Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-04-24
NEWS OF THE WORLD.
Report on the Question of
Strikes.
A MANIAC MOTHERS DEED.
Eastern Capital Combines Against
Labor = A Good View Of
California Horses.

WAsHINaTos. April 90. The advance
sheets of the report of Joseph d. Weeks,
expert and special agent of the Census
Bureau, upon strikes and lockouts &C.
curing within the United States during
the calendar year 1880, have been. re-
ceived by the Interior Department. The
record shows, he says, that many strikes
and lockouts still grow out Of the most
trivial causes. 1t is also true, especially
Ia localities where large bodies Of work
men are gathered, that there will always
be found men who too frequently from
sinister and mercenary motives create
discussion and endeavor TO inaugurate
strikes, and when strikes are in progress
their duration IL liable to be prolonged
bv the efforts OF such persons. Yet
the tendency as stated Is toward less
frequent strikes and lockouts. The
number OF strikes in certain prominent
trades, as given in the report, is as
follows: Iron and steel industries 236.
coal mining l5s, textile trades 46.
cigar makers AZ, building trades 30,
transportation SO. printing trades
%, glass Industries q. piano making IA,
boot and shoe making IL. Much the
greater proportion, III per cent,'of the
strikes and lockouts reported upon were
caused by difficulties as to the rates of
wages. A total of 500, or about So per
cent Of those relating to rates of wages.
~ 81 per cent OF all were for an advance
lad II or IA per cent of those relating
rates of wages or 81 per cent of all,
,ere against reduction. Strikes grow
Nag out Of demands for an advance are
much more uniformly successful than
those against reductions. In condi-
tions Of trade that justify an advance it
is much more to the interest of the en-
ployer to give in than to have his work
stop. OF el3 strikes the results of 4Sl
or SO per cent are given. Of these, 1863,
or 50 per cent, were successful; 50.
or IL per cent, were compromised,
and 227, or 40 per cent. were
unsuccessful. 1t will be noted
that while large number Of strikes,
sos out Of BIZ, wero for an advance of
wages, a larger proportion Of strikes tor
this cause we're usuccessful than for any
other important class. Of 307 strikes
for an advance. Of which the results are
given, l27 or al per cent. we're success
ful, 62 or 20 per cent. were compromised
aud Is or 80 per cent. were unsuccess-
full. On the other hand, Of As strikes or
Iockouts where the demand was against
a reduction insisted on by the employer
3 only of these OF which result Is given
were successful, were compromised and
3 or we're unsuccessful OF other GLASSES;
questions relating to the payment of
wages were uniformly successful. OF 20
strikes in connection with payment
of wages Of which results are
given ii or IS per cent. were
successful, 6 were compromised and 3
are reported as unsuccessful. On the
other hand every strike in connection
with hours Of labor OF which the result
is given was unsuccessful. In questions
relating TO the administration and meth
DDS Of work the strikes were rs rule
unsuccessful. OF 6l0 classified as strikes
the result of 1853 are given. OF these
l43, or 80 per cep... were successful; 1856,
or AZ per cent, vert unsuccessful. and
20, or 10 per cent, we're compromised
OF IS lockouts that are classified the re-
suits OF 81 are given. OF these 10. or 10
per cent, were successful; "a, or about
65 per cent, were unsuccessful, while
s, or about 10 per cent, were
compromised. From Al Of 1872
strikes full reports were received.
showing the number OF men idle in such
cases to have been l2s, 1852, making an
average OF about $40 men to each strike.
The report concludes: As to the wages
lost, 1t appears that GA, 779 employees lost
So, III ,097. This would be at the rate
of S57 each. As the entire number Of
employees estimated was 22S,l35, the
total loss Of wages would be Sl3, 003,-
S66, which would have been received
had the works been running constantly.
OF course there would be q number Of
offsets to this. In case strikes
were successful additional wages
would compensate for portion
of this loss. In other cases
where unionism existed in trades in
which there were strikes the men re-
eeived strike pay, or strike benefits, but
strike benefits were in most cases simply
the money that had been pre-
viously paid. Then in many cases the
parties on the strike secured employ
ment in other industries, and hence their
actual loss would be what wages they
would have earned at their old labor
minus what they did earn in the pre-
sumable loss of profitable employment