The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-09-12
THE CAMERA OBSCURA,
WHAT ITS FOCUS CATCHES IN THE
FIELD OF LABOR REFORM.

Lessons That May BE Learned from the
Cloakmakcrs' Strike-An Interesting
Prophecy of an Eminent Scientist-Dr
Abbott's Great "What-Is-It."
The history of labors struggles in this
country does not show parallel to the
New York cloakmakers' strike Without
detracting in any degree from the hero
ism of men who have contended in other
struggles for their rights, those who
know the details of this latest battle dc
not hesitate to say that the suffering,
self restraint and heroic devotion to
principle displayed by the cloakmakers
were beyond comparison. Out of over
5000 who were locked out or struck on
June IA only about fifty weakened in
allegiance to the union, and they
deserted on the first day, before the
real test began. All the others re-
mained firm to the end, some of
them with starvation staring them in
the face. Thousands sold or pawned
everything they had that could be turned
into money with which to buy bread,
and when the fight was ended found
themselves with hardly sufficient cloth
ing to cover their backs. and with their
homes almost bare of furniture. Orna-
ments and keepsakes went to buy dry
bread with which to keep life in the
gallant army. The aid which carne from
the outside was insignificant, notwith-
standing the sympathy that was sup
| Il -
papers, to exist in the community.
The officers of the Cloakmakers' union
are deserving of special praise for the
able manner in which they conducted
affairs; but without the courage and de-
votion that characterized the rank and
file they would have been powerless. In
the conferences between the officials of
the union and the manufacturers COM
mittee the former displayed such good
common sense and knowledge of bust
ness rules us convinced those who read
the proceedings from day to day that
they were the equals, if not the supe-
riors, of the captains of industry" A
few such victories as this one and the
talk that the laboring people are unable
to conduct their own affairs will forever
cease. But l want to repeat, for the
benefit of the rank and file of other labor
organizations, that all the wise leaders
in the universe could not have won the
cloakmakers' fight without they were
supported by the confidence and courage
of the body of strikers.
There is another lesson in the result
Of this strike which many union men
may consider with profit: The cloak
makers of New York are almost entirely
Jews, foreigners. Workingmen who
were fortunate enough to be born in
the United States not infrequently rail
at foreigners and lay at their door many
of the defeats labor has sustained. This
victory should teach that Il man, though
he be Pole. an Italian or Hun, is "a
man for u that" and if treated as such
by his associates will fight just as hard
against injustice as Il full blooded native.
The few men not foreigners in the Cloak
makers union had the good sense to
show all the time that they recognized
this fact, and the slurs and insinuations
engendered by race prejudice which
have so often created discord were con-
spicuous by their absence. "Put none
but Americans on guard" will not do as
a war cry in labor's fight for its rights.
Capitalism is International; it knows no
country. no creed. no God. Labor must
adopt the first two planks of that plat
form if it would win. THE world is
my country, to do good my religion"
In The Arena Professor Joseph Rodes
Buchanan writes about "The Coming
Cataclysm of America and Europe"
which he places ut nineteen years from
the present time, and which lin its
magnitude and horror will surpass any
thing of which authentic history has
preserved a record" The professors pa
per is a prophecy containing conclusions
demonstrated by the sciences which he
has ''esoterically cultivated" and the
manner in which he goes into details
convinces the reader that whatev-
er there may be in the prophecy the
prophet believes in himself. Professor
Buchanan says that there will be civil
war in the United States, brought on by
labor, race and church troubles, but
chiefly the former, and that the aristoc-
racy and money power will be over
thrown, and IL real democracy establish
ed on something like the lines laid down
by Nationalism.
Thousands are today impressed with
the approaching dangers. The facts
that should alarm them are conspicuous.
The industrial classes In both city and
country are profoundly discontented.
The western farmers are not alone in
their suffering. The decline in New
York has been so great that State AS
SCISSOR Wood, in 1889, expressed the opin-
ion that in u few decades there will be
none but tenant farmers in this state.
While the farmers are going down, and
near four-fifths of the city of New York
live in tenement houses, the plutocracy
is going up, the gulf is widening be-
tween wealth and poverty-between the
man who may be arrested as tramp for
being out of work, and the millionaire
who spends 100000 on stable for his
horses"
"But one thing is necessary to insure
a conflict. The armies must be gathered
and organized in two hostile camps, for
mobs do not make war. The organizing
is going on now as never before in the
worlds history. The labor party, the
anti-capital party, will soon embrace
from one to two millions of men. bound