Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-02
IMPROVEMENT N LABOR CIRCLES.
[From the PhI!adeIphia Zinc

} From the Philadelphia Times
There has been a marked i'm
pr0vement in labor circles general
ly throughout the country, and ev
erything now points to increased
tranquility and prosperity in al
the channels of industry. The sud
den overthrow of the violent labOI
element in New York by forcing il
to revoke the general railroad strike
in day has had most wholesome
effect upon radical labor leaders,
and the general intelligence OF
American workingmen has served
them well under the bitter eXpe-
rience Of suicidal strikes.
There is now reasonable pros.
pect of a speedy restoration of har-
mony between capital and labor
1t has been costly discipline to
both sides, but it will accomplish
lasting good. Like all real or i'm
aginary wrongs which do not seem
to have a remedy the appeal was
made to violent and rel OlutiOnary
efforts, with little or no regard to
the wisdom or folly Of the move
ments, aud the logical result was
to widen the chasm between two
great interests which must be in
harmony to assure prosperity to
either. But when employers and
employed got furthest apart both
saw better than ever before how
uncertain and insecure were their
respective interests, and how neces-
sary it was for both TO reach broad.
er and better basis Of adjustment.
Labor lost much in wages, aud will
lose much more in thu hindrance Of
industrial enterprise caused by VIC
lent and lawless strikers, and capt.
! tai has lost much in the general de.
preston that was suddenly thrown
into business operations, and be.
cause of the uncertainty Of the fu-
ture; but that loss is now irrepara.
BILE, and both begin to understand
that they must come together in
the end.
The general result of the labor
disturbances is the increase Of the
compensation of labor in many
classes of industry where it may be
permanent, and the temporary in
crease in other classes where it is
more likely to bring lower wages
hereafter. Every industry that has
been strained beyond its fair capac.
ity to increase wages will be Grip.
pied by the increase, and the result
will be less labor and less pay than
before the increase; but in many of
our industries the increase was just
and will be maintained with mu-
tual advantages to all parties.
1t is the interest of all that labor
shall command the highest com
pensatiOn that business can afford.
High wages mean higher rents,
higher necessaries Of life, and gen
eral thrift as long as they can be
maintained without impairing the
vitality of employers. The real
wealth of a country is in the con-
Stunning power of its industrial peO-
pie, and their consuming power is
necessarily defined by their earning
power. When they can earn large
" they consume largely, and when |
they are liberal consumers without |
paralyzing the capital that employs /
them 1t is a certain indication of /
general and substantial prosperity. /
Both employers and employed /
have learned useful lessons during |
the last three months, and they
have learned their lessons at great
cost ; but if they shall both sensi-
bly, profit by the plain teaching of
the recent troubles they will re-
cover their losses and have a prom.
Using future. Violence begets vio-
lence ; despOtism begets despOtism;
and both must see the fearful cost
of attempting either. There can
be no more strikes over questions
of punctillO, or over the right OF
any to employ or be employed as
they shall agree, nor can the petty
despot ply the anti.American boy
colt in any community; but reason.
able labor grievances can be heard
in every industrial employment,
and, as IA rule, remedied by peacea-
Much has been learned
all round that will be invaluable to
both labor and capital in the fu-
ture.
On one point many of the work
ngmen of this country need to be
earnestly advised, and that Is the
necessity of saving a portion Of {
heir earnings whenever it is posi-
Die to do so. The bane OF Ameri- !
AN industry to-day is the extrava- [
,ance that has insensibly grown
lpOn it. Instead ofseeking TO own
heir own homes, or accumulating
avings in the savings bank, too '
many of them waste their surplus +
arnings in ways which do not ben
fit either them or their families
outside extravaganza IS steadily .
nd almost imperceptibly growing 4
pom our industrial people of every \
ype, from the daily laborer through =
Il the countless wage.wOrkcrs in :,
hops, cOunting.rooms, and all a
hannels of business. The organ. "
atoms to which they are tempted +
re costly, and often with little fl
Dmpensation; and halls, parades, d
ands, society dues, committees, "
bich only too often meet at sa- e.
IONS, and hundreds of other inven-
Ons como to strip them of their t.
lvIngs. a,
The aim of every workingman bl
lOuld be to become the owner Of u,
IS own home. A marked improve :.
ent seems to be at hand in labor
relies, and let the first resolves Of
orkingmen be to cut of all dis
riding taxation and give it over