New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-10
THE NEW-YORK CENTRAL STRIKE.

Any effort to state with exact justice where
the merits of the controversy between the
Ncw-York Central Railroad and It's striking
cmploves lie is impeded by the reticence of the
comnany and the exubcrancc of the men III
giving out the facts of the case. 1t looks 70
be another instance of the old. old trouble.
An organization aggreSSivcly hostile to the IN
tereSts of the company exists among the men.
In the effort to build up that organization ana
70 render it strong enough to enforce It's de-
mands by cOercivo measures, certain employees
have incurred the company's dl>plcasure ana
have been discharged. As workmen no com
plants were made against them They per-
formed tbe merely mechanical obligations OF
tbcir relation we'll enough They kept up fires
examined cars, punched tickets and transferred
baggage in an intelligent and trustworthy way
but aS agitators they were constant menace
TO the prosperity of their employers. Their at
titude encouraged a spirit of complaint ana
hostility in the men everywhere, and the com
ranv finally cut them adrift. This action has
brought up the old issue. The men say that
the company is diSmissing good and faithful
ernnlo, yes merely because they are knights c'
Labor: that this action manifcsts an intolcran'
purpose 10 destroy their organization ana -
leave them as poor and needy individuals
p0verless either to secure their nights or
70 remedy their wrongs. The company reply
that the question is as to who shall conduct
their business. they or an oisarchy of labor
aeta+ors who are not in their service, who arc
rnecouaintcd with their needs and public Oh
easements. and who have nothing 70 gain hy
4heiI success or to lose by their failure.
Their. Is an appearance Of justice in both
these propositions so strong an appearance IN
deed. as 10 Justify the public If feeling thar
il should not he subjected to al the incon-
yenieuce. annoyance and actual loss Of time
md money which are its penalties wherever
great public carrier is blocEaded while cor
poration and its men engage in fight 20 test
eoch Others strength. This strike should
not have occurred, and if proper spirit h-d
been displayed on both sides it might have
been prevented 1t is all well enough for
private individual and his employees To adopt
and maintain defiant and uncompromising al
tftu1os toward one another if they think they
can afford il. In such affairs the pubhcs in
torost is small. and its rights arc but remotely
involved Bur strike upon great continental
railroad which occurs without real cause and is
prccip ;nfod nv an ;ntolcrant disposition on
either side is an invasion OF public rights that
the law ought to protect the public against.
The New-Yorll Central has been conspicuous
among the leading railroads for the good re-
latione it has maintained with its men. This
has been 50 true and so well known tha'
Hide importance was attached 10 the reports
Of growing trouble that circulated all last
,v,ol- The strike came 10 the public generally
* q comnlcte surprise. and the fact that II
ror,nd the comn2ny 20 npreparcd 70 meet II
cave the i,apro sion that the company. TOO, was
,>Tthout >u,piciur> of the knights hostl" pur-
nose. 1t appca 5. however, that the mater
had been thoroughly canyasSed by HnpcrntHEd-
ont Toucey and a labor leader. and that a
formal statement VI alternatives had been
nr.>onted for the cOmpauyS consideration. 20
soon as the railroad officials determined not to
treat with Mr. Holland they should have re-
aii-.d the gravity - the issue and should have
pronarcd themselves 20 doIl With it. Perhaps
This j, "a unnecessary criticism. lat per
ulexod public which is called upon - spend a
9;gbt in dcpot or a tunnel will not hesitate
20 make if. II can only - regarded as . lucky
accident that some shocking calamity did not
occur On Friday night. the mere possibility OF
which cali. loudly upon the company and the
! strikers T. stop fighting and 70 com" 10 terms
| There should be no unnecessary violence III
! the Talk or conduct Of either side. Anything
| that wilgu]Iv cmEittcr> or prolOngs the conro-
vcrsv is an additional wrong 10 the public.