The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-29
THE GREAT STRIKE.
THE HERALD,
Salt Lake City, Uta,

1t was last February, nearly a year
ago, that the engineers on the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad con-
cluded that the rules by which they
were governed or managed were not
such as they could approve, and as
those who were in control of the road
would not change the rules to conform
to the ideas of the employees, the en-
gineers struck. 1t was one of the
biggest strikes that has ever occurred
in this country. On one side was the
best organized labor association in
America, the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers, including in its mem
bership thousands of intelligent edu-
Gated, trustworthy men, who were bound
together by the ties of common interest
and self protection, and who were IN
der obligations to exert themselves to
the same purpose. On the other side
was an immensely rich corporation,
managed by men as stubborn as they
were courageous, and as confident of
their power to win as they were that
they were legally right in insisting on
doing as they pleased with their own.
1t was really battle of the giants, and
both parties went in confident of their
ability to succeed. The cool-headed and
the disinterested who were familiar
with such struggles, foretold with
whom the victory would rest.
They knew that the men could
not win, and advised the latter
to make the bes: terms they
could and return to work. During all
these months the war has been waged
with determination and with more or
less vindictiveness on either side. On
the part of the men vein of vicious
ness has now and then cropped out, and
on the part of the railroad officials
stubbornness and q desire to coerce
have both been seen. The strife has
been carried on at great cost. Of course
the railroad company has lost most in
dollars and cents, but it could easier
bear the loss, the money coming from
the pockets OF the rich. The engineers
had to draw on their savings, consum
ing the little they had been years, per-
haps, laying by. Their fellow mem
bers of the Brotherhood, and
their friends were drawn upon for
means, and latterly it has been said
there was real suffering among the
families of some of the strikers.
1t now comes that the engineers want
to return to work, and many have ap-
piled for their old places on the former
terms. The Brotherhood has been de-
feated, though it will not confess it,
pride preventing it from making the
formal acknowledgment ofwhatits acts
admit to be fact. The railroad man
ayers are now stif-necked and naughty,
manifesting disinclination to receive
the approaches of the strikers. This is
wrong. Having conquered the railroad
should not try to crush. 1t the men |
want to earn bread for their families, if |
they want to bury the Ratchet, the rail |
road officials should be willing TO meet |
them half way. 1t would be humane
TO do this.
But above all, the engineers and the |
railway managers should profit from
this protracted strike, aud avoid con-
tests which will necessarily be attended
by loss to both parties. The railway
company would have saved probably
two million dollars if it had complied
with the demands of the men a year
ago, and the engineers have lost more
in year than they can recover in ten
years by steady employment. The in
cident contains a valuable lesson to
those who will observe it.