New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-15
THE chicago SUITCHMEN.

II docs not appear To be definitely settled a.
vet whether the great strike OF railroad en-
Moves at Chicago. which has been more or less
talked about and perhaps threatened for year
or more, will actually be entered upon. 1t has
seemed TO be drawing to n head within the last
few weeks through the proposed action OF the
svitchmcn. but the movement of the combina-
ZION of railroad corporations in anticiI alton OF
a general strike TO met such an emergency mas
apparently headed it of at least for the present
1t i, to, early to say positively that the pnr-
pose which has been entertained by some OF
the leaders in labor movements I, seize the
oprortsnity Offered by the Chicago Exposition
to enforce the demands of certain railroad en-
ployes by tying up all the railroads and para
living the Transportation business ccntrlnS at
Chicago has been entirely abandoned. In
fortunately for the zeal interests OF tho labor
ing men directly and indirectly conc,rncd IN
these movements, many of the leaders whom
they trust and whose c0unsc!s they follow are
hotheadcd and rash, without discretion or fore
sight agltatols who gain a livelihood 10y To-
mcn,Ins quarrel, between employers and en-.
plovcd: or honest but il-informed men "f
hasty temperS who proceed upon tho theory that
DclNttI ttIItdi anu ihooi wa ." VIZ
relation. and that the only solution Of diff
cutics and differences Is in the Strength OF
numbers and vo eat demonstrations. Tho in
il,cncc Of these men has been almost inyarlbly
evil. I'm the long catalogue OF strikes and boy
COTS which they have incitci it will BE- found
that not nc in n hundred has resulted in any
thing but hardship AMI loss to the strikers.
In this case il was seriously proposed in order
10 enforce demand for higher wages on the
part Of one class If workmcn IN railroads t.
bring the business Of transportation OF IN"
whole county practically to deal siand>iill ;
10 stop every wheel. arrest the movement Of
freight and the conveyance of passengers, de-
range the business of the country and iniiict
enormous l'ss upon capital. with equal loss and
grcatcr hardship upon men who live by l1b)r
All this for the benefit Of a class who can hard
" be called skilled worlmcn. whose places
c3uld be filled with little difficulty il the NATL
raj law of supply and demand were lef' - it.
legitimate and peaceful operation. The simple
statement Of consequences which these leaders
proposed to entail, not upon the employers
alone against when they have their grievance.
but against the whole community, is sufficient
TO show the madness and blindness Of the
action they threatened. Nothing could be moe
reckless: nothing 50 well calculated 10 drive
away from the strikers the sympathy OF the
public upon which they must IN the end de-
pend fer support nothing so absolutely sui
cidal. YUt the fact remain, that with all their
experience of disastrous failures, the labor
associations continue under the leadership Of
the same blind guides 10 60 the same round Of
iona and
fatal experiments. significant fact in con-
neCtiOn with these movements, which has often
been remarked upon, is that the class Of rail
road employees whose occupation calls fH .
higher order Of intelligence, for sobricty Of
character, ccolncss of judgment and sense OF
rcsponsibility-wc r5for 10 the locomotive en-
ginccr>-d0 not as rule engage in thee dem
onstraiions Their dissection and good sense
have frequently served as check upon the
rashn-ss and 70 lhariin' s. Of their less in'el-
gent associates in the mechanical department
Of railroad olcraton.
The mistake Of the more violent and demon
stratve Of the labor associations is in dele
eating so much power and conccding 50 much
influence to irresponsible and mschicvouS ,cld-
crs who live upon uDwholc>omc agitation and
make business of stirring up strife in which
| others are always the sufferers, and they are
never losers When the members OF these
| associations get 10 a point where they viii take
the time and trcublc 10 think and reason for
themselves they will sec that there can be n
such thing as a successful strike on the plan
proposed by the Chicago switchmcn. Ii in
vclycs too many interests, puts too much in
rcrl When whole community is taken by
| The threat and ordered t. stand still until one
cla.s of employers complies with the demand OF
| another class Of employees. it may subject the
| community TO temporary inOn, enicnce but ii
| the end it will 90 hald with the as.aiIants
4 THTCR THAT FAILED.
When the Tammany leaders consented to ct