The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-04-29
CAUSES OF STRIKES
The Number, Location, Causes and Results
of Strikes and Lock Outs for the
Year 1880.
Report OF MT. Joseph d. Weeks. who Hal
Been Employed by the Census Bureau
to Investigate Causes of tho
Labor Troubles.

year 1881, has just completed his report. In
his letter of transmittal to the Superintend-
ent of the Census, he says: 'Those who un-
derstand the difficulties in the way of such
an investigation as this will not be surprised
at its incompleteness, and especially at its
failure to secure records of the number OF
employees engaged in all the strikes and lock-
o uts reported, as well as the number of days
and amount of wages lost"
In the outset of the report he states that
both the employers and employed, as class,
hesitate to engage in strike or lockout,
especially after having experienced the dis
astrous effects of these industrial agitations.
The condition of mutual respect and forbear-
ance between these two classes has been
growing in this country. and strikes have
grown not less frequent, but they are under
taken only when it is felt that there is nd
other resource. He states that in his efforts
to get information OF strikes, he sent out
l, 200 circulars to both employees and employ
ers who were directly concerned, and he
adds that most of the replies were received
from employers and very few from the en-
ployes. The latter either making mo re-
sponse or refusing the desired information,
giving as their reason that it might be used
to their disadvantage by the employers.
From what returns were received he OBJ
served the tendency of the workmen to mag
nifty strike and of employers to disparage
its importance, and as the bulk OF the iti-
mepts made in the report as to the number
of strikes. the men concerned in it etc., are
understated rather than the reverse,
The difference between a strike and q lock-
out is stated to be the stoppage OF work in
the first instance growing out of some de-
mand or other action of the employees, and in
the latter instance from some demand or
action on the part of employers which is re-
sisted by the workmen. In sotne cases, by
ployes, work is stopped id one establishment
because of the existence Of strike or
lockout In another. Of the total number of
both strikers and lock in 1880,
which was 762. Pennsylvania with 30i, New
York with 104 and Ohio with 50, are credited
with Sol, or 65A per cent.
In the mining and manufacturing States
the strikes are more frequent, while very in
frequent in agricultural trades, where large
same is true of those engaged in profess on
al and personal services. Domestic servants
cb include than pes
cent of those engaged in personal and pro-
fessional services. do not strike at all, or at
least do not strike in such a way as to get the
fact into the papers.
The number of strikes reported in certain
prominent trades are as ollows: 2}6 in iron
the textile trades; 42 in cigar making; 30 in
building trades; 46 in transportation; % in
printing trades; u in glass Industries; IA in
piano making, and II in boot and shoe max
Mr.. Weeks thinks that the frequency of
strikes is not wholly due to the aggregation
of workmen at certain points. In Great
Britain more than twenty-five per cent. of
the strikes occur in the building trades and
while the metal trades, mining and textile
ton-71h per cent.-of the strikes reported
in this country in 1880 were caused by differ
ences as to rates of wages and of these 62 per
cent were for an advance and 9M per cent.
were against a reduction.
OF the more important Industries, espec-
methods of work and rules of the shop 90
casioned as many strikes as rates of wages.
The results of only 481 strikes are reported,
end of this number 35 per cent. were success
full, is per cent were compromised and At
per cent. were unsuccessful Every strike
in connection with hours of labor were un-
successful while those relating to payment
of wages were uniformly succeeded. 1t
should also be noted that strikes growing
out of demands for an advance are much
against a reduction.
In conditions of trade that Justify an ad-
vance it is much ir more or to the Int, est est OF the
stop On the other hand. when trade is not
SO brisk. it is to the advantage of the en-
ployer to have bis works stopped; In such
duction is not of little effect. The reduction
comes or the works stop.
IL appears that these depend largely on the
condit on of trade. In 1880, however, there
was an era of remarkable prosperity, and as
d
ton of cases, doubtless much above the
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of Pennsyi-
vania in the investigation into strikes in
that State for forty-siX years, beginning in
lS31, states that 45 of the 135, of which the re-
suit was given, were successful or s315 per
cent, while 66 or 4S 40 per cent. we're unsuc-
cessful. This corresponds, the report adds,
in some degree with the results obtained in
the present Investigation. As this report
shows that 30 per cent. were successful while
IT per cent. were unsuccessful.
The Massachusetts report, however, shows
remarkable difference, only twelve per
cent. being reported successful and seventy
three per cent. unsuccessful. This shows
that the industrial cond tons in Massa-
istng in other parts of the country.
1t has been known adds Mr. Weeks, to
careful observers that strikes are neither SO
frequent nor SO successful when undertaken
in New England as in other States.
In regard to losses by strikes, the report
states that from 414 of the 1872 strikes re-
number of men idle in these cases were 12S,-
262, which includes only those men idle di-
rectly in consequence of the strike. and not
those who may have been laid idle in other
parts of the works or n other works by rea-
son of the strike. There are 34S strikes con-
eerning which no statement has been re-
approximation the number is estimated to
have been a9,s16 VIII ,ch, added to the above.
would give total of 22s, ,1ss idle men.
With relation to the loss of wages, it is est
mated that each of these men were idle
twenty seven days. The returns show that
at the rate of s57 each. AS the entire mum
ber of employees estimated was 22S, ,13S, the
total loss of wages in this average would be
wages which would have been received had
the works run constantly, is the amount
named. In case the strike was successful
the men received add tional pay and in cases
where unionism existed the men received
strike pay, but this was simply refunded
moner that had previously been paid. There
iC q M in 10 mi
that the men sometimes obtained employ
ment IN other industries during the strikes
of idieness it appears that the average average rat rate
of wages earned by the parties striking wa.
81 Sc per day Tables are appended to the
report show ing these facts in detail.
Speaking of sudden deaths as tn,
result of mental anxiety or excite
ment, the Medical NesOS says: "Ther
is no treatment which will prevent thi
class of sudden deaths, and physician
| are powerless to avert its onset. AL
they can do is to advise a calm, unex
citing mode of life, with freedom from
worry and anxiety. Such advice i
| very easy to give, but as difficult t.
follow as would be suggestion tina
it is not advisable to die at any givel
time"
1.-Two dozen black-hen's eggs,
said an old woman to a grocer
"Black-hen's eggsr' exclaimed he, g
don't know black-hen's eggs fror
another colored Chickens" "Troth
then, I do,' said the woman. "The
60 and pick them out yourself" he IT
piled, pointing to large basket c
eggs. The woman did so, and pickle
out two dozen of the largest in tn
i basket.