New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-25
THE STRIKE RU.MORS.

Agitation of the question of general strike
of railroad employees in Chicago in April or
MAY. about the time of the opening CT the
Ey, osition. ha, not entirely ceased. 1t appears
from reports that some of the leaders of labor
organizations connected with the several
branches of railroad service still cling to the
notion that the opening Of the Exposition oilers
an unusual opportunity t. enforce demands
for increase of wages or reduction OF hours OF
labor upon the corporations. The proposition
involves a holding up Of the business OF the
whole country until the differences between a
certain class of workingmen and their employ
CTS are settled to the satisfaction OF the former.
Ii is an appeal to force in its worst and most
inexcu>abe form, for it is al injury to vast
number Of innocent persons, wholly uncon-
nccttd with the matter in hand. for the especial
advantage of a comparatively small class III
the community. The very suggestion OF IL
when calmly considered seems more like the
rawlings Of insanity than the serious talk OF sane
and sober men, II is one CT the marvclS CT
our time that any such remedy for grievance
should Rave been not merely threatened upon
a passionate impulse by few angry men, but
deliberately cn,ertiincd by men Of intelligence
as feasible and practicable.
One would suppose that the leaders in these
movements might have leaned something OF
the effect of such demonstrations by past cX-
rericnce. The great mistake OF the labor or
CARNATIONS has been the blind faulty with
which they have adhered to the policy OF
co-rcicn. Even in those cases where the work
ingmen have undertaken it simply a. against
their own immediate employers. without At
tcmvting a general boycott. it has failed nine
times out Of ten. In n case has II succeeded
where the effort has been 70 establish boy
colt or carry ont measures affecting other
classes than those immediately concerned. On
the contrary. in every such instancc-and there
have been many during the last five or SIN
year,-thc caus, of the It ikers. and incidentally
of AL woriingmen and of organized labor, has
suffered from the withdrawal Of public sym
pthv and public confidence. For it hardly
needs to be pointed out that in the end every
such movement must depend for success upon
the sympathy and support OF the great body
of citizens Of all classes i'll the community. No
matter what the grievance may be, nor how
much the majority Of citizens may Sympafhze
with the aggricved the public will non submit
TO he taken by the throat itself upon any pre-
text whatever. \ strike Of that sort cnlistS at
once against the strikers every passenger
stopped on his journey. every one who has
freight in transit, everybody. in fact who docs
business with the iaii roads or is indirectly in
tcrcSted in them in the general increment Of
business. And that includes everybody except
the few hundred strikers
II is unfortunate that these rumols should
be in circulation even though they are ground
less. For even the rimors affect uniavorably
both the business interest Of the country and
tho cause of organized labor If it were pos
siblc for the representatives OF the different
labor associations and especially those connect
| ed with the railroad service. to take some con
ccrtcd action by which the assurance should
| be given to the business interests of the coun-
try that no such unwisc action a, these rulnOrs
| point TO would be taken. we believe the cause
of organized labor would be promoted more
than it could be in any other way. The sooner
the leaders recognize the fact that the public
| will not submit TO coercion, and begin to shape
their pelCy and action i'll accordance with that
knowledge, the better 1t will be for all con-