The record-union., 1894-07-11
THE DEBS DELUSION.
What the System of Sympathetic
Strikes" Means.
The Attempt to Break Up the Regular
Organizations Which Have
Benefited Labor.
From the Los Angeles Times.l

parent, its unreasonable character grows
plain to the most obtuse comprehension,
and many who in the beginning were in
clined to favor the strikers now admit
that these men are going altogether too
far.
Already a number of railroad men here
and elsewhere have obstinately refused
to obey the orders of this man Debs, who
appears to consider himself as sort OF
cross between President Cleveland and
God Almighty. In some cases the rail-
road men have plainly and distinctly
given their opinion that it is altogether
unreasonable to extend the limits OF this
strike throughout the country into sys-
TENS of railroads against which the en-
ployes have no grievance, where they get
good wages and are well treated. AS TO
this feature of the case, look at the wages
paid TO railroad men on the two trans
continental lines running from Los An
geies-the Southern Pacific and the Santa
he. On these lines engineers receive from
s. to 81 80 a day, conductors s. day,
brakemen SO q month, some of them
making extra up to Sl00 a month, and
switchmen from 500 to SO a month. These
wages are all fairly regulated, and in
some cases extras are earned which make
them still greater. Thus there is prob
ably not one of these men on the strike
IN Los Angeles to-day whose wages are
less than 500 a month, which is pretty
good pay for such labor in these times,
even taking into consideration the extra
risks which railroad men run. 1t is such
wages as these, accompanied by good
treatment and many comforts, which
these men are asked to throw up, not be-
cause they have any grievance against
the companies for which they work, but
because body of men near Chicago have
had disagreement with their employer.
1t is no wonder that many OF these men
have refused 10 obey the behests of this
arrogant dictator, who stands defiant like
cock upon dunghIli until such time as
the owner of the farm shall come and
''shoo" him away.
There is much discomfort among mem
bers of the other railway organizati ons,
which have done good work tor the lnen
in the past in their respective lines, and
are recognized therefor by the companies,
AT the attempt which is being made to
swallow up all these organizations by one
monster organization which shall include
all the trainmen OF the United States. 1t
is evident that such an organization,
while powerful for evil, cannot possibly
accomplish SO much good 10 each class Of
railroad workers as their separate orders
have done. The injustice OF it is bound
soon to become so apparent that ii would
inevitably fall to pieces Of its own lnte-
rior weight, even were it not crushed as
a result OF the present unreasonable
strike. The injnstice-not TO say the alb
surdity-of asking railroad conductors to
go out in Los Angeles because switchmen
may have had difficulty in Boston, or of
calling upon firemen TO throw up their
Jobs in Portland, Or, because brakemen
have had misunderstanding in regard
TO their rate of pay in Portland, Me-,
must become more and more apparent to
the railroad men, who, as rule, are men
of more than average intelligence and
education.
And this is by no means the full extent
of the absurdity. There is already talk
oi enlisting the aid OF other trade organi-
cations, and the strikers say confidently
that it is only matter OF a short time
before most of the other industries of the
country will be paralyzed unless the de-
mands of these men are acceded to. AS
mentioned yesterday the strikers in Chi
eago say that they are able TO cut off the
entire food supply Of that great city, and
that they will do SO if they consider it
necessary. A pleasant prospect. truly,
for the people of this enlightened coun-
try, the anniversary of whose independ-
ence will be celebrated tomorrow; a
choice OF permitting an arrogant dema-
gogue to place his foot upon their necks
or TO 60 hungry.
But it will not go so far as that The
people of the United States viii begin to
move in the matter as soon as they realize
the enormity of the outrage, which is be-
ing inflicted upon them. and this they
are rapidly doing.
1t is easy to see to what lengths this
business is leading us, should the strikers
be permitted to succeed in their present
effort. The amalgamation of all railroad
workers under the American Railway
Union would be an entering wedge that
would be followed by combine of all
labor unions in the country. acting under
the orders OF one man, in comparison
with whose power that of the President
OF the United States would be tritiing
for President of this country certainly
has no power to order men TO stop work,
when they desire TO work. 1t is already
announced from Chicago that the Ques-
ton of tying up the various trades there
has been left in the hands of six men.
with the absolute power TO act. So it is
evident that when this condition of affairs
shall have peen inaugurated, the country
will be In state of perpetual strike, and
we shall be able to take permanent holi-
day, for it never happens that there is not
a strike of more or less importance under
way at some point or other in the United
States, and Of course, whenever such is
y
States would have to throw down his i'm
plements until the affair is settled,
whether it would be plumbers strike
in New York or q bakers strike in
San Francisco.
Nor would this even be the ultimate
outcome of such system, should it be
given full development. Already there
is afflliation between some labor societies
in this country and those in Europe. OF
course, after the great Amalgamated Fed
Grated Union of the United States had
been formed, they would commence to
take in the labor men OF other countries,
until the whole world should be under
the sway OF MIR. Debs, or his successor in
Office Then, If a kaffir porter on the
Zanzibar coast should have a difficulty
with his boss in regard to the number of
pounds which he was to carry on his
head, every Workingman throughout the
world would, of course, Immediately quit
work. But then, as we have said, it would
not be necessary for him TO do so, because
by that time it would be just one perpet-
ual strike. But how about the farmers
Why, of course, we could not afford to
Let them strike, for we would have to get
grub somewhere, so they would have 10
go on working TO feed the people, and II
there was no money with which TO LAY
them, Mr. Debs could authorize a few
dozen OF the strikers to start up paper
mil ana turn out an unlimited quantity
Of green backs.
These suggestions may appea4' ridicu-
lous. but they are really only what might
be expected to result as the logical OUT
come or this system of sympathetic
strikes" II It is allowed to continue. How
do the people OF the United States like the
prospect?
CORRUPTION AND REVOLUTION
Words of Wisdom spoken by an Oak