New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-02
THE WILL or THE WORKERS.

Labor Day was not mistake. 10 was not
nnwise to enact that Labor should have one
day in the year in which to express its wsheS
Be those wishes what they may, this at least
must always be admitted, that they deserve at
tention and candid consideration from en-
movers and all others After all this Is
self-govegning country, ard labcrers are the
majority. If they are reall.- united in wanting
ANYTHING. they will certainly get what they
want sooner or later. When Labor Day SHOWS
that the wage-earnng class is pracucaliy
unanimous in desiring any change, we may eX-
meet that the next Legislature will promptly
register its decree.
But labor is not often united. That also IS
q fact which it is Of the highest Importance ior
the public to understand. Almost every gay
some new demand is made in the name OF laoor
NV its professed representatives. The pubic
has hoard so MANY of them, which are not in
the end supported even by majority Oh inc
men directly concerned, that it may wei ash
TO see some proof, on such an occasion as
Labor Day offers, that any measure or chahSe
contemplated is, in fact, desired by the wage
earners as a class. If they do not care enough
about il to make their wishes known on such an
OCCASION. the demand may safely be set down
as only another of the devices by when "ouiu-
he leaders and masters Of the labor Iorce en-
deavor to unite the workers in their support
So it comes to pass that the whole country
and every reasonable and right-thinnng cltl-
zen of the country, may well observe with
serious and candid attention the demonstra-
tions of labor this day. 1t is a waste OF ume
TO attribute any Of these manifestations 10 Vne
efforts of demagogues. BE 1t so; II the denid-
coeues have men behind them and men whose
wishes mean votes, those wishes Will nave 10
he respected The real question Is, what inc
waqe-earners want, and what part OF them 10
in fact earnestly dsSire any measure conCenl-
plated. That is something which the whole
country needs to know, and the Wage-earherS
themselves most of all For if they find that
in this or that proposal they are sustained by
only ptiful minority of the working people,
that bit of knowledge may save them much
suffering and wasted sacrifice. They want TO
know. as everybo dy else wants to know what
the working people actually think and want.
The demonstrations ON such an occasion
nust bo observed with intelligent eyes 1t
will not do TO assume that labor is unanimous
any QeDldUu DeNduSC VuC4O - 49,
marching under this or that banner. TO know
what the marching means, we have to reineHl-
Der that the wage-eamers constitute large
majority Of the adult population. II the work
ers of Newly orl1 are really united and earnest
in any demand their demonstration Will then
be no child's play, no labored assemblage OF
DELEGATIONS from various other cities to swell
the parade as is customary in political displays
of certain kind. The presence or the ao-
sence Of the great body of wage-earnelS them
selves will tell the story. If they have any
measures to propose, any change which they
desire with substantial unanimity, the pres
ence and the earnest faces OF 2OO,OOO wage
earners will settle the matter beyond douOt'
But what a contrast. London workers
marching, struggling and starving for pu1ul
pittance Of half penny more per hour, Whlie
the workers of New-Yo rk have one day set
apart for them 10 express their wishes, II they
unitedly desire any change, with a certainty
that it cannot then be long delayed. They
have the responsibility, and if they ask what
cannot be granted without public calamity they
bear the brunt for they are free, and govern
themselves. and uphold laws for the defence
of their industry against foreign competition
But the London workers have free-trade
Parliament to make laws for the benefit or
manufacturers and landowners, and if they
march through the streets and make known
their extraordinary sufferings and needs, they
are told that the laws Of supply and demand
must rule, and Government will not inter
fere even TO save its people from starvation.
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