upeasiness and vexatlOn TO
evil The worRineInan OF the United States Hll soon
realize that lie tie power which kngs once Led
that lie has the right TO manage hs own affairs The
riI u ' 1'ss,, en- @ Tho "vennc sIadoyys are
closing ia uuOu tho day when immense private fortunes
W"rld1s That Of the worAingman 10 rule his own des
tluirs That power can no longer be kept from him.
THIS question is of great concern only the work
insIuau but TO every citizen OF tie Republic, and the
hand Of every citizen who loves his country should he
extended Ia assist the new ruler. have no fears
a. the present apparently disturbed condition OF
IRE ah2r void on the con1rsry re s9ns are very
when the people he quiet and SAFE: At such
times Despotism IKE a smouimS mist steals over the
The people are no, quiet to-day they safe. 1t
Is the power Of monopoly that is not safe The men
nile mp large fortunes must compensate ioI that
privilege III the Iayment Of graduated income tax
shared 10y the nation from which they extract that wealth
The hOurs ~ labor must be reduced throughout the |
nation. that The toeIs may have tine in which
L. learn the science Of self government Labor saving
machinery instead of making a slave OF must |
become his servant How VIII the workingman WELD |
n lam we a% s ne T ."
TIE vast middle classes The employer AMI einl loyed
must No longer stand apart The barriers Of pride, |
caste greed, hatred and bitterness must be torn down
The wOrkngman and his employer must face |
g. face they discuss every detail in the manage.
mont Of the they Jointly operating. No |
saciihce OF principle TIE hand or OF manhood
tie other need attend such transaction In the
secment Of great and small corcerns each grievance,
caru trouble difference. whether III relation 10 |
discipline wages. should be talked in q
ciatory spirit and drJrGtsd Joint boards arbitra-
ton should be formed between manufacturers and
men all over the country. Zach party snoud devote
considerable time to tho peTiecting OF the plans best
suited their interest surroundings for res
lug locaits might not work well in another
Having after careful elaboration agreed upoa the
rules each party shOud sign the articles OF agreement
hinaing itself abide by them until changed by
Of both Agreements OF this kind will he the of |
settling differences they arise. and with their naug
uraiiDn. etrkes. lockouts and hoycOtts will be
upon readily and IL ever called INTO play,
then only the very last resort.
I. V. POwDERIY.