Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-05-12
Business and Strikes.

had very depressing effect on the
lumber industry of this city. A few
weeks ago the business prospects had
a very bright appearance. Buyer:
Of lumber were numerous, much lum
Der was sold at satisfactory prices, and
the general belief was that business
would boom gloriously this summer.
The strikes in various sections OF
the country began and became almost
universal. Building operations Ian.
guished. Contractors were afraid to
take contracts, not knowing what de-
mands would be made on them for
wages by their employees. 1t was
thus impossible for them to make safe
estimates. The great railway system
of the southwest was paralyzed. Fac
tory after factory was shut down by
strikers. Mines were closed. Even
school boys went on a strike. The re-
tsaltfwas general distrust and stoppage
of business. Hundreds of thousands
of people were thrown out of employ
ment, and wages to the amount of
several million dollars were lost.
The strikes were for various causes
for shorter hours, for increase of
wages, and, on May 1st, demands
were made for the eight hour system.
Some of the largest strikes were &C.
casioned by demands made OH the
companies to discharge few men
who did not belong to labor unions.
The boycott was brought forth as an
instrument of intimidation, but so
far has not met with very nattering
reception from the American people,
and does not appear as if it would
become naturalized. Some of the
demands made were just, some were
wrong, and in some cases reported the
strikes were simply the result of the
striking epidemic.
In the larger cities are bands of
foreigners who term themselves So
cialists. They openly preach murder
and anarchy. They are mostly the
scum of other countries who have
no other idea of liberty than that of
doing as they like. They believe
they have a right to burn houses, to
kill the officials, to rob the industrious
and to disobey the laws. These So
cialists always take advantage of la
Dor trouble to attempt to carry out
their horrid doctrines.
On May 4th the Chicago Socialists
were holding an incendiary meeting
in one of the streets of that city.
The police ordered them to dispense.
The Socialists answered by throwing
a dynamite bomb into the ranks of
the police and also firing volley at
the police with their revolvers. Over
thirty policemen were either killed or
wounded. The remainder of the
force Immediately rallied and opened
up a revolver fire on the Socialists,
putting them to flight and killing or
wounding at least fifty.
On the 9th about 800 Polish riot
ers at Milwaukee made an attack on
the State troops who had been called
out to protect property. The troops
opened fire on the rioters, killing
three persons and wounding several
others.
The result of these strikes has been
and is yet business depression. Buy
ers of lumber are afraid to ship the
lumber they contracted for, owing to
the difficulty of getting the lumber
unloaded from the vessels, from the
inability of railroads where strikes
are in progress to transport the lum-
Der, from fear of their lumber burned
by incendiaries, and from various
other causes. There is therefore-a
stagnation in the lumber trade here.
Buyers are not numerous, prices are
less, and there is some danger of the
mills being forced to shut down, pro-
viding the strikes continue, ewing to
the inability to ship the lumber read
lily.
1t does seem to us, judging from
latest reports, that the worst of the
striking business is over. The strike
on the southwestern railroads is ended
and not near so many new strikes are
daily reported.
While the recent strikes have
caused much misery and distress, and
done immense damage to the business
interests of the country, yet we be-
lieve some good will result from them.
Employers and laborers will be more
inclined TO arbitrate their differences.
Hillman.