The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-03
THE LABOR TROUBLES.

Between 1884 and 1887 there were the
same labor troubles that are now vexing the
body polite. In the unrest of labor. as in
everything else, history Is constantly re-
peating itself. In the year 1885 there were
twenty-one trade unions in this country.
having the same purposes and using the
same methods as now. Strikes were just
a. common then and even more dangerous
than now. There was labor party which
elected to congress q workmsn's candidate
who had been president of the New York
Trades Union. Boston, Philadelphia and
Baltimore had trades unions: and these
societies published lists of "rats"
or 'scabs" and detailed "pickets"
then as now to keep off non-union
men. The panic of 1887 caused strikes in
tho shops and factories of New England.
There were railroad riots that compelled
the calling out of the militia. The strik-
ing cabinet-makers Of New York city IN
1885 attended sale Of imported French
furniture, which they mutiiated on the
ground that Americans had no right to
import furniture. There was the same in.
surreetion against convict labor. and the
same coincident boycott. which was called
'nullifving" then. There were ten
hour" riots in Philadelphia; the strikers
burned houses built by contractors who
refused to grant the ten-hour day. The
local militia looked on, while the sheriff
stood with folded arms.
The facts will convince any candid man
that labor troubles are n perennial dis
tnrbance; they do not look 10 the circula-
ton of Bellamy's book and the blather-
skite Ignatius Donneily for o solution,
which Mr.. Claggett. of Idaho. thinks arc
responsible for recent riots. Mr.. Claggett
knows that the whole philosophy of these
law-defying labor nobs is set forth with
inimitaole satire by Shakespeare in
Henry the Sixth" Peter Breen no more
needs To read Bellamy than did Jack Cate.
The old Roman historian Of Suetonlus
in his life Of Augustus Caesar makes it per-
fectlv clear that Rome Was full Of labor
demagogues who demanded that the state
should issue corn TO the people. and the
emperor sagely remarked that the only
way to convince the people that 1t was not
the business of the state to support the
people. but of the people to supper. the
state. was To stop issuing corn 10 those
who would never work for living SO long
as they could lean on the state for bread.
There is nothing new under the sun;
not even in the matter of labor riots and
Peoples parties" Things are better to-
day. however. than they were in 1887. for
the Buffalo strike made il clear that there
are two types Of trades unions. The
Switehmen's union permits its head TO
force g strike at its own pleasure. while
the heads OF the organizations OF enci-
neers. fremon and tyainmen canno. order
strike on their own personal RESPONSE.
bisity, because the unions which
they represent are not controlled hv
dietators. The constitution OF the
brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen for
bids strike by local union without the
authority Of the chief officers. sud pro-
vides q penalty for offenders agajns, this
rule. In case grievances arise. provision
is made for q conference with the railroad
company responsible, and every precau-
ton is taken against rrecipitate action.
II u should seem 10 those in authority
that strike was jQStifabls, they could not
order it of their can will. bur must sub
n,it the question 20 the various branches
81 the organization affected ana awais
their decision. The result ia that this
brotherhood has never had a strike N
twenty years.