The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-07-22
WHO CAUSED THE DEATHS AT HOME.
STEAD.

w nv OAOhED Ina No a. oO-A
STEAD.
Since the days of the railroad strikes
half generation ago no labor trouble
that has occurred in the United States
has occasioned such widespread dis
quiet as the deplorablc affair at Home
stead, Penn, on Wednesday last.
Four thousand men have been thrown
out of work, the Carnegie steel works
have been transformed into fortress
and men are lying dead, dying manned
after a conflict conspicuously cruel and
cowardly even in the brutal records of
the uprisings of mobs against social
order.
The history of the affair is simple.
The wages of the iron workers are ar
ranged in accordance with a sliding
scale proportionate to the current price
of iron. AS the price of billets rises,
wages increase indefinitely. AS prices
decline to a fixed minimum price, wages
decline, but if the price falls below that
minimum wages do not decline. The
minimum price hitherto has been S25. 90
per ton. The manufactures sought in
this year. S contract to make the minimum
$500. They sought also to make the
time for the expiration of the yearly
contract December 81, instead of June
OUIu. 1uCy bOuHhG dAoO III 0OPttl
affecting in ten per cent. of their en-
ployes to reduce not merely the mini
mum but the tonnage rates slightly to
make up for the increased efficiency of
the work under improved machinery.
These demands the employees refused.
Furthermore, the Amalgated association
interferred, as usual between employers
and employed. The ultimate result was
the discharge of the workmen.
Now, the smallest amount that could
be received by these workmen on the
new scale is $1.94 a day for buggymen
and shear tongsman. The minimum
daily wages of roller would be 1920
These minimum wages are enormously
in advance of the wages paid Belgian and
English Workmen, who under Free Trade
would compete with the United States.
The price of billets has steady declin-
ed, thanks in large measure to South
ern competition, from S25 in January to
$22.50 in June. The price in 1891 was
$26.50.
The tariff has absolutely nothing to do
with this drop in prices. There was a
decrease throughout the iron schedule
in the Mckinley tariff but not sufficiently
to increase imports very materially. In
the II months ending May S1st, 1892, we
imported 100000 pounds more billets
and blooms than in the II months end
ing May 31st, 1891.
The whole occurrence is blot on
American civilization. The strikers
have a perfect right to leave their en-
ployers. They have no right forcibly to
prevent persons authorized by the owners
from entering those works. In attacking
the unpopular detectives, the strikers
even according to Foy's account struck
the first blow. The strikers committed
murder, and whatever may be said of
the advisability of employing private
army, the steel makers were strictly
within their legal rights in protecting
their property by private means from
threatened attack when the governor of
the State refused the protection which is
the right of every citizen.
The deluded men who are guilty of the
crimes OF breoaKing and entering and of
murder are legally responsible for the
loss of life that has occurred. The Grim
inal in the sight of God is Governor
Pattison of Pennsylvania. Had he per-
formed his duty and guaranteed the pro-
lection of the State, no armed guards
would have been summoned, and it is
highly probable that actual bloodshed
might have been averted.
The charge is constantly heard in pri-
vate among business men that Gov.
Pattison suffered this blood to be shed
for the supposed political benefit of
himself and of his party We do not be-
heve this charge to be true.
1t is true, however, that the chief ex-
ecutive of Pennsylvania is responsible
for the trespass, arson, mayhem and
murder committed on Wednesday, be-
cause he failed to protect citizens of
Pennsylvania, fearing the loss of the
votes of the men who, with arms in their
hands, denied the owners of the Home
stead steel plant the use of their own
PROPERTY Bulletin.