The Indianapolis journal., 1891-03-23
TWO SIDES TO THE LABOR QUESTION.
Mr.. Water Makes Dispassionate Analysis and
Finds the Conclusion Disappointing.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis journal.

TO the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journai
1t is q pleasant thing sometimes. to be q
disinterested Il mean in the per cent. sensel
observer of passing events, and oftentimes
as instructive as pleasant. This is my
happy condition at present, owing to an
agreement between myself and employees
made in the first of the year. which remains
unbroken by either party so far, and. so
far as am concerned, will continue SO to
remain until its expiration. am free to
admit there was some sacrifice of principle
in that agreement on my part for the sake
of peace and harmony, which is more
creditable. perhaps. to my peace-loving
nature than to my loyalty to right;
but just now it gives me my ad-
vantageous position for observation.
You see, Pm little inclined to be man
after my own heart, forming my opinions
and drawing my own conclusions. among
which is this: There is no such thing as
an unmixed evil in this Provldence-con-
tr0lied world of ours. The present lament
able struggle. as it is termed, between
crushed labor(i). the poor wOrkingman"
on the one hand. and the crushing.
wealthyG) contractors" who have driven"
the aforesaid men Into the alleys and
novels of our city for a home, where he can
see little else In q morning, when looking
out of his front door, than the colored
servant cleaning the horse and buggy in
which the Tich boss will ride with his
wife arounc town through the day."
on the other, is an apt IL
lustration. The evil is the serious inter-
ference with business. the stopping of build
ing. the checking of trade; reduction Of
ta N a q cf a.
creasing the incomes from all Industries.
which. to person knowing nothing of and
caring nothing for anything not filing the
pockets with dollars and cents, seems very
nearly an unmixed evil.
But the good is the revealing of the prin-
ciples impelling and purposes directing the
action of the contending. parties
.1rroah IN this os struggle. ma And snt it is a
every citizen of our land. When men will
yield up their weekly earnings and business
profits for the sake of maintaining their
position there must be estimated something
of more than ordinary Importance in 1t.
That something this struggle has revealed.
and the know ledge thus obtained is of more
value to the patriot and philosopher than
all sacrificed in Its discovery. for IT assists
perpetuity of our government and pros
perity of it's people.
1t may or may not be much to the credit
of our contractors that they have not OBJ
the public attention; but have quietly pur-
sued each for himself, as far as possible,
the policy he deemed nearest correct and
most advisable. / would not positively as
sert that this has been the case, because
do not know; but such seems to be the fact.
Circumstances, however, have been such
as to compel the contractors in
the different branches of the build
ing business to organize, and to
as the Building Contractors Council. The
basis of that organization is announced in
it's declaration of rights and purposes"
1t may appear strange to some, but after
considering this document with some care
it seems to me to have right royal ring.
No personal grievance.sno petty spite, no
determination to crush out or break ldown
any person or union of persons, and no evil
dence OF ill-will ObtrudeS-it is simply
broad declaration of human rights and de-
termined purpose TO maintain them. Am I
mistaken in thisi Certain it is. the fallacy,
error, or wrong in them, has not
any hidden mischief there, it ought to be
held up to view. But perhaps there is no
honesty In them; perhaps 1T is mere bun
combe, "spread-eagle" effort Ito enlist
the sympathies of o generous public" This
seems to have been the opinion of the Car
penters Union In proposing to confer with
the General Contractors Association to
cure an adjustment of differences in direct
violation of these principles But before
Goth they found the q: G: A. committee
true to it's membership in the Building Con-
tractors Council, with articles of agreement
fully embOdying the principles of their
declaration, from which there could not be
the least deviation, and in violation of
which there could be no settlement
1t seems . little strange. does it not, in
our day when preachers, and papers, and
politicians arc all seeking popularity, pat
rOnage and perauisites, that few little
K nown and less mentioned-except as
Oppressors and extOrtionists-contrac
should stand for principles of right at the
popular esteemi But there they stand.
Right or wrong. believing they are
right, they stand. their words and acts
agreeing; and We know them, and we know
present struggle, and it alone. a
Of the principles of the CarpenterS
Union and all other labor unions, we have
had no direct statement; the rights upon
sue have never beer definitely announced.
A kind OF general impression has been
given out that they were organized in de-
Tense of theirrights and to resist the opprcs-
sions and extortions OF Srasping,, unprinci-
this lamentable struggle" the un-
derlying principles of their or
ganization have been brought to the
surface: not directly or Intentionally, in
carefully prepared statements. but in
directly in justification of various actions
taken during this contention. Let us con-
slider three revelations quite lately made:
FirSt-A prominent leader in the Car
penters Union twas he o namesake of an
ancient gardeni 1t sounds like him), says:
"As far as the carpenters are concerned we
can stay out six months or six years, but
we never can yield the fundamental
principles of trades unions" "Funda-
mental means foundation, necessary. es-
sential principles of trades-uniOns." THE
fundamental principles implies all essen
tial principles. This. however. is not an
official statement. 1t shonld be considered
high authority. but it is only the expression
of an individual member-earnest, perhaps
an extreme, or Overstatement of facts.
Second-We find ''the action of the con-
ference committee in refusing to agree with
the general contractors committee was
unanimously indorsed by the Building
Trades Council" for the reason that the
general contractors had shown no disposi-
tion to settle on any basis consistent with
the principles of organized labor; that the
rules they offered" were so inconsistent
Herewith that they would, if agreed
upon, overthrow all labor organizations
| Let us bear in mind this is not an excited
| statement of an individual, but the calm.
| deliberate utterance of body of men in
highest authority in the labor movements
| of our city. If not of the Nation; and it
| affirms that the principles of the Building
| Contractors' Council are so adverse to those
| of their organization that to agree to them
| would destroy 'all labor organizations"
Third-The Painters Union has made an
apreement with their emplOyea en- bod gin