New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-19
THE NORM DEFEAT or THE STRIKE.

Morally no strike has ever been more com
Jlctcly defeated than thar Of the American Rail
way Union II goes down with two particl-
larry significant admissions TO mark Its char
ac,cr The first Is by Thomas Hcaihcotc, leader
Of the Pullman strikers, who states that Ill his
influence and that Of other labor leaders has
been required 20 prevent n general stampede OF
the hands. who wanted 20 return 20 work and
who formally applied to The American Railway
Union for permission. II seems. bu, were r.
fused For some time, therefore, ana II matters
not whether for "A day or for some weeks. his
insurgcnt organization has been openly dcfying
the United States Government. on the prcfcxt
that It was bound IN honor 10 help the strikers
a, Pullman, although those men themselves were
anxious 10 return 10 work on the terms pro-
posed by the company.
This puts an end 10 the last prctcncc Of reason
for continuing the Interference with railway
traffic. Dcbs. probably the only nun in the
country who fancics any longer that what he
says is OF consequence. still protests that the
strike has further Justification In III" refusal
Of the railway managers 10 accept The impos- !
siblc settlement which no proposed. and which |
he knew right well was impossible when he
offered r. But II now turns out that he also /
knew before that time and the railway man !
ayers knew, lnlI llc lullllldH Stllh' W'uNl IilN'
ended by voluntary action Of the men except !
for his dictaiIon There are some 10 whom it |
appears a marvellous thing that Industrious
hard working and hard men in great
number are ever foolish enough 10 intI7Ist To
such person power 10 net fOr them But labor
organizations have been comforting. only too
often, almost diciaorIal powers over the lives
and fortunes Of their members upon Just such
Dol fluf Of h,,ir "A
struggles and defeats IN past years a, least nine
tcnihs must be charged against This propensity
TO select noisy extremists, reckless in talk and in
promise instead Of wise and prudent guides
one other disclosure ends all dispute about the
responsibility OF the American Railway Union
for rotng and awlcss violence and nj the same
time puts Mayor Hopkins. OF Chicago. where he
belongs. 1t appears that railway companies
have possession OF Il letter written by DcbS, rs
president Of the American Railway Union. in
men at the stock yarls to allow GER
tain cars for the removal OF dead cattle 10 be
hauled away. AT Il time when the lawleSs mob
was preventing by violence the movement Of
any trains at that point. This letter Dcbs wrote ,
at the request OF the Democratic Mayor OF Chi
cago. who personally appealed TO him. the head ,
Of an instruction against all law. 10 cause the {
mob TO release the ears In question. The people ,
Interested had applied TO the Mayor in the mis- c
taken idea that he the guardian of the '
peace, and the protector Of property and !,
the cnforccr of the laws. The Mayor con- $
fcssed thar he was powcrlcss, and also con :
fcsscI that he knew perfectly well who was II
breaking the peace and dcfyng the laws, by
writing to Dcbs. II Is said that this will be part
IF the evidence used at the trial Of Debs to fix II
responsibility for the riots and the destruction y
If property
II Is the fashion TO assert In such cases that :
III the violence and lawbreakng are the work n
# outside rufians and loafcrs, for whom the :
nbor organizations are In no way responsible a
But the organization Is always responsible for T.
he help II invites and directs. 1t Is responsible
or the rloting and lawlcSsncsS which II incltcs y
~ strike and then does not restrain The I
ioting and the violence invariably stop the in d
iant a strike Is settled or abandoned. That ono n
act tells the story well letters like that OF
)cbs. directing the mobs. To refrain from inter >,
cring with property in one way another. ST
The prrtence that the organization can do moth a
NJ is cheap and worthless in the face Of such b
acts, Ia
The Cleveland idea OF encouraging the invest OF
rent Of capital by imposing an income tax on It's e,
arnings is twin brother to the freetrade theory pi
fhn - hat I,ate fa