New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-16
THE FIGHTS or WORFTNG MEN.

Do the workers for wages throughout the
country quite realize what the strife at Home
stead really means? The TRIBUNE has some
right 10 ask them 10 consider IT fairly ana as
pa>r,natcly. They arc all aware that wages
proposed by the company ranged from IS 20
per day, down to 81 SO per day for the least
skilled Of the workers affected ny the pro-
posed changes and that these arc not starva-
tion wages in any sense. These are higher
wages than most workers earn i'll this coun-
try, higher than the wages paid in other steel
works. il IL stated by competent and impartial
experts. and far beyond the wages paid Tor
similar work in any other country. NotWith-
standing all this. tho workers had M absolute
right to reject the terms proposed II they
chose but did that decision make them tho
owners Of the works?
When the men decided TO stop work they
armed themselves with the openly declared
purpose Of preventing the employment OF any
other men I'm their stead. There was no secret
about these preparations, and when the sheriff
Of the county sent deputies to take possession
Of and guard the works they were Informed
that they would not be permitted there. and
had better leave town instantly for safety,
was an unlawful act, and it is not in any de-
gree excused by the claim that these deputies,
IL permitted 10 take charge of these works,
would be obliged by law to receive and protect
other persons who might be employed. IL can
not bc that the great body Of law abiding wage
carriers in this country propose 10 JUSTIFY law
less violence. or to make anarchists of them
solves on tho ground that 81 Sc per dav is
All unfair and intolcrable price FOR the least
skilled labor affected by tho controversy
When citizens of this country have expended
many millions in building great works for
manufacture. and look about for workmen, they
certainly have right TO employ whom they
please. Is it so, then, that il they employ
man they may make him one OF the owners
of the property for all time TO come, with
perpetual right to be employed there to tho
exclusion Of everybody else, and at Just such
wages as he may sec fit 10 demand, and with
the further right TO shoot down anybody who
NAV he willing TO cntcr the establishment and
| work in his stead? II that is most nnrea-
| sonable and ndcfensible claim, as all intclli-
| cent and fair wage-carners will admit. how is
| il that men at Homestead are justified IN re-
| sorting to force and arms and bloodshed IN
| order TO exclude all other workers in the coun-
| try from the chance Of working in their stead
There arc many thousand men in the coun-
| try who are both competent to do the work
desired, and willing to do it for the wages
which the company proposed. This must be
true. because, il experts are not in error, other
| men are actually doing similar work at other
| establishments for lower wages Have tho
men at Homestead any right to deny to other
work men tho opportunity to earn the wages
which strikers rcfusep II that is claimed, it
| is certainly great injustice, not merely to en-
| poycrs, but to other wnge-earners. Thus the
same question arises again do men who may
once be employed in any establishment thereby
acquire an exclusive right. as against all other
| American workers, to fill az long as they live
tho places they take and to kill any other
American workers who may apply for the same
places? Let this be fairly considered, not for
| the moment as n question of law, but as one
Of equity and justice between wage-earners
| themselves.
| Re these claims were sustained if an en-
nloycr could never hiro % worker without max
| ing him one of the owners of the property
with rights higher than all law, would there
he as many works rs there are now to COM
pcte foI the aid of competent wolkingmcn?
IL can scarcely be denied that men of means
would think twice, or more than twice, before
sinking their money in costly works and ma
| cbinery II they could have no real ownership
or froc use Of their property after thoy had
created it. With reference TO the interests Of