New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-07
TIE HOMESTEAD OUTBREAK.

TIE HOMESTEAD OUTBREAK,
Lives have been lost on both sides. and
families desolated, in struggle at the Home
stead Works which would have been prevent
cd bv wiser and ulster action on both sides
Dispatches so fatty conflict that it cannot here
be determined whether the first shot was fired
by the watchmen attempting 70 land at the
works or by the strikers who thr0nged the
shore. But the responsibility must lie further
back. Why were armed men brought TO the
spot. and why were armed mutitudes as
sembled to resist their landing? In seeking
where the blame must lie it must be remem-
bercd that labor has rights and employers
also have rights which the public must with
strict Justice respect and defend.
The Amalgamatcd Association Of Iron and
Steel Workers. one of the most powerful ana
intelligent organizations of labor. according
10 custom proposed a scale of wages for the
comino year II is claimed that this involved
some increase in the cost Of production, and
that the sharp competition between Western
Eastern and southern works did not permit
this increase The association of employers
proposed scale also, which involved some
decrease in wages paid per ton, claiming that
the greater production per hand by improved
and costly machinery had really increased
wages per month &C per cent within Few
wears without any change in rate paid per ton
The men claimed that the reduction was I'M
lust and refused 10 assent. Some employers
have signed the scale proposed by the work
crs, and others have made special terms Tor
their own peculiar work But the Homestead
Steel Works fixed IFS scale. named day on
which il must be accepted. and when the DAY
passod discharged all its hands and prepared
10 defend its works against attack. III does
not vet appear that any proper effort was made
IN settle the differences by arbitration. BE-
tween the wages proposed and the wages
asked the margin is so small that dispatches
say the Steel Company was willing to make
so3 per ton for steel billetS the minimum and
basis while the workers insisted upon HZ4
per ton. and other differences do not as yet
appear to have been relatively more impor-
tant.
II is hard to believe that if a fair arbltra-
tion had been asked this struggle would not
have been avoided. The workers well knew
that the lowest rate of wages proposed enabled
them TO earn about twice as much as men at
similar work in Great Britain. and perhaps
three times as much as men engaged in similar
work in Belgium, and more than they at Pitts
burg had earned few years ago But they
were impressed with the belief that Mr.. ii. 1.
Frick. to whom management of the company
had been intrusted was resolved TO break mp
their organization He had conducted with
success the struggle against the Hungarian
coke-workers at Connellsvillc. Mr.. Carnegie
had retired from the control and was absent in
Europc. The methods of Mr.. Frick, the
fertilization of the works and the failure to
nropose anv form Of arbitration. were con
Strued as evidences of unbendihg hostility.
Then some of the workers made false
step. They had right TO sign or reject any
scale of wages proposed. But when the
Sheriff. at the appeal of owners, sent halt
dozen deputies TO protect the property they
were surrounded at the depot by thousands
and forced to fly from the town in order TO
save their lives No ground whatever existed
for resort to force or threats in expclling
officers of the law from the town. Then
watchmen employed by the company were
sent by boat. armed and prepared to force
landing and they were met at the river-bank
hv cnragcd thousands also armed, and deter
mined TO prevent the landing by force. The
selection of Pinkerton men to guard the prop
erty was not a step calculated TO prevent strife.
and vet resistance to their landing was clearly
lawless violence.
The Sheriff tclegrapbs the Governor that
he is powerlesS. and calls for State troops to
preserve the peace The opportunity for Gov
ernor Pattison to show what stuff there is in
him is a rare one. If he promptly responds.
providing an ample force to keep order, urging
the employers to submit disputed questions 20
fair arbitration and at the same time adj
moniShing the workers that the laws must be
obeyed and the rights Of all respected, he will
show that he has some claim to the confidence
placed in him. But if he palters and waits
and tries to play the demagogue in a matter
npon which the lives of thousands and the
preservation Of vast industrial property de-
pend. it will not benefit him nor the party he
represents Americans believe in ample JUS
tice to labor, but they are not Anarchists.
They will sternly condemn any attempt 10 de
prive laborers Of their right to organize and
to aid each other in all lawful ways, but they
will also strongly condemn every resort to
laWleSs violence.
THE POLLING IN ENGLAND.