The sun., 1890-08-19
An Honorable Strike,

How to strike, simple and unexcoption-
able plan for great labor organization to
look horns with the other parties to work.
Ing tradop the employers, is contained In
the manifesto Of the Carpenters' Council
In Chicago published in the Inter Ocean.
Tho story given IL that last spring six
thousand carpenters demanded eight hours
day and forty cents an hour. This demand
tho Association Of Master Builders. who had
employed the majority OF local workmen.
absolutely refused to consider, or to submit
to arbitration. Thereupon new association,
formed from various motives, under the
nanne OF the Boss Carpenters and Builders,
declared their willingness to arbitrate, and
this proposition being accepted, three Judges
ct law fixed the scale. The men we're to
receive thirty-five cents an hour until the
first Of August, and thirty-seven and half
cents from then till the first Of March. 1891.
August came but the two cents and half
increase per hour never appeared In the
nay envelopes. Explanations being re-
ouired, the new bosses met and positively
refused to live up to their agreement. There
upon the carpenters met In turn, and this
was the result:
"Whereds The Boss Carpenters and Builders Asso-
citation individually and collectively have refused to
hive up to the provisions OF the above agreement after
Aug l. 1890 although having soemnly pledged thereto
both ns individuals and as an apsociAuoni And
"Whereds. We dcpore the occasion that requires the
nsseron OF our rights and enforcement Of extreme
measures whioh We have hitherto eudsAvored TO aVoid
therefore belt
"Reso,ped That We the United cArpsntsrs Commit
tsS in meeting assembled. DO hereby order out on
general strike all carpenters in the city OF Chicago
nndsr cur Jurisdiction. on Monday, Sept !. lsoo
j: j ossSs: ss:s Committee"
It will be observed In this case that the
boss carpenters broke their terms with the
carpenters, or struck. entirely without no
tice The month OF July ended, no doubt,
without the slightest intimatlon from them
that after the FIRST OF August they would re-
fuse to perform their agreement in regard
to paying two cents and o half more an
hour. They struck on the moment, so far
as that was concerned.
Notwithstanding this dlshonorable pro-
Oeedlng, the carpenters determined upon
course Of action which is In every respect
that of high-minded business men. They
met and soberly gave fair warning to their
employers that at the end OF two weeks they
would discharge them and strike. They
acted precisely as the bosses should have
acted In giving notice Of their intention to
leave work, instead Of ruthlessly attacking
them unawsres and exacting their condi-
tions rs it were with knife at their throat.
There is to be no such thing as that sudden
abandonment OF work which produces the in
evitable and lamentable crop Of innocent suf-
ferers. The rights Of the public have been
respected regardless of the bosses treach-
cry. Everything will be done decently in a
way to leave unimpeachsble credit to the
carpenters.
Here is to be strike on great scale, In
which the right Of action on one side is not
In the remotest degree clouded with an un-
due interference with public rights. The car
penters deserve full recognition Of the fact.