Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-08


has not unfrequently happened that
these have been Withdrawn, if not to-
gether by almost imperceptible degrees,
or there has been a forced suspension
of business, so that the last state of the
striker has been worse than the first.
We will admit that capital sometimes
oppresses labor, less now than when
labor was less intelligent. But much
of the suffering of our laborers comes
from their own improvidence. How
ever much men may know about trades
few seem to know how TO provide for
the future. In multitudes of eases
where it is comparatively easy to save,
men and women take no thought for
the morrow, and sickness or hard times
come and they are forced back as bur-
den upon those who have exercised
decent prudence. We believe that as
rule, taking term of years together,
laborers secure greater gain for their
investments proportionally than do the
capitalists. Many firm is doing los
ing,business while employees are re-
ceiving regular pay. They tide over
difficulties, hoping for better times.
Tne workmen are carried as a burden.
Capitalists grow wealthy because there
are few among whom TO divide the
profits of business. But their risks are
proportionally great. The tendency of
labor strikes, as a rule, is bad. 1t is
bad on account of the class feeling and
prejudice it helps to strengthen. The
tendency is to raise barrier between
labor aud capital, to array the one a.
gainst the other. Unpleasant feelings
grow into hostile ones that are not al
ways concealed. The laborer sees an
enemy in the capitalist, the capitalist
feels that he must tolerate the laborer
although machinery would be prefera-
BILE. The breach grows wider as the
strikes succeed each other. While we
may hope for the dominance of reason
In the settlement of difficulties the dam
ger of the business of the country fall
ing into the hands of an unreasoning
increases year by year. The
course Of strikers is suicidal in its ten
lency. Laborers should not forget !
that the price of labor is determined by
The demand for it. One set of work.
men will not long remain idle in order
10 permit another set to earn high wa
res. When there are two men stand
ing ready to do job it can be done
cheaper than when there can be found
only one man to do it. The trades are
more than full while farm labor is kept
poorly supplied. Farm wages are high,
much higher than the price of farm
products will justify. In the trades
here is a tendency to crowd up the
wages as an offset to what would be a
natural decline. The tendency is bad |
n the sense that it is demoralizing. 1t |
lwakens discomfort out of which comes
ill-feeling among workingmen
many of whom know that
hey are being imposed upon. All this
listurbs social order. Ii should not be
orgotten that most of our labor troub-
es originate with our foreign born cit
zens. We import most of our labor
difficulties along with our laborers.-
they germinate in the old world, but
hey grow luxuriantly upon our rich
oil. Some of our citizens in the large
ities are drawn into these combina-
ons and bow down before the walking
elegate, but most hold aloof. In the
the new strike is upon us.
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