The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-21
rHh sUrCrDE OF LABOR.



STRIKERS. Anarchists. mud Everybody Eise.
fron N. Ini,p,nf,r.
The course Of tho strike ut Homestead Is
tending rapidly to the usual inevitable result
Labor has again committed suicide.
The Congressional investigating committee
gay that they we're impressed with the intclli
gence Of the workmen who came before them.
There 10 no doubt that the leaders and most OF
tho strikers arc In this respect above the aver
age. This being co. II Is hard to understand
why they should have acted so foolishly. They
have placed themselves in most humiliatin2
position. and are paying dearly In the NORTH
cation they now feel for the momcntary salts
faction they had in lordlng it over their en-
ployers and the three hundred Finkertons.
The lesson which tho Homestead affair
teaches has been taught again and again in
the history OF strikes In this country. 1t Is
that violence always destroys the hope of tho
strikers. Their strongest ally is public opin-
Ion. IL public opinion IL with them. thcy may
hope to prevail. II not. they can hardly sue
ceed Almost the frat thing tho Homestead
men did was to ALLEVIATE public opinion.
Knowing that they were more numerous anil
had more physical power han their ON oyers
they sought by the use OF force to bring their
employers to terms: they refused to allow
them to exercise the right of ownership:
y,
they took UP arms against their representa-
tives and drove thom away: thoy confs-
Gated. temporarily. the possessions OF tho
company. This l. mob law. pure and
simple. and mob law Ia rebellion against
civil law and civil rulers. The work
mon at Homestead levied war against tho in
sti.utions Of the State of Pennsylvania. The
strange thing is that rs intelligent men they
did not seem to understand their position
When they heard that the Governor had Or
dered out the entire military force OF the State
they proposed to receive the soldiers with
brass bands and addresses Of welcome. They
seemed never to guess that tho soldiers were
coming to Homestead to use bullet and bay
onets against them as rioters and rebels. They
were surprised when Gen. Snowden met
inflated. They wers q sorry set OF men when
they saw the town and mills pcketed and n
watch set upon them; 1t was a grievous dis;
appointment But 1t Is a mystery that 1t should
They now know that they must be prepared
The State Of Pennsylvania means to put the
owners IN full possession and control OF the
the Sorks and sa thew !" pu. TO-
hencetorth to recognize the workmen's ASSOC
citation. They barred out the owners for tew
out. They lave done a very foolish thing
back at all. they must 70 back as individuals
on the comrany,,s terms. and as beaten riot
union miners. have behaved in the same id ie
otto way. They struck: as they had. a right to
a. the orer Of thy Sste
and the State invoked the strong arm OF the
and bring the rebels to Justice
What strange fatality is it that blinds work
men to the hard and inevitable penalty that
overtakes those who resort to viOcnce? Law
must protect property rights. II it did not
rights OF their employers. why may not the
EMPLOYERS in turn invade the property rights
instinct Of rous ses tho gene ene
| eral public In Rntagnnism to them the m oment
they lay, hands on the property OF their ON.
The workmen In the Carnegie mills in Pitts:
hurgh .,l have struck IN .sympathy." as they call
ules and promise their labor for another year
s 5qfe s
as union men. They break their contract out
9f"sympathy." This Is certainly very silly:
will strengthen the company, IN its purpose
AND IN the Of ths bTb wSh
pared themselves for inevitable humiliation.
Why DO BODY Fl man repnted to be above the
ton. Arbitration is good where both sides can
scte ~ 70 IT. Tne siue o2
sorry arbitration is not to be thought OF. It
would imply an invasion OF the rights both. OF
capital and labor. It goes on the assumption
ployment. and that the owners have right to
insist uron service. Capital must he free to
employ labor ON the hest term. it can make
labor must be free to engage itself where it
can get the best rates. II employers have no
men have no risht to leave the service Wee Of T en-
ployers Ifcapital is bound. 30 must labor be.
This would mean slavery for labor If we
have arbitration. it must he voluntary. Labor
must he free. capital must lie free. II tho
problem raised by strikes Is solved. it must be
on the basis OF liberty.