Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-17
EFFECT OF THE STRIKES.
OPINIONS OF PROMINENT MEN
FGOIHAM AND BROOKLYN.

Trade Already Affected.
NEW YORK, May l6.--The following
are the opinions Of some of the best
known and most observant men in New
York and Brooklyn concerning the prev
aleut labor agitation aud its results. All
are men whose Opinion will ne listened to
with Difference ana interest. The questions
asked them were:
Are the labor troubles serious menace
TO the peace OF the country?
Has the workingman been benefited by
the agitatlonf
Will the business of the year 1886 be
seriously injured?
DO we need larger standing armyI
How are we to deal with anarchists!
Charles A. Dana, editor of the New
York Sun-Tne question is very large
one vOung man, but think we can sum
il all up in a few words. The labor trOu-
bes are not danger to the country at
large. We do not need a bigger standing
army. There are no labor troubles now;
they have all settled themselves and are
over. The business of 1856 Is seriously
injured already. The wOrkingmen are
not benz fitted.
jaw Could have not yet thoroughly
examined The effects OF the late strike
upon the industries Of the eastern part of
the country, and am therefore unable TO
speak except in a general way. Busi-
ness is very seriously injured, and the
workingmen are the losers. They cannot
improve their condition by means Of boy
cotting aud striking. At present the
labor organizations have no higher ann
than to Law in wait until employers are
entangled ia contracts, or at heir busiest
season, and then seize Jhem by the throat
Them if
concessions are not made. More intelli-
gent and Just principles will have to be
adopted by tue workingmen before they
can better their condition. We don't
need bigger standing army. The militia
and police can take care OF those who do
violence.
Henry Ward Beecher-The heart of the
people is in the rignt place. Tney are on
tle sid OF justice and equity and op-
posed tn Injustice and wronZ, no matter
whether it be the workingman or the cap
ltalisJ who does the wrong. And let me
tell you that healthy public sentiment
is better tnan ten standing armies. The
interest of our citizens in supporting law
and order would be lessened if we kept
uniformed force OF professional fighting
men to subdue RIOTS. We are better off
as we are. don't know whether or not
labor has benefited itself by these
great strikes. don't believe that
III mas OOhe SO, JOOuED. b6ticNe mat
il has injured itself. AS Powderly SAYS,
workingmen must do jU stice ii hey would
obtain justice for them selves. When the
Workingman takes advantage of his en-
plOyeT's d Tticuities to say to that employ
er: "You must grant me great cOnces-
sions or | Will ruin you" he does a very
foolish thing and hurts himself more than
any one else. | am in sympathy with
WOrkingmen and | want to see them bet
ter their condition. but don't like some
OF the methods adopted, partly because
those methods are mistaken and partly
because they are unjust
Vicar General Keegan Or. q. III think
that ultimate good will result from the
labor agitation. although business has
been hurt quite seriously. I like the idea
of arbitration between labor and capital.
Some wOrkingmen are undoubtedly de-
prived Of all that tends TO make life
sweet. Fourteen hours is too long for
any man to work at manual labor; il
is d grinding slavery. At the same
time i think eight hours too snort, and
I'm afraid that the saturday half holi-
day system, if adopted, would result
In injury t. poor famili s, for boys whose
mothers are dependent on them
for support frequent race tracks and
spend their money II let out on Satur-
da;s. l know several cases OF the kind
don't look upon the labor troubles as
beftous DtudCe W Tue peace Vi lne COun-
try. There Is no Socialism or anarchy
among the English-speaking work
ingmen in this country. | have been
taking with many priests on this ques-
ton and fOun0 some who think we need
larger standing army. IdOn't think so.
Our reliance Is on the good sense of the
nation, and l am sure that will not fail u.s..
Father Thomas Ward-pm not in a
position to speak authOrltatively con-
corning the position OF the Roman Cath
Ole church in America. | see that in
Canada it is hostile to the Knights of
Labor, If dispatches are correct. In
America the church, as / understand it,
has taken no position except that it is
always friendly TO the workin oman, and
wants to see justice done to him. At the
same time IL does not want to see him do
Injustice, and 1 think that some of the
strikes have been unjust. Others again
seemed TO be entirely proper and neces-
sary. We don't need bigger standing
army.
Donald Mckay, senior partner OF the
banking firm Nermilye ~ CO.-The bus
mess Of 1856 has been seriously injured by
The labor troubles and the workingmen
will be the sufferers. The strikes are
subsding, though, and better times are
near at hand. Still, trade has received a
severe blow. Anything which interieTes
with the smooth running of the great ma
eblnery OF commerce 10 bound to hurt
trade, an that hurts the wOrkingman. A
friend Of mine, VINO is IN the building bus
mess, told me that the year opened with
tue brightest prospect he ever saw for
building stone. The strikes have killed
the trade for the year. And so it has been
in many other trades.
A. Abraham, OF the great retail dry goods
house Of Wechsler a. Abraham, Brook.
lyn-Ii the LABOR troubles are not very
soon terminated serious disasters, from
which the wOrkingmen will be the chief
sufferers, will happen. | can scarcely
estimate the damage, but l know that
spring trade has mad a very serious blow.
We don't need a bigger standing army;
the vast majority OF our wOrkngmen are
averse to violence. Anarchists are all
foreigners, and when they abuse our hos
pitality by preaching blOodshed and in
ceud arism they should be treated Just as
II they had set lire 70 houses or attempted
10 commit murder. II these strikes
continue the first thing we
know there will be a big influx OF foreign
goods, a d then the big factories ~ tue
East Will be compelled 10 shut down be-
cause the market viii be overlooked. II
the workns men force the cost OF prnduc.
tinn up too high merchants will find il
cheaper 10 buy foreign goods, and then
the vprkiuRmen will suffer pretty ses ere
IL til Congress puts duties up.