St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-06
THE COST OF LAwLEssNEss

iolCO Gail give plOlSCIlOll anu 6UdDl6
the resumption of business.
THE COST OF AWLESSNESS
1t is evident that the strike of the
American Railway union, so far as the
Northwest Is concerned, is about over.
In few localities there is yet defiance
OF the authorities and threats of VIC
ence, but as rule there is manifest a
lack of unity and enthusiasm, and all
| railroad trains are rapidly resuming
| their regular trips, and few of them
have been molested. The freight
blockade at Chicago is still serious. and
business is greatly hampered in con-
sequence, but under guard of the United
States troops and marshals the yards
are being rapidly cleared of their ac-
emulation of cars. A few days will
suffice to restore traffic to its customary
channels.
A more senseess demonstration than
the present one has never been known
in our history, nor has ever strike oc-
CURED which from the outset possessed
so little claim upon public sympathy
and support, and brought so much of
evil in its train. The men who quit
their places of employment had no
grievance of their own of which they
could complain. Their work was con-
genial and their wages adequate, viii le
they were promptly paid. Consider
alton for their welfare was character
istic of their employers. But they
chose to surrender the means of SUBJ
eli or thni
pursuit of barren ideality. Men en-
gagged in wholly different line of in
dustry had been oppressed by their
employers, and had their wages reduced
to the lowest limit compatible with ex-
istence. In order to protest against this
1t was determined to order the strik
against corporations in no way response
bic for the acts of the offending CON-
pany, and to bring hardship upon
millions Of innocent people. There are
few individuals in the Northwest who
have not in some degree suffered be-
cause of The strike. Farmers and
market gardeners have been unable to
dispose of their products; dairymen
have been compelled to allow their milk,
butter and cheese TO go to waste; mer-
chants have been unable 10 sell their
goods, and manufacturers have found
themselves short of material and fuel
and have been compelled TO suspend
operations, while the demand for labor
in every department has been material
ly lessened.
The loss to the country is beyond
computation. Not only have the work
men lost their wages during their idle
ness, but the railroads have lost busi-
ness. the merchants have lost their
profits, and whole communities have lost
their tempers. Every one now has
grievance due to the strike. Every one
has been deprived of some comfort, some
profit or some plea sure. The eXuberance
of patriotism that ordinarily character
ICES the. celebration of the Fourth of
July was absent this year. The Amer
lean eagle did not scream as loudly or
defiantly as has been his wont. His
pinions had been clipped. and his voice
was choked by the hand of vandals.
The especial cruelty of the emeute has
been visited upon the working people
generally. Besides maintaining their
own families-a burden that is ordinar.
lily all they can bear-they have been
called upon for contributions to support
the strikers and pay the expenses of the
rather luxurious managers of the boy
colt. 1t is said. on what appears to be
good authority, that the expenses of
Eugene V. Debs have amounted to more
than hundred dollars day ever since
the beginning Of the strike. To this
Will have to be added the cost of law
yers to defend him and his associates in
their approaching trial. which will foot
up to many thousands of dollars.
The destruction of property during
the trouble has been enormous. Farm
ers and gardeners have lost the sale of
their products at time when the pro.
ceeds were most needed. The railroad
companies have suffered by the stagna-
ton in business in both the freight and
passenger departments. Merchants
have found no sale for their goods, for
In times such as these no one cares to
purchase anything except the bars ne
cessaries Of life. The laborer and the me-
chanic who have no interest in the
strike or the strikers have been COM
PEELED TO work on short time, If they
have had any work at all. The people
of the cities, rich and poor alike, have
had TO subsist on short rations, pur-
chased at exorbitant prices. and thou
sands of children, deprived of milk from
the dairy farms, have sickened and suf.
fered, and many of them have died. Are
not the strikers responsible for their
murder?
The financial loss thus far caused is
estimated by conservative men at no
less than forty or fifty millions of dol
lars. This sum must eventually come
out of the pockets of the working peo-
pie. Municipalities have been cosn-
peiied to employ extra police To guard
properly, the states have been Obliged
to call out the militia at an ENORMOUS