The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-05-01
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
End Of the Strikes-What has Been Ac.
complished-Where the Unemploy-
ed Gould Find Good Homes, sc.
RAYr,uopr Anvil 2Fth. 1888.

BALTIMORE, April 9th, 1885.
Editors Union The great strike of workmen
here and elsewhere throughout the country has
partially subsidized though not wholly. In some
cases mechanics and Others ofthe industrial classes
have, to a partial extent, obtained what they
wanted, whilst others failed and to some extent
especially car drivers and conductors-have be-
come willing to accept old prices but get slight
reduction of time in hours of labor. The CT
Passenger, the oldest and most important line,
occupying Baltimore and Gay streets, with ex-
Gov. Bowie as president, did not have much trou-
BILE from the first, it yielded to the conduc-
tors and drivers demand, obtaining twelve hours
for a days labor and two dollars per day as wages.
It. therefore, is running usual, doing an active
business. The Prick line saw proper to hold out
for former prices and suffered some suspension,
but pretty soon employed new hands and con-
tinued partially-gradually increasing-to run
its lines, never giving way, and now have its full
comp lement of cars running. This was also the
case with others. The old men on the various
lines, many of them belonging to the Knights Of
Labor, being honestly and conscientiously on a
strike as principle, held out as long as they
could, but got wearied of waiting in idleness,
anxious to earn a living, willingly went back to
take the best they could get, and are again pos
sessed of situations whilst others DESTROYS also to
go back have not yet been successful, but it is
hoped may in time.
Some points, nevertheless, have been gained,
especially that of not being obliged to work so
many hours-15 to 1S-as days work. This,
then, is important, people should not be forced
to work so much a!day for certain price. Neither
man nor beast ought to be inhumanly overworked.
1t may be beginning which will finally do good
and achieve for the working classes what they de.
sire-that is equality and justice. The strike,
however, was rather too premature and begun be-
fore the people were really in condition to right
themselves on either side. The best that can be
done is to reach fair compromise between en-
ployers and employees. This to a moderate ex-
tent has accomplished it and may, no doubt, be
the beginning of a better ending on all sides.-
Thus far quite number of good men, Dy their
anxiety do what they thought for the best, have
thrown themselves, for the time being, out OF sit
uations, but being honest and sincere, may finally
find themselves in suitable positions. Inc pest
thing, as have said from the commencement OF
the strike, was and is to have proper compro-
mise in view and look to that for it must come to
this at last There always has been and will be
contention between capital and labor, and like
other things must have its day. may say, there.
fore, that far as we in this city are concerned
the strike is pretty much over and ere long IS
likely to be in other parts of our country. we as
a people and a nation cannot always be striking
or contending, though such things-disagreeabl
as they are-are apt to have their day and termi-
nate in nine cases out of ten, as they have done.
1t is demoralizing to be forced in any way into
idleness when work is to do. The spring is upon
US in all its beauty and harvest being not very far
off, enough to do in various ways will be found IN
the country. Those, therefore, who can hnd
nothing to do in hot, crowded city may discover
something to suit and pay them fairly in the coun-
try, for the summer at least.
There is one thing that might be profitable for
all out of work and others to take into consldera
tion and that is the fact that there are millions OF
acres of uncultvated land in this country calling
loudly for persons to go and cultivate them and
spend proftably their time there. Let indepen
dent and unfortunate strikers, therefore, go If
they can and strike them with the hand of indus
try so they yield a substantial living without de-
pending on overcrowded cities. There might in
deed, if labor were equally divided between coun-
try and town. be enough for all to do at fair, COM
pensative prices, and very little ideness noticed,
as now, among what may be termed the idle, non
productive classes, who are often busy about
something of no special account either to them
selves or others. They are generally class of
people who live from earnings really obtained by
the frugal. Thus it is sometimes said "that one
half the world don't know how the other halt
lives" They have been and probably will be
kept in mystery until it is found out that the earth
itself owes US a living and will surely give 1t II
properly used. I say, therefore, to all honest
strikers, if you cannot succeed in town seek the
country and strike her acres, inviting you at all
times to do so.
1 am gratifed to learn that Rev. DR.. Kirkus,
pastor of st. Michaels and All Angels P. E.
Church, corner st. Paul and First streets, in the
Belt, was enabled last Sunday to announce to his
congregation that he had received that evening
an Easter gift of $500 to complete his church,
now requiring some addition. 1t will, when thus
finished, have seating capacity for some 800 to
1000 people and be a most superb, convenient
structure. Mr.. Kirkus aid his congregation GER
tainy deserve much praise for this enterprise
The new Baptist Church, also on the same street,
is at no distant day to have an addition made and
will then be very capacious and elegant edifce.
1t borders on North avenue and now has large
OUT coInmnnity VIII euectuany pvs~AAr-----s
punish all persons found guilty of boycotting.-
They deserve sympathy. No excuse whatever
can be found for them unless innocently mised
through ignorance and then the crime is too hate
full to be tolerated.
Business generally is without much movement.
Strikes slightly interfered with it. Transactions
are fair but not large and prices vary but little
When railway difficulties over it is likely to
improve some. European news has no effect.
NrcTnp