New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-15

-. apd himself spreads 1as', ouo runs an
go. ooprse Down TO this week the strikers
-. been winning but this week, wlth one
conspiclous exception, their history Is one Vi
disaster. The Silvertown strike ana uhe Iar nore
.n.nortan, Manchester gas-workers' strike ended
=; complete collapse. The men were Deabh
=. sTvertovn because they were met with courage
and determination equal TO their own, ana with
,.sonrces and organization far superior
The facts in that case have been stated. and need
not be repeated So of Manchester But what
= rernarl,sble in Manchester is that the victory
has been won by the community itelf over one
section or one class Municipal Democracy has
shown itself able TO govern, when occasion arises,
with strong hand Manchester people soon
made I'D their mind that they did not care to
coo taxes raised in order to increase the wages
If the Qasstokers which were already high.
They preferred governing themselves to being
Governed by the Gas-StOkers' Union. They used
the police from the beginning to keep order; and
when police are used 90 keep order strikes OF the
nresent type have little chance, for the chei
veapon of these unions is intimidation, supported
BY violence.
Little attention, however, is paid in London to
what is happening in the provinces, for London
has one huge strike of its own on hand, and has
had narrow escape from another The strike
of the gas-stolxers employed by the South Metro
politan Gas Company, threatened last week. was
finally completed on Friday morning. The ques-
ton at issue which | described in detail last
week may he summarized in sentence. 1t was
strictly analogous to the question at Manchester.
What the directors of the South Metropolitan had
10 decide was whether they preferred to manage
their own company or TO have II managed lor
them by the Gas-StOlerS' Union. They never
hesitated for moment. They have a chair
man. Mr.. Lvesey. who knows his business and
hiS own mind. lie is the company. lie told the
strikers from the start that there could be no
compromise on this one vital point. He has been
as good as his word, and, in the present sem-de-
moralization of English public opinion, he Is a
public benefactor. The number of men in this
country with backboneS has been sadly reduced
since The widening of the suffrage. Mr.. Livesey
has kept his. l imagine that he welcomed this
contest, for the men went out of their way TO
put themselves entirely in the wrong.
The hand of the outsider in this, in most
other strikes has been heaviest 1t is the officials
of the Gas-StOkers' Union who call ont the men.
The sole pretext for their act was their well
founded belief that the bonus system offered by
the company, while admittedly generous TO the
men. relaxed the tyranny of the trades unions
over men and employers alike. Probably no
strike could be successfully carried out if that
system were once established. Strikes are not
now attempted except upon notice. If the men
are engaged by the week. they give weeks no
tice of their intention to leave; if by the MONTH
q months notice To give years notice would
reduce strikes 10 an absurdity; nor would all the
notices run from the same date, so that concerted
action of the men at the command of the unoniSt
officials would become either impossible or illegal
Hence this struggle 1t is a struggle by trades
union for power over other men affairs. There
is no complaint of wages or hours. There haN
been no refusal by the company of any reason
able demand by the men, or, indeed, OF any de-
nand whatever No unredressad grievance, no
hardship appeals 10 public sympathy Therefore
it is that no public sympathy is shown with these
strikers
Public opinion, rapidly growing soft on these
questions has hardened little. LondonerS have
looked on the proceedings south of the Thames
as on operations Of war. They have seen Mr.
Lyesey victua and garrison his fortress. not with
out admiration of his soldierlike qualities. Their
natural disposition would be to regard any gas
company as an enemy of mankind, but even the
general dislike Of these corporations does not de-
prive them of approval and support in this emer-
gency. Public opinion has in fact compelled
reluctant Home Secretary TO marshal hls police
force on the side Of public order. The possibility
that all Of South London might be left IN dark
ness did not please South London, or North London
either. There were fears, also, of injury TO the
works, OF "a confiagratiOn and an explosion OF
gas. The stokers were reported to he III des-
perate temper and on the whole the police thought
best to do their duty, and they did 1t admirably
The different works of the South London C0m-
fany and the approaches 10 them were occupied
early ID the week in such force that the strikers
saw 1t was hopeless TO attempt violence. thurs
day ana Friday were critical days. Most OF the
strikers were paid of and left on Thursday, the
last OF them at 9 on Friday morning. Two hours
later be gan the delicate business of introducing
new men into the different works at Rotherhithe
Greenwich, NduNhall and Old Kent Road about
all )i which picets We're stationed in great num-
bers Mr.. Liveseys well-laid plans worked well
The men arrived in patches at the railway stations
from the north, south and west and the police |
Ncuped the stations Unionist piclnts were every
where, but were never allowed to get near the |
arriving hborers whom they meant to coax and !
intmidate The police even expelled picllets from
the stations a wholesome example of ungonted |
energy The new men were escorted from tie |
railways 10 the works by bodies of police mounted
and on foot The crowds surged about them and |
sometimes snatched at man or two, but not half |
dozen We're detached altogether. Before noon |
all OF the company stations were once more fully
manned and at work.
30 complete Was the defeat Of the strikers that
they even withdrew their pickets. They are
without skilled leaders, their plans are yet 10
make, and their battle seems lost before it is
begun. They found themselves last night in a
fog, which settled densely over the whole district;
but uhc supply Of gas held out, and the manu-
fscture OF II went on, though with difficulty
There are fresh manitestoes this morning The
strikers appeal 10 the public for funds. Over
$500 are cut, and their union is DOOR. Money
they have next TO none. The public is sorry |
for the men, but is not this time djsposed TO find
capital for carrying on war AGAINST itself |
ar LlNescy shows himself clmoon, In ,,ictorv