New-York tribune., 1892-08-23
NOT PROFITABLE TO DfMOCRA rs.

| EVERYBODY has noticed the feyeriSh anxiety
of Democratic journals to extract some political
capital from the labor controversies in various
States. But the political influence of these
strikes. Judging from present appearances, Will
be decidedly adverse to Democratic hopes. The
disclosure about wages paid perhaps affects
; public opinion more than anything else. Inc
swtchmen at Buffalo on Eastern roads were re-
ceving 50 SO per day for ten hours, and struck
because they demanded the wages paid on roads
running west from BuffaO-S2 40 for ten hours
The work does not require long training nor
exceptional skill and thousands who have had
experience but have since tried other ayoca-
tions. or who have been thrown ont OF work by
preyi MS unsuccessful strikes, are readily found
To take the places of strikers. In England,
France. Germany or Austria men at such labor
get So per week or less, while at Buffalo they
received S1J. not including Sundays or extra
time. and demanded SIG 20.
The dispute about the exact wages OF the
men at Homestead has done good, for it comes
out that even the most ignorant and unSkIlled
laborers received ~ 40 to 81 GS per day. and
substantially all the skilled labor more than -
per day, while quite a large percentage OF
skilled workers received 81 per day. and from
that to SO, Or even more. Men who know
ANYTHING of the conditions Of labor abroad
contrast these wages with those paid in other
countries. and ask themselves whether IT is
really true that Protection does nothing for
labor. as Mr. Cleveland and his friends assert.
When il appears that prices OF products Ill the
iron and steel industry have been so greatly
depressed by home competition that all the IRON
workers have now gone back to work, asserting
to some reduction of the higher wages, while the
steel company proposed no change except for
about a tenth of the men who were paid very
high wages, the effect upon public opinion as
to the tariff does not benefit the Free Traders
Neither are the Democrats likely TO get any
advantage from the dissatisfaction ol strikers.
1t happens that the Governors OF pennsylvania
New-I ork and Tennessee are all Democrats
Every order to Use troops for the protection OF
property and the suppression of disorder,
whether too long delayed or timely, was given
by a Democratic Governor. II the use Of troops
seems censulable to any Of the strikers, they
have only Democratic officials to blame. Gov
ernor pattson tried hard to evade an obvious
duty: Governor Flower acted with great
promptness Governor Buchanan paltered with
armed instruction so long that he never did
his full duty at all. But they are all Demo
cratic Governors.
The communistic tendency manifested III
these outbreaks, the lawleSs spirit shown i'll
destruction Of property, in assaults upon men
who wished to work, and in shooting Of guards
and others. have caused not a little feeling of
alarm 4 multitude Of conservative and law
abiding citizens fear that the demand of or
ganizatonS, their power over weak and am
bilious politicians and the lawless conduct seen
in connection with many strikes may presently
bring the country into great peril Whether
such fears are exaggerated or not, men Of any
party can find but one safe and certain remedy,
and that is to keep in power the party which
never hestates to enforce law and preserve
order All conservative citizens have come 10
know that President Harrison does not take
counsel Of his fears or his personal ambition
when there is any duty to be done. All con
seryatiye citizens are aware that the Rcpubll
can party however Jealous it has been 10 pro-
mote the interests of labor by Protection. never
countenanceS lawlesS violence Thus all the
apprehensions Of conservative people tend to
strengthen the hold Of the Republican party
upon their confidence and support. In the I'M
portant doubtful States this fact is likely to
have not little weight.