New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-25
rprE JABOE rs. TNIONS.

The strike of railroad workers at chicago
has been renewed, under circumstances when
entitle it to especial attention. In many
rcspects this contest resembles the ill-tmed
and ll-fated struggle upon which the workers
of the Third Avenue Street Railway entered
weeks ago under ost misguiding leadership.
Their demand was for the discharge OF Il
small number of free workers who were not
willing to join an organization. Inc Only
demand of The striking swltch-tcnders oil the
Lake Shore Railway Company Is for the as
charge of six switch-!cndcrs who decline 10
belong TO the union. These Hen have been Tor
many years faithful servants of the company.
1t is by no one alleged that they are dishonest
Or incompetent, or in any way unworthy.
Their sole offence is that they prefer to be
free and do not wish To surrender any part OF
their freedom by joining a trades union Inc
demand for their discharge is therefore
declaration Of war against all free laborers. 1t
is an attempt by an insignificant minority OF
workers, who have pleased to organize them
selves in this coantry, to prescribe and osilaclze
the great majority of workers who have not
chosen to organize themselves.
Let it be noticed, next, that the laborers OF
and to the employers only, to defend the rights
and the freedom of labor in this matter. Ii the
Lake Shore Railroad Company does not wish to
do his, and is not willing to face some sacrifice
and some loss in order to resist this unjust ana
tyrannical demand, the freedom of all labor
suffers. and the rights of al free laborers are
assailed Thus IT Is seen that, in fact as we'll as
in theory. the true interests of free labor and
of employers are identical. The workers who
have chosen not to organize themselves have
preferred to rely upon their personal efficiency
as workers, and their value to employers, to
insure for them a satisfactory reward. The
employers ALSO with few exceptions, prefer TO
pay according to the individual merit of the
workers The trades union steps between the
individual worker who prefers his freedom,
and the employer who prefers a free worker
and attempts to dictate to both. 1t is not too
much 10 say that the union attempts, by force
and lawess violence in this Chicago case, to
establish tyranny over both.
1t is not improbable that other railroad COM
panes may conclude that it is their duty, and
fol their Interest, either at this time OF at no
distant date. to make common cause with each
other against this attempted dictatOn. The
right of the employer to prefer the free UNI
trammellcd and individually responsible
worker is rs clear as the right of any workers
to organize themselves for their own defence.
If the workers may organize, the employers
also may agree There are thousands, I'M
happily many thousands, o; unemployed but
willing and competent workers in this county,
who would gladly take the places of those who
have been employed as switch-tendcrs, and
who within short time would be quite as
competent for that work as the men who now
perform it. Therefore it is that the few who
are organized almost invariably resort to
violence the instant a strike begins, In order
to prevent the many who are unorganized from
taking their places and performing their work.
The workers ought TO remember that, If they
combine on Their side, the railway companies
have precisely the same right to combine also,
and the result of that combination would be to
exclude from employment, in the service OF the
roads which unite therein, those workers who
have preferred to organize themselves. Nor
would the workers have any right whatever to
complain, if the employers prefer the help Of
free labOrprs