Connecticut western news., 1894-07-26
THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1894.
STRIKES ps. BOYCOTTS.

strike may sometimes seem neces- sary and perhaps it may sometimes be jnstifable, but strikes are seldom sue cessful. Of the ffty-three strikes in Pennsylvania last year not one was suc- eessful. The number of workmen en- gagged in them was 17.OO0 and they lost 3l, ,395, ,423.
 But there is vast difference between . strike and boycott. A strike may have some clements or some appear ance of justice; but boycott is devoid of justice. The recent railway strike was not 8 legitimate strike; but it was . boycott, the very essence of injustice, and it was practiced in a vain endeavor to compel the railway companies to break their contracts with the Pullman company and thus incidentally force the Pullman company to raise the wages of its employees.
 The purpose of this editorial does not require us to review the progress of the recent railway troubles, the boycott and its accompanying deeds of lawless- ness, incendiarism and crime-tbat sad story is familiar to our readers-but it's purpose will soon be seen. At this point suffice it to say that boycott is not 8 Yankee invention. A boycott is an imported article; and like a monkey or conundfum it is ''far fetched and full of nonsense" Not until recent years has the boycott appeared in this country. Not until the anarchists and the criminals and paupers of the old world, with their peculiar ideas and methods, landed on our shores and in . great measure supplanted the Ameri- can workmen, and even supplanted the better class of emigrants, did we hear of boycotts. The boycott is terrible weapon, especially in the hands of irre- sponsible and unprincipled men.
 "Hold on, Quaker" What did you just say about boycotts? You forget that on November l, 1765 when the British parliament imposed the Stamp Act on the American colonies, the i'm porters of New York, Boston and Phila- delphia entered into solemn compact to purchase no more goods of Great Britain until the Stamp Act should be repealed. And the people. applauding the action of their merchants, cheerfully denied themselves of all imported lux nries. Was not that boycott? The Stamp Act was formally repealed March l8, l766. On June 29 l767 the British parliament passed an act imposing a duty on all the glass. paper, painters colors, and tea which should thereafter be imported into the colonies, Another agreement not to purchase British goods was immediately entered into by the American merchants. Was not that boycott? This held until ITO. On Dec. 16, 1773 occurred the destruc- ton of tea in Boston Harbor. Was not that . boycott? Was it not boycott with a vengance?
 A COuuuuAum uaJ UO hah ACSShCo and full of nonsense" but it's answer may be full of sense. How to avoid strikes and boycotts is the conundrum. Its answer is, Arbitration. The great nations of the world now avoid war If possible, and now settle their differences by arbitration. Capital and labor ought to settle their differences by ar bitrstion; at least ought to try that ex- pertinent before lockouts, strikes and boycotts are attempted. It is to be re- gretted that a necessity for arbitration exists; but 1t is foolish to deny that sucha necessity does exist, and it will exist until human nature changes or merges into the divine nature. Arbi- : tration is not pleasant to proud spirit, is not congenial to pride, but as mat ter of expediency it is wise to practice it. County, state and national boards of arbitration. as outlined in the NEWS of the 18th inst, could accomplish g wonderful amount of good.