The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-19
THE LESSON OF THE HOMESTEAD
STRIKE.

THE LESSON OF THE HOMESTEAD
STRIKE.
The labor troubles at Homestead, Pa,
suggest three important and interesting sub
jects worthy Of being reflected on. Mr..
Carnegie has been the great apostle Of the
doctrine of cooperation between labor and
capital being the true solution Of the occa-
sion of conflicts between them. What con-
tracts he has made with his workmen we do
not know, and any rights they might IN
dertake to assert must Of course be based
upon tho contracts between the parties.
But We mean to say that if Mr.. Carnegie's
contracts with his men partske IN
any degree of the cooperative doc
trines that he has preached in his public
ESSAYS the mon have acquired an
interest in his business that he cannot sum-
marily deprive them of by closing the mills.
Instead, therefore, of taking up the unlsw-
full position which the workmen adopted, it
would have been much more sensible IN
them if they had employed a competent
lawyer TO examine the question whether Mr..
Carnegie had not made contracts with them
which really gave them an interest in his
business and placed it beyond his power
summarily to dismiss them. IL this be so,
which the known facts make at leas. prob
able, their true resort was to the courts and
the law of the land instead of TO physical
force.
The second point is this: Some eight
years back we read Mr.. Ieyons admirable
work on the State in its relation to labor
and we were converted 5y il 10 the doctrines
Of cooperation between labor and capital.
The Homestead strike, however. has con-
WINGED us that the doctrine is a Utopian
one, beautiful on paper but wholly IN
suited to man in his wicked, unregenerated
state. The fundamental idea of co-opera-
ton is that the workman shall acquire an
interest in the business He becomes sub
stantially partner of the employer Part
nerships necessarily imply substantial
equality. The capitalist is fond of his ease.
He likes to shoot grouse over the mOors of
to think thatif ne and the capitalist are really
partners, it is only fair that the capitalist
shall occasionally take his turn at the forge
and allow him (the workman to shoot
grouse over the Scottish moors. We put the
case in an extreme form of course. What
we mean is that if the workman, with only
labor and without capital, is really a part
ner he Will inevitably assert a partners
right. which will never be tolerated by the
capitalist. We are convinced, therefore,
that it is just as impossible to organize and
conduct a manufacturing business upon
the principle Of cooperation as it is TO mix
oil and water. If there be true cooperation
1t makes the laborer a partner in the bust
ness, when he will certainly make claims
that the capitalist will never concede. II
he does not acquire a partners interest in
the business then there is no true co-opera-
ton, and his labor is really governed by the
law of supply and demand.
It's bad that it should be So but man is
selfish and it is an indisputable fact
The third subject for reflection is this: IL
turns out that the Amalgamated Associa-
ton. which is making the contest with Car
negie. is not an association of all workmen
employed there, but only of certain classes
and grades of workmen This Association
will not admit the ordinary workman to
membership. but takes in only such work
men as come up TO certain grade in skill.
Its members are, therefore, sort of arts
tOcracv of workmen-the privileged few of
the laboring world. Instead, then, of this
being fight for the laboring man it is
fight for special privileges to few work
men, while the ordinary workman is left by
the Association to shift for himself and get
along as best he can. This becomes especially
worthy of being thought on when we consider
the further fact, which has now been very
clearly brought out. that the new scale offered
by Mr.. Carnegie affected less than 10 per
cent. Of the men employed at the Home
stead mills and these were all men earning
much the highest wages paid to any working
men in the world. who would have contin
ued. under the new scale, 10 receive higher
wages than are paid to airy other laborine
men in the world. II comes down, then. TO
this that this fight is not being made for
all the Carnegie lsboring men. but all labor
and all capital are to be disoraanized for the
benefit OF few privileged workmen who
VIII receive the highest price paid to any
laoorers even if they accept Mr.. Carnegie's
offer.
The facts must DO shown to be different
from these before We can sympashize with
the strikers