The Baltimore County union., 1886-04-03
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LITTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Strikes and What May Follow In Tnelr
Train-Newspaper Thieves, &c.
RA1r,MnRr March 3Oth. 1886

BALTIMORE, March SOth, 1885,
Editors Union 1T is regretful to say that the
great labor strike or difficulty between employers
and employees, in other words, between capita'
on the one side and labor on the other, all over
our country and many other portions of the worid,
still exist growing wider and seemingly more
determined than it yet has been II really appears
extending rapidly, almost fearfully, so that we
cannot tell where or what the end may be- never
has it been so universal and becoming more So
Those who have existed through the past ntty
years and noticed the occurrence and passing OF
events are fully, painfully aware OF this. Irue
we have had spasmodc excitements and strikes OF
a martial character which fearful and very
destructive long as they lasted, though were suo
dued and partially reconced through compromise
but far it has gone this appears widening unuer
more intelligibly formed organizations OF laoorers.
The whole difficulty appears to exist IN an iue"
among those prone to toil-mechanics and laoor-
ers-that they do not get just compensation lor
their services that ply ysica exercise Is not paceu
| on an equal footing with intellectual ana tne
power of money, which contribute to the necessi-
ties and comfort of all. This at least is the gen
eral impression. To put the matter palmer those
who toll have come to general idea that tney are
| not given as much for their work as they should
| compared with those who employ them, ana nence
the strikers seek advance. One class OF the COM
| munity by this means strives to compe or iorce
the other into their terms Those, therefore, on
| the one side think or pretend to know they nave
gone far they can or as their position VIII aiio"
and, as supposed, knowing their own business ana
ability best, withhold employment and patronage
to persons who were in their employ. Thus thous-
| ands are forced into ideness. more expressive
phrase, perhaps, is non productiveness, and the
great industries of our country are stopped or
partially suspended.
Now how long this condition OF things can iaSt
is simply a question of time. Either the compen-
dap, cd
business, &c., will come to q deadlock Inc
question is which party can hold out longest OF
endure the most. 1t is very true neither can hoio
out very long before poverty and starvation come
shed. This then shows plainly there must be q
compromise in some form or other. 1t capitalists
or employers do nothing very soon it will be dis
covered no means can be forthcoming to pay FOL
strikers substance who are forced from places
where they had been earning support for them
selves and families So also must "bosses" tal
into poverty and inability. The result under
such circumstances would be uncertainty, contu
sion and anarchy worse than chaos There might
come a remodeling and renewing or revamplng
| of everything, which would be worse, more oppres
siye than il was before Employees could moi
suddenly be made employers, because they gener
ally are untitled for it: neither could capitalist:
or employers be transformed into mechanics ol
laborers as these pursuits not suited nor ttteo
for them. There are thousands of good, honest
men who never expected or apparently desired tt
do anything else but dig in the mud. What is to
be done with all such? So is it in many othel
occupations. Striking, therefore, nor force MOI
boycotting will do, as such dictation and enforce
ment must kill itself in the end. 10 TINS aist
must come the Knights of Labor if they undertooE
such instrumentalties. This, l admit, seems a
Just and we'll disposed organization, with the odds
in numbers and physical power greatly on its side
but it cannot and must not harshly dictate or II
will fail of its own former strength. Then mo
mentous as the present movement is IN all Its
phases there is positively and absolutely nothing
to be done but seek and cultivate most tenderly
the spirit of compromise. This ought to be done
} at the earliest possible moment. Strikers mus
, know they are not in a position to govern, rule
and control. The movement is too gigantic FOL
them. Nor can the employers expect to have
everything their way. Then l say make your
first and last efforts to give and take and finally
, compromise, for to this must all come at last
am glad to see that young man namet
Hitchcock, of this city, has been sent to the peni
tentiary for three years for robbing the mall A
bad and deserving punishment equal to this II
stealing newspapers left at our doors by regula
carriers. The practice is quite prevalent. nav
, been greatly annoyed sufferer IN this way. l
!, would be my pleasure to see such well punisneu
Their offence is penite ltiary act. One who vii
steal a newspaper is bad almost as a murderer, a
he is ripe and ready for anything in the way o
crime. 1t has become regular Offense, supposed
by some to be void of real harm. few of suct
thieves put in limbo might teach wholesome
lesson.
I observe that the police and re-alarm boxe
on our streets are painted red, like those also o
the postofce night boxes to receive letters, ETC.
With those uninformed mistakes no doubt occur
selecting the fre-alarm reds for the red posta
boxes. 1t is quite singular what mistakes per
sons often make. 1 reeollect being once myself
many years ago. connected with daily newspa
per on South street, called tho Baltimore Post
We had hole cut in the door for dropping ou
t letters and communications for publication. L
was amazing to find that many letters for the al
This was before preparing postage was required
We always, at some trouble, put such letters int
the regular mail and hope prevented disappoint
: ment to recipients, provided the missives wer
tender love letters where many ezclamations fror
: Young loves dream were made. NEsToR.