Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-09-11
The Lesson of the Strike.

The strike of the Knights of Labor
on the New York Central Railroad is
over. It's story is brisf. 1t was petu-
lantly ordered by a few men dressed
III little brief authority; it deprived
some thousands of dependent working
men of entirely satisfactory employ
ment and wages. and it has placed the
order that precipitated the strike at
great disadvantage in obtaining rail-
way employment for its members.
The strike was the wrong remedy
even admitting the wrong claimed TO
exist by those who ordered the strike
1t boldly confronted policy that no
railway corporation could yield, no
matter how or by " HON assailed. The
vast system of industry on great rail-
way line must have complete method,
discipline and responsibility reaching
every man employed, and that, of ne
cessity, requires the absolute and u..-
questioned right to dismiss any EN-
p!oye who is in any degree faithless, or
who is believed to be in any degrt G
faithless.
Whether the dozen or so of discharg-
ed Knights of Labor were discharged
because they were members of that
order, as is asserted by those who or
dered tie strike, or whether they were
discharged for incompetency,n neglect or
drunkenness, is not an issue that the
direction of u vast public highway can
arbitrate or even dispute about. That
authority must he possessed by the
management of railway lines, and it
must often be exercised, to insure safe
ty to property and to trade and travel;
and justice to the public and Justice TO
the industrial system interviewer with
railways, often demands that employees
shall he II iSupi-Sp1
not impeach the sobriety or the gener-
al fidelity of the employe.
Whenever the knights of Labor de-
velop purpose to compass the control,
and practically the command, of the
wOTkingmen of the New York Central
Railroad, they invite a conflict that
could have only one termination-that
is the overthrow of the order or the
railway line. There can be no divided
authority, no divided duty, on such
great art' ry of trade and travel. Either
the direction of the corporation or the
knights of Labor must be supreme:
and If the direction Is subordinate to its |
employees, there could be no assurance
of operating the +, al for a single week
or even single day, aud every consid- |
Grafton of public policy and If publir |
safety was against the order in its |
New York Central strike.
When Will organized la Dor learn that |
the true aim of labor must be to make |
itself Indispensable TO employers? mol
intelligent, prOgre ssive and trustworthy
mechanic or workman of any kind, on
railways or elsewhere, will ever need
The aid of an order either to find him
employment or to keep him empluved.
There is always great need for first
class and faithful wOrkmen in every
Il q,
skilled labor. The skilled and faithful
laborer who respects himself and his
calling and perfeGts himself as an artist
in his work Is wanted everywhere. He
Is wanted in every printing office; in
every machine shop; in every mill and
factory; III every mine, field aud forest,
and he can always command the best
wages; but while the inC0mpetent and
lndolent are put upon equality with
the competent and faithful by organ
iZat1ons, artistic mechanism mus: de-
cline and incompetents must rule.
Especially is the individuality of the
wCrklDgman essential Oh vast indus
trial systems such as railways. Safety
and promptness depend upon the skill ,
and fidelity of individuals in p thous-
and difftrent channels, and in no line
of labor is thoroughly skilled and faith
:.
There the best labor is ALWAYS the 7
cheapest regardless of price, and until
labor organizations make the develon-
ment of the best skill and fidelity in
their first aim, tley will
ever blunder and cruelty their own fol-
lowers as was done in the Nsw York g
Central strike. Let the labor organic -
atoms develop he highest measure of I
skill and fidelity in their membership
and wages will never be a matter of
serious e.-Philddelphia Times,