The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-04-28
HI WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
WHY STRIKES SHOULD CEASE.
FRIDAY. APRIL q. 1898.

"
reports of strikes. These strikes are
evil omens, and it behooves every citizen
to give them careful thought and con.
sideration.
The strike is either a final appeal OF
the oppressed for justice or a brutal
menace of numbers against vested inter
ests. But in all cases, and whether it is
successful in enforcing its demands or
not, its effects upon the strikers them
selves and upon the interests:.attacked,
are practically the same.
Decentralization, bad blood, increased
poverty, and many other evils are the
direct progeny of strikes. A strike can
not take place and be maintained even
for a week without inficting hardship
and suffering on many helpless women
and children. without driving men to
drink and despair, without broadening
the breach between capital and labor.
These things are admitted freely by the
great labor leaders o. the day. Mr..
Powderly has pointed them out and la
mented them, and Mr.. Gompers Of the
Federation has publicly uttered his re-
greet that a more rational method cannot
be found for settling the disputes that
arise periodically between capital and
labor.
just now it would almost seem that IA
universal strike is pending. The causes
for the present state of things are.far
from plain. The Union Pacific and
Santa Fe railroads are doubtless paying
standard Rates Of wages. They are
doubtless according their employees all
the rights, privileges and advantages
consistent with the service. 1t is prob
able, moreover, that the earnings of
neither road amount to much more, than
its running expenses. But whatever
ly certain that no benefits can accrue to
anybody from these strikes. A strike
means interruption TO or entire suspen-
sion OF operations. This entails not only
the immediate loss Of earnings, but a
certainty that much business will be
turned 10 other roads which cannot
readily be recovered, and IA chain of
losses and embarrassment to strikers
and employers which can hardly be
computed III dollars and cents.
For these and many other reasons the
strike should be abolished. If it is IA
weapon in the hands of the laborer il is
also a boomerang which strikes back
and generally does him more harm than
the party against whom be employs it.
Chiefly for the sake of labor if ought to
be abandoned, aud stricken from the
book OF tactics of organized labor. In
its stead "A law should be passed by con-
gress with the consent of ali the states
providing for the settlement of all ques-
tions such as are calculated to lead up to
by some broad and intelligent
method Of arbitration.
The strike is the duelo of barbarians
on a large scale; while arbitration is a
sane, humane and peaceful principle
which tends to make men understand
each other better; which allays discord,
oils the distempered and creaking hinges
of affairs, and solves difficulties on the
basis of reason instead of on that of pas
sion.
Another year should not be allowed
to pass without the enactment of an ar
bitratlon law that shall forever put an
end to strikes. And if the American
people are as wise as they ought to be af
ter the dire experiences of the past and
present they Will soc that such a law is
passed and rigidiy enforced.