The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-12
The New Yo k"Post" on the Strike.


New York, March 1.-THE follow
ing editorial from the Euel,ing Post on
the Southwestern strike is said by
business men of this city to represent
their opinions: The statements pub
lished by Receiver Brown of the Texas
Pacific, and Vice President Hoxie of
the Missouri Pacific, showing the ma
ture of the demands made upon them
by the Knights Of Labor are very sig
nifcant, because symptomatic OF the
condition of industry and society
everywhere. There are very few en-
ployers of labor, whether individual
or corporate, who are not lying awake
o nights thinking out what is going
on in Texas and Missouri. There are
no intelligent persons whether en-
ployers or employed, who are not
looking with anxiety for the news
from that quarter and trying to form
some idea what the end will be. There
are those who believe that a Socialist
revolution is impending, and has been
for long time impending. Although
the avowed Socialists are an extreme
ly small part of even the most densely
populated cities the belief is enter
tanned by careful observation that
their ideas are spreading among the
trade unions, which have been for the
most part their avowed opponents
hitherto, and that if some great strike
or CONFUSION of industry should
result disastrously to the strikers,
the main body would adopt the
creed of Socialism for better
or for worse. Socialism has a great
many queer fancies, but division of
property is at the bottom OF them all.
This signifies the overturn of law and
the temporary stoppage of civiliza-
zion. We say temporary, because after
any possible social disturbance-the
worst conceivable - society must right
itself somehow. In the first two years
of the French revolution, those who
called themselves the people" en-
ployed themselves in butcherin0 the
aristocrats and the next six years in
butchering each other. But the re-
suit proved that anarchy could not
last forever. If there is such a COM
ing evil it is quite useless to run away
from it. The support of law and order,
whether capitalists or non-capitalists,
ought to and must put themselves in
readiness to meet it, and instead of
compromising the law and yielding
here a point and there a point OF its
authority and majesty, they should
make firm stand on the first we'll
defined issue that presents itself. The
Texas Pacific case appears to be such
an issue. The statement of Receiver
Brown is to be taken as true one un-
til proved otherwise by something
better entitled to credence than the
outgivings OF a secret society. The
Texas Pacific road is a bankrupt cor
poration. It was built in advance of
any real need for it. By real need
is meant such need as would enable
its operation in the country adjacent
and tributary TO it to pay running eX-
penses and a fair rate of interest on
the capital employed. The indispen-
sable condition OF successful industry
was wanting. 1t was accordingly taken
possession of by tie officers of the law,
Of whom Receiver Brown is one Ian
inferior one), to be madeithe most OF
in the interest of its creditors. Its
creditors, in the order of preference
are: First, its employees; second,
those who furnish its needed supplies;
and, third, those who have loaned
money to build it. 0fthe seven prop
ositions submitted by the Knights Of
Labor TO the receiver for his signature,
all but one are of kind which he had
no authority to sign or agree to, be-
cause his position was that of subor-
dinate officer of the law He refused
to sign and the Knights of Labor
struck In order to make their strike
more effective, they struck on the Mis-.
souri, Pacific and its leased lines also,
This was the larg st boycott that the
country has yet seen. 1t boycotts not
only the Missouri Pacific, but to large
extent, the States of Texas, Arkansas
and Missouri. There are probably
more workingmen in the city of
st. Louis alone than the whole
of boycotters in the "Gould
System" The question
now is whether Receiver Brown and
Vice President Hoxie will stand firm
until public opinion is aroused by the
oncoming of misery to assert the
majesty and authority of law. A
telegram from Fort Worth, Tex, says
that the Farmers Alliance is in sym
pathy with the strikers, and will join
them in political steps TO control the
State. This is not at all unlikely. The
farmer has been so accustomed to look
upon corporations as his enemy, that