The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-08
The Next Step at Homestead.

It's sincerely to be hoped that a peaceable
adjustment of the differences between Car
negie 81 Co and their workmen at Rome
stead will be reached without further blood
shed. After the experiences Of Wednesday
1t Is not improbable that both sides will be
willing TO make such concessions as will
cause the mills to be opened again to the
| locked-out workmen. II, however, both
sides remain firm there Is pretty certain to
be other and, perhaps, more serious con-
ficts. The workmen seem to spprehend
that the worst OF the trouble is not yet over,
and they appear to be nerving themselves
to maintain the position they have taken at
| any cost.
They clearly have no intention 20 destroy
the company's property. It would not
benefit them in the least TO destroy It and
would do Carnegie & Co. very little, il any,
injury. The state would have to
make good to them any loss
they might suffer at the hands
of rioters, and the homes Of the workmen
would be taxed to help pay the loss. 1t
would be folly, therefore. for the looked-out
men to destroy the mills
II Carnegie g. Co. refuse to give any
insist upon employing men who will accept
those wages, there is no lawful way in
which they can be prevented from doing
30, and IL they meet with resistance
and the local authorities are
unable to give them ample protection. the
governor will have to go to their aid with
the whole military force OF the state, If
necessary. While public sympathy is
with the workmen, because OF the belief
that the proposed reduction IN their wages
is unoalled for by the condition of business
and because their homes and all their DOS
sessions are in Homestead, the law Is on the
side Of Carnegie & Co., 10 that ii gives
them the right to ax the rate Of wages they
will pay and to employ whom they please
Gov. Pattlson, however, Is not likely to
call out the military until it becomes clearly
his duty to do so. He Is commended very
highly for the course he pursued when
called upon by the sheriff on Wednesday for
assistance. He said the military would be
ordered to the scene Of the disturbance when
it became apparent that the local Authori-
ties were powerless to preserve the peace.
Had the military appeared at Homestead
when the battle between the workmen and
Pinkerton's men was on, there would, In all
probability, have been fearful loss of life.
There are thousands OF workmen at Home
stead and they are well armed and very de-
termined to maintain the position they have
taken.
Two things are su ggested by the Home
stead affair. One Is that Pinkerton's mea
must be kept out Of labor troubles, and the
other is that some way must be provided by
law for the adjustment of differences be-
tween corporations and their employees
Public sentiment will not tolerate
the employment of Pinkerton's men
to support corporations in their
conflicts with their workmen, and
the state ought to undertake the adjust
ment of labor troubles when there is reason
TO apprehend a conflict. In New York there
is a state board OF arbitration which has
rendered excellent service in strikes on rail-
roads. 1t might be improved upon and in
troduoed into all the states.