Wichita eagle., 1889-11-27
TRADES UNIONS.

TRADES UNIONS.
Anent the announced purpose of the
Knights of Labor. which will probably
be seconded by other labor organizations
of the country, to memorabilia congress
upon the subject of further restricting
immigration with the view to eventually
bringing about state of case that will
warrant a formal demand for the eight
hour labor system and enable labor to
enforce its demand universally, there are
some facts connected with the workings
of trades unions that it may be well to
consider. To start with, it seems next
to incomprehensible that intelligent
Americans will submit themselves to the
power and arbitrary rulings of trades
unions as they are usually managed and
controlled. In this country, where the
law may be invoked at any time in favor
of the poor man as well as the rich;
against the oppression of wealth as we'll
as the oppression of crime, there does
not seem to be that necessity for such
organizations as might be
found useful under more
despotic forms of government, where
individual freedom is at a discount.
Trades unions are beneficial as social Or
CARNATIONS, and for purposes of mutual
knowledge and improvement, but as
effective factors in regulating and sus-
tanning wages and wage rates or enforc-
ing demands, their powers are limited.
Statistics show that failures largely eX-
coed successes in numbers and scope of
effects, and that the losses are greater
than the gains.
In a country like ours where the de-
mand for skilled labor is always good,
ana where it is protected from encroach
ments from foreign labor by congress
sional enactment, that individual who
possesses such qualifications as will COM
mand good salary will as rule be
found to be getting it; while his less
capable brother will not he. Yet what
gross injustice to the employer that
union should demand the same wages
for both, and to the skilled mechanic
who is kept from employment by order
of the uuion simply because the employ
er does not recognize these two men as
equals.
But this is practically the condition of
things. Under the sytem of trades
uions, as organized and conducted in
this country, the individual personal lib
erty is subordinated, and often sacri-
feed, to the arbitrary and often tyran-
nous dominion of the organization. 1t is
also found true that the willing worker
is frequently sacrificed TO the unsubstan-
tial demands of the unwilling one. Some
of these men argue that the condition of
the workingman was better in former
years than now. And yet at no time
were trade organizations more generally
active than within late years. We do
not believe the statement, of course, but,
if it were true, then such condition
might well be urged as proof of the inu
tility of such unions.
AS before stated there is always pre-
MUM upon intelligent labor in this
country, and corresponding discount
upon the less intelligent; but it does
seem that the first class of men, who are
affiliated with the second in an organiza-
ton for mutual advantage-a commend
able spirit of philanthropy, per Sc, to
be sure-simply stoop down to help the
less capable and less willing, who in
turn thus drag his more willing brother
down to his own level, with little if any
benefit to himself. This might make an
average of advantage, but is manifestly
unjust TO the better man of the two and
takes away the self dependence of the
other. We donot wish to be understood,
however. as Directing to the organiza-
ton of workingmen's associations upona
broad and progressive basis.
When the fact is self-evident that
these, as they are now conducted in the
main, have done little to elevate labor,
and have only drawn line of prejudice
between their own members and that
class who prefer to be independent OF
such arbitrary powers, their value NAV
well be questioned. Aside from this,
antagonism toward capital which is thus
produced, will lead TO an undercurrent
of dissatisfaction and dislike that will
readily foment disagreements.
Or course union men have their argu-.
n,ents and their grievances as well, but
as we have pointed out before, there are
more satisfactory methods of ad lust
ment than arbitrary demand, and more
profitable ones than coercion, and the
knights of Labor and the Federation Of
Labor did well in withholding sanction
of the proposed strike TO be inaugurated
the first of May next, to enforce the
adoption of the eight-hour system uni
versally.
The last piece OF school land in Sumner
county has been advertised for sale. II is