The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-04-09

merely 10 Tenearse ana bring freshly
to mind ideas which every intelligent
person ought to understand. and CEN
sure or approve the actions OF either
party whenever merited.
That the employees had perfect
legal aud moral right to strike, or to
terminate relations with their employ
ers. no one can deny; but that they
have either legal or a moral right TO
|injure the property of their employers,
obstruct their business. prevent others
from entering their service. or to enter
into conspiracies 10 injure their basil
ness. no intelligent person can admit.
The late strikers in Missouri and
elsewhere have been guilty of these
misdemeanors, aud have thereby for
feited the public sympathy which
otherwise might have operated largely
in their favor. Let their grievances,
have been what they may-and I'M
doubtedly they had grievances. either
real or imaginary, or both, and of
which we will speak hereafter the
railroad companies had rights which
were entitled 10 their respect, and while
they were accusing them of perfdy
and want OF good faith they them
selves were rescrting to violence, with
the avOwed purpose of compelling the
companies to do them justice, thereby
committing a wrong rs fragrant as that
which they charged upon the officials.
Two wrongs never make one right.
Further, they even had the effr0ntery
and absurdity to appeal to the citizen-,
to demand that the companies run
their trains in accordance with their
chartered requirements, or surrender
their charter, while they, by riotols
proceedings, were obstructing every
movement by drawing coupling pi1s.
disabling engines, misplacing switches,
tampering with the track, and wreck-
ing trains, thereby endangering life
and limb.
Had they, in body, terminated
their connection with the companies,
saying, 1--WE cannot provide for our
families with the wages which we are
receiving" and left the companies to
risk the employment of unframed
laborers, or to re-engage themselves.
attempting no violence, a discriminate
ing public would have extended their
sympathy, and railroad officials would
have felt in better mood to listen to
their appeals. Violence begets vio-
lence in return, and railroad officials
are no exceptions to the generaiyrule.
Innocent parties are involved in
losses and Inconvenience by the OBJ
struction of trains, their patience ex-
hauSted, their business dem0raliZed,
and it is but human nature if they in
dulge in a burst of Indignation towards
the aggressors. Such has been the
feeling in business circles, whether the
newspapers have published it or not.
Arbitration is freely spoken of. and
laws are proposed regulating, or even
requiring it. In order to arbitrate,
the parties at variance must first mu
tually agree to submit their differences,
and abide the decision Of the arbltra-
tors. There can be no compulsion to
arbitrate. Few corporations or indi-
viduals are willing to be dictated to as
to the wages they shall pay, or the
persons whom they shall employ.
They are presumed to understand their
own business, and to know whether
they Can afford to pay, or will pay GER
tain wages. Having invested their
capital, they propose to control it; and
if they can afford to pay certain rate
of wages, they will pay it rather than
allow their business to come to stand.
still. and often will pay more than
they can afford, for the time being,
rather than incur a greater loss by the
suspension Of business. Certainly no
one is compelled to enter their service
if the amount offered is too low.
The employer discovers wide diff
ference in the value of equally able
bodied workmen which the public cam
not discriminate. One is skillfur, prac-
tical, faithful, and efficient in every
respect, laboring for the interest of his
employer while working for Wsg.s.
and worthy of promotion and advanced
wages; and us foremen and skilled
labor must he had, he is preferred, and
no other workm IN is injured thereby.
Another is a bungler, slack and >un
skillfu', and INDECENT, requires watch
ing. doing as Ii tie as possible to secure
his wages, and cares nothing for the
of his employs and the em-
ployer cares nothing for him. He is
weeded out and proclaims that h. is
abused and Disseminated against, and
requires the Order to adopt bis quar-
rel. Can law or public opinion compel
parties to arbitrate such cases? Must
he be continued in service because he
is member of a certain order? Gond
workmen are In demand. and poor
workmen are drug in the N arket
and always over-esLimate their own
value.
Such characters are found in the
rabble who endeavor to prevent others
from occupying their vacant places,
applying vile eplthets, and resorting to
violence for that purpose A plomis-
cuous assemblage of strikers in the