Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-02
THE LOCAL LABOR DISPUTE.


city is unfortunate. II needs nc
reasoning to establish that point.
Every condition that produces en-
forced stagnation in place OF en-
couraging development is uDprofit-
allie. aside from the merits of any
disagreement that may lead TO it.
Reason and justice would soon, II
applied, settle the dispute between
employers and workmen. Why not
have recourse TO those elevating
agencies? The first labor 10 be
doue in reaching solution Of the
the difficulty is to strictly and inn
partially investigate all the elements
OF the controversy and then apply
remedy by making whatever con-
cessions are manifestly proper.
We hold 1t to be a self-evident
right o. . workman to dispose OF his
labor to the best advantage to him
self. Any number OF workmen
combined may also rightfully leave
the service Of any employer, pro-
viding no contract between the par
tics is impaired 10y the action.
On the other hand there would be
no balance 10 the situation unless
the employer hal the right to hire
his work done on a similar basis, be
ing the judge also as TO whom he
shall engage TO labor for him. 1t is
difficult to see how such a propo-
sition can be reasonably disputed.
There is a third element in a con-
troveIsy OF the kind now in progress
those workmen who 10 not choose
TO belong to a trades union. That
they have the right to take that at
titude ought TO be conceded, as any
other pus ton would be equal to
denial Of the right Of individual
FIRE dom, which is the Inalienabl,
prerogative Of the citizen when his
own acts do not place it in jeopardy.
This being an indisputable truth,
any conduct or process brought to
bear upon him to eoerce him into
REIMBURSEMENT of his personal
right is tyranny.
These standard propositions should
be considered in an investigation OF
the merits Of the present strike, anu
that which crosses them should be
discarded. II this were done there
would be an end of the dispute
within azew hours.
There appears to be no great re
Iuctance on the part Of the employ
ers to grant the basic demand of the
men--rine hours 10 constitute the |
time OF a days work, to be paid at
the rate OF $3.50. AS a rule this is |
readily conceded. Consequently, |
settlement Of the difficulty is OBJ
stru ,tej by other conditions.
Another demand is that none
ether than union men shall he en-
ployed. This is an infringement
upon two OF the three propositions
stated st the beginning Of this
article. II interfsr,s with the right
e. the employer to engage the ser
vices Of woTkmen Of his own choice.
It also impinges, by a coercIve
method, the prer5 sative Of those
w0rkmen who DO not wish to be-
long TO a union.
There i still another element Of
wrong connected with this con
troversy, providing a common as
sertion, that is probably nst
strongly disputed, be true. The
claim referred to is that many Of the
chief 1gitGt0rs in this labor difficulty
are trausisnts, belonging 10 the
class which floats from one ssboom,,
town to another. As a rule they
have, so it is alleged. two eonspieu-
Gus defects-meagTe ability as work
men and a disposition to DO the
smallest possible amount Of labor for
the largest attsinabie amount Of nav.
As consequence, II the employers
were 10 exclude non-union men
from their employment n settle
ment maize thus would simply
place them in a preiIcarnent.
causing them to leap "from the
frying-pan into the fire." in this
way: Ii Is held that there are not
enough efficient workruen who be-
long to the union to meet the de-
man without the aid OF those who
do not belong to the organization.
The result Of this situation is newt.
able-employers would have 10 still
continue 70 20 shorthanded or en- |
pioy incompetent ''fioaters," Wiz
are said 10 be not worth more than
from ene-half 10 three-fourths Of the
wages demanded. From this it will I
be seen that the course of the union
Is OF nature TO put premium On {
poor workmanship by placing it.
80 far as remuneration is concerned.
on level with that which is efici ]
ent. 1t looks like a very incongru. L
0us state Of affairs.
Some employers object also to tax c
ing any hand in coercing non-union 4
men into Joining it, by thrusting I
hem, at the dictum Of the organiza- I
ION, out Of employment. +
The general effect Of the strike is
detrimental on general PRINCIPLES
md on all sides. The concession Of -
he employers in being willing to Il
'1ncede the demand in chief-a a
line hour day a. sS.5O-ought to 4
orm solid basis for a settlement o.
specially ms there is plenty Of work 81
Or every competent workman. 81
he belongs to the union or d
lot. n
We greatly regret the difficulty, a.
ot only because Of the obstruction
material development Of this CITY. =
atalso on account OF the solid work
len, whose Interests are not sub
.ryed Sat impaired by il. :.
An EVOLUTION OF SCHEMES. *