The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-13


hands Of the corporations than
they were before The speaker believed
that Iaborers should never strike, but
should show their employers their worth by
attention to business.
He wound up by declaring the strike
great failure.
Mr.. Elliott took his opponents figures and
used them effectively TO break down his
arguments. Instead of being failure he
Thought it was a marked success. The
men had secured an advance OF
"a cents per hour which, figured on the
basis of the affirmative argument, meant an
increase Of about $500, 900 year in wages.
They had also secured recognition of over
time and the payment of wages weekly,
which we're big things in themselves. If
this was a failure the negative orator
wouldn't mind running against such failures
himself occasionally.
Strikes" said the speaker, biased on
just grievances, are beneficial and tend to
elevate labor. Organization is necessary to
tho securing of recognition, and therefore
strikes, instead of being detriment 10 the
lsboring classes, are benefit. In unity is
strength. Let a laboring man 20 single
handed aud alone and ask for q
recognition Of his rights and
demands and a remsdying Of his
grievances, and see how little consideration
he will receive. But when an employer or
corporation is brought face to face with his
employees thoroughly organized with cap
ital behind them for their support, he
will hesitate before he refuses to recognize
their rights. Organization is the
only way by which the laborer
ever has been known to get
anything from capital. True, strikes some-
times are brought on by frivolous causes,
and IN such instances generally fail, but ex-
perience teaches that where organizations
have just dem lnds, backed by public senti-
ment-that great and powerful censor Of
morals and manners-success always fol-
lows
1.-THE only point on which it can be
claimed the strike was a failure" con-
| tinued the speaker, lis that the strikers
didn't get all they asked for regarding an
increase Of wages But that is not a
criterion as to whether or not the strike
was failure. Human beings are so con-
structed that they always ask for more
than they can get. IN their child
hood they ask for things they
can't secure and likewise at death.
The fact of an increase Of ~ cents a day
being conceded and the recognition of the
strikers other grievances is to my mind
proof of great victory. The amounts
wrung from capital by organized
efforts of workmen all over the
temporary losses incurred by strikers,
and is sufficient evidence that strikes are
not detrimental to the laboring classes, and
that organic alton is necessary for the pro-
lection Of the working people"
Mr.. Elliots's speech was delivered in fine
style and at its conclusion he was accorded
the applause which his handling Of the sub
ject merited.
Mr.. Hines for the negative said that in
eloquently depicting the gains made by
workmen through strikes he had failed to
consider an important factor, and that was
the ill-feeling which their actions always
gained for them from their employers. He
called attention to the manner in which the
business men Of the city, innocent parties
to the troubles between the railroads aud
their help, had suffered by the strike. Ths
speaker cited the great railroad strike Of
1877 to show that strikes were detrimental
to labor, and favored the Introduction Of
| Italian or any other kind of labor to pro-
tect corporations from having to depend
upon any particular class for the conduct of
business
Mr.. Owens closed the argument for the
affirmative In brief witty speech. In which
he claimed that the speaker who preceded
| him had got off the track of debate alto
gether by ringing ia the detriment to bust
ness caused by strikes. The ques-
ton beng considered was whether
such occurrences were detrimental to labor.
He didn't believe that they we're, but on
the other hand strikes are a benefit, and
the only possible means for workingmen to
get their just due.
The judges, James Earle, Jr., and Secre-
tary Stradtman, retired after the discussion
and in few minutes returned their verdict
that the negative had brought to
bear better arguments on the
question than the affirmative, and
that in the opinion of the literary society
Of the Young Mems Christian Association
strikes are not detrimental to the laboring
classes. but the only means by which they
can assert their rights.