The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-02
Industrial Discomfort.
Boston Herald.

II boston HERALD
II the industrial condition is considered In
every department or labor throughout the
country, 1t might. perhaps, be best described
as growing discomfort on the part Of en-
ployes with the returns for their labor. The
wages of iaboring people in this country
have on the whole. been fairly good, but
Tor some time the situation has tsen
more and more depressing. and the returns
OF labor have been In many industries simply
sufficient for q bare living. The condition Of
the trades has been bad; q great many of the
corporations, especially those engaged In the
manufacture Of textile fabrics. have hardly
been able to put q new dollar In place of an
old one; they have run at loss In order to
serve the interests of their work people.
Great groups OF these corporations have tried
10 do their best to meet unexampled condi-
tions OF the market, aud at the same time to
take care OF their people, so that they should
not suffer until the return of better times. 1t
Is believed that nearly all of these corpora
tions are controlled by men who are in strong
sympathy with the difficulties Of the en-
ployes.
On the other hand. 1t is not easy for the
employees, not seeing the situation as a whole,
70 realize the exact position Of things. They
are eager to improve their condition In the
one way that is open to them. by an increase
OF wages, but when that increase is At the ex-
pense Of the corporations. which are In
no position TO grant it, there 10 no room
Tor allowing it. 1t urged that the corpora
lions are rich, and have made money out of
their employees but IL they had not done SO,
and had not the reserves of capital to fall
back upon. the bottom would fall out of n
great many mill Industries, What has kept
up large number OF the mill corporations
In New England during the present depres-
sion has been their ability TO run at loss in
order to give their operatives n fair amount
OF employment during this trying period. 1t
Is believed that tho same condition of things
exists in other parts Of the country. and con-
trolls other corporations.
The ordering of strikes under theseI con-
ditions may DO regarded by the LABOR leaders
as an act Of good policy, and that mistaken
view may be shared by large numbers of hon.
est ana industrious men, but the rauks of
labor gain nothing by such proceedings. The
capitalists are not In condition to grant what
is asked Tor, and the result is thae the strikers
are allowed TO stay out of work until their
money Is gone and they are on the verge of
starvation, and then they return to their work.
sadder and wiser men. The breach has been
widened between the employers and employees, |
bnt not point mas been gained, and the |
employees are by far the worse of. The |
strike OF the miners is q recent illustra-
tion. In the several States where the strike
existed the loss in wages rose up into millions |
Of dollars, and can never DO made up, while
no gains were secured In the final settlement
Tor the benefit OF the miners. In the present
Pullman strike at the West the case was |
plainly one where the head of the Pull.
man Company was doing his best to |
provide for his employees, carrying on work
It loss for their benefit. but 1t did not seem
possible for them to realize that he was acting
In their behalf, and 30 they
organized strike, which has already
resulted In an immense amount
II mischief. and the end for
" which no man knows, though it Ia prob
'bly nearer than it looks. Capital can be
'oaxed up to a certain point, but beyond that
'oint it Is immovable. 1t has to give its ulti-
natum. The Pullman company stated its
'osition, and could go no further.