New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-27
TIE LESSONS OF THE STRIKES.

Ont of the many labor disturbances and
strikes which have been so marked feature
of this years current events, it does not appear
that the labor organizations Immediately con-
cerned have gained any advantage. On the
contrary, if appearances are to be trusted, they
have suffered defeat in every direction; 10y
which both their resources and their prestige
have been sensiby weakened, and they have
been so crippled as to incapacitate them Tor
long time for entering upon such doubtful
enterprises. II does not by any means follow
that organized labor" so called, has suffered
serious disaster. 1t may be indeed that tho
events OF the last month or two, with the
suffering and loss they have brought upon many
innocent heads, the increased burden OF taxa
ton thew have caused and the widespread dis
turbance resulting, will have the salutary effect
of opening the eyes of the moro intelligent
leaders in labor movements to the mistakes
which were fatal to their undertakings, ana
nut them in the way of correcting them, so
that organized labor will be hereafter the pro
moter of peace and the cultvator OF harmoni-
Gus relations between employers and employed
instead of the inciter of discomfort and constant
menace to the social order. If this shall turn
out to be the effect of the disturbances, there
will be great gain to the cause OF organized
labor, in the advantages of which all classes
in the community will participate.
1t may not be possible TO eradicate entirely
the instructive notion of antagonsm between
captal and labor: between employer and en-
Moved The idea of conflicting interests springs
naturally from The relations Of the two; the
selfish interest of the purchaser of labor being
&lat1 - thn CALI pf
it is the first thought suggested by the situa-
ton. 1t ought to be possible, though, for or
panizcd labor TO establish and maintain rela-
tions with those with whom it necessarily has
to deal which should forever forbid the resort
TO violence in any case of grievance, or sup
posed grievance, and should make an end OF
such manifestations OF lawlessness and disorder
a. have lately been witnessed lntelligently
led and informed as they have been by the
lessons Of their recent experience, the working
men of the country can easily put themselves
in q position where they can command the
confidence OF the whole public and that means
simply the confidence Of each other, for, If they
will stop and think a moment. we are ALL with
very few exceptions, in this country in one way
or another, wOrkingmcn. When they have
done that the rest is easy. That is the way
70 the accomplishment of their main purpose
which is or ought to be, to obtain from capital
the fair share of profit and the reasonable re-
wand which belong to labor-will be short and
unobstructed Little permanent good ever
comes from transactions of any sort that begin
with cenched fists on either side.
Nothing is palmer than that the labor organ
| izations which have been concerned in the late
demonstrations and been worsted have suffered
| from bad leadership. Not necessarily dishon-
est leadership. but incompetent and weak the
| leadership of men who had no comprehensive
grasp of affairs Of haf-thinhels, who were
| unable to see more than one side OF question.
and who lacked the intelligence and sagacity to
| foresee the most natural and logical cOnsc
| auences of their acts in some cases OF men
who became dizzy and lost their heads through
their elevation into conspicuous positions and
some public notorety. These were bad adj
yisers and worse leaders. 1t was inevitable
| that the endowment of such men with great
powers should lead to the most mischievous
| results. and eventually disastrous consequences
| TO the followers who trusted them and tho cause
they attempted to champion. If the labor
unions and other workingmen's societies and
organizations have prOfited at all by the cX
| pericnce of the last few months the official
| existence Of these leaders is nearly at an end
| The walking delegates and master workmcn
| and other high officials who have directed the
movements which have resulted so disastrousy
should be relegated to private stations, in which
the opportunities for making mischief are rarcr
| and their field of operations more limited. One
| lesson of late occurrences is that organized
labor in many branches needs reorganization
with new leaders.
Another, and perhaps more important lesson
| is that organized labor must separate itself
| rigidly and sharply from whatever has the APP
pearance OF anarchy. 1t must be remembered
that its chief dependence is public sympathy, as
in the ultimate event public opinion is its final
| Judge Sclf-prcservaton is the instinct OF or
panized society as well as of its individual
members, and self-prcservation in this case
means the maintenance of law and punishment
of lawbreakers. In the reorganization of or
| ganizcd labor this fundamental fact should be
| kept in constant view that obedience to law
| is not only its first duty, but is the essential
condition of its existence. The cause of or
| panized labor has not suffered defeat by any
means On the contrary if its leaders have
profited by the lessons of experience, it is in
rho host nositon for forward movement