The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-23
IN THE CORRIDORS.
interesting Chat Heard at the
Different Hotels.

enton b. Stillwell prominent citi-
uoc OF New Orleans, who has been
spc aiding the summer up in the noun
talns' was In the city yesterday He
was met in the corridor of the Ponce de
Leon by TIMES reporter and in the
course o. conversation said: 1.-The strikes
that are now convulsing this country
are remarkable for their frequency.
their obstinacy and the alarming doc
trines that the workmen seems to have
imbibed. During the Homestead strike
they boldly advanced the claim that the
plant was created and maintained by
their labor-was, in fact, stored up la.
Dor In which they were partners. This
II mistake not, is the doctrine of
George and as has been before demon
strated as fallacy of the worst kind.
When men are paid for their labor,
whether such pay is adequate or not,
that settles all entorcible claims
against the employer. To recognize
this doctrine would be to pay men for
their labor and also give them an inter-
est in the product OF such labor
carry this argument one step further
and we have this proposition-the plant
represents the total product of the labor
OF all the employees. Ifeach one owns
an interest in it proportional to tho
WORK performed, then all of them must
own an interest equal to all Of
the work performed, which accord
ing to their theory is the plant itself.
However, it Is unnecessary to state that
their labor did not create the wealth re-
quired to erect the plant in the begin.
ming, and it would be Just as reasonable
to contend that il 1 hire and paw q man
to care for and fatten q poor horse that
when he is fat the hostler owns an in
terest in his good condition proportional
to the services rendered. as it is to ad.
vance the theory that because these men
nave added to and built up the plant
they therefore own an interert in the
additions and improvements.
whether their pay is adequate is an
other thing, and it is by no means nee
essary to consider that point in dispos-
ing OF this theory. OF course it is i'm
practicable and can never be recognized:
but If this doctrine continues to spread
1T may cause no little trouble in the
future. There is another phase of these
strikes which, to my mind, indicates
Danger. They are obstinate in the ex-
| IRENE, and when they start in they do
80 with no intention of giving in until
| every means is exhausted to carry their
| point.
| THAT they will resist efforts to end
the strikes by force has been too often
demonstrated to doubt it any longer.
They look upon the use of this force as
pure self defense. From the papers
see where the labor unions are organiz-
ing military companys, providing arms
and ammunition and drilling their mon
with the avowed intention of fighting
the Pinkertons and protecting them
selves against force in times of trouble.
ION the first blush this does not seem
| much, but when you consider the fact
that this will make of these men lust as
good soldiers as those sent to fight
them, and that the conflict will no
longer be waged by them with sticks
and stones, but with arms of improved
pattern, you can readily see that il
THIS organizing is carried out extensively
that labor troubles in the future will be
not only more stubborn but infinitely
bloodier than heretofore.
IF this thing continues to grow for n
fow years longer order can only be
maintained by force of arms. The militia
OF tennessee has had more than it could
attend to during the past year, and in
some other Sta seS military aid has been
IN almost constant requisitlOn recently
There is cause back of these troubles.
Men do not go on strikes and risk their
lives for the'pleasure of the thing. That
existing conditions are wrong no ono
can deny. Labor and capital should be
fast and firm allies instead of waging a
perpetual warfare as they are now doing
against each other. Our public men
boot at the idea of danger from this
source; SO did Louis WI, and the pen.
atty of his dream of security was his
head, and revolution that has never
been equalled for destruction and blood
shed in the annals of the world.
Nov is the time to correct the evils
OF our land, and sincerely trust it may
be done before it is too late"
AT the Hotel Roanoke yesterday two
men we're discussing the distinguished
public mon that this country has pro-
duced. One Of them said: ''Just before
the late war my father and myself came
down from New York to Washington,
and while there he carried me into the
gallery OF the Senate chamber to listen
to the debates. At that time | was a
boy of thirteen, but two men in the Son
ate particularly attracted my attention.
10 me they bore o marked resem-
blance to each other, not in personal ap-
pearance but in their terse, clear meth
DDS OF expression. Both possessed the
grave, thoughtful, almost stern bearing
and there was that about each which
marked him as an undoubtedly great
man. My father asked me to pick out
the two greatest men in the Senate. |
at at once pointed them out to him and
asked him who thew ware Ha inforn,od