The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-11-02
The PLACE 10 STRIKE.
LABOR Organizations Must Secure Their
Rights at the Ballot Box.

LABOR Organizations Must Secure Their
Rights at the Ballot Box.
The great strike of the American
Railway union, being a cause of such
mammoth proportions, has had many
effects; but there are two which stand
out above all the others. And through
the strike was a very costly one, both
to the men engaged and to the country
at large, the fact that these two points
have been made clear to the thinking
men of the land is well worth all it
cost. The first point which has been
made so plain is the necessity for the
government ownership of railroads.
The single-taxers have been advocating
this for Is years. but the weeks strike
Of the American Railway union and
the consequent tying up of the rail
roads made more converts than our
whole 10 years work. 1t was then APP
parent to the most stupid citizen that
the railroad business was entirely
different from the grocery business OF
any form Of manufacturing. The
grocerymen might quit work, OF the
manufacturers might quit work, while
the rest of the country could go on
with its duties. But when the railroads
quit there was an end to all busis sss.
And when people realize how depend
ent they we're upon the railroads it
dawned upon them that it was as easy
for the owners or managers of rail-
roads to regulate the charges for
traffic when the roads were running
as to stop traffic when they stopped
And many people have been wonder
ing since the strike how they could
have failed to see this long ago.
The other point which has been
made clear by the American Railway
union strike is the fact that labor and
labor organizations must secure their
rights at the ballot box, and not by the
strike. Never did a strike take place
under such favorable circumstances
as this. The leaders we're unquestioned
in intelligence and integrity; all that
any men could do they did. And the
men we're as staunch and true as any
patriots who ever fought for home and
country. The mere effect that so many
men we're ready to give up their jobs
at time when so many idle men were
ready to take their places showed to
what extent their devotion to the icause
of justice went. Men talk about the
bravery of soldiers, and poets sing OF
their heroic deeds, but the man who
leaves his means of livelihood when
times are hard and work is scarce,
when idle men stand ready to take
their places and wife and littls ones
are dependent upon him for their
daily bread, is far more deserving. We
had all this in the strike. We had the
most heroic devotion to the cause, best
possible organization, the unquestioned
leadership-and yet the strike failed
failed miserably. The men who willing
ly left their work have since felt the
heavy hand of the General Managers
association; the men who thought to
make life more tolerable for their
loved ones now realize the terrors of
blacklist. In China certain crimes are
punished by putting the culpFit's head
through a hole in a board which is
wide enough to prevent him from get
ting his hands to his mouth. He is
free to go wherever he pleases, but he
can get nothing to eat unless some one
chooses to put it into his mouth. Such
is the position of the blackIisted men
in this country. They are free to go
wherever they like, but the blacklist
prevents them from getting anything
to eat; it prevents them from earning
a livelihood for themselves and fami-
lies st the only trade they know.
Now that the struggle is over, the
vanquished can calmly 90 over the
various phases of the strike and profit
by the experience The striker should
take Ar. Debs' sdgiCe to buy and study
Henry Georges progress snd Pow
erty. IN that crest work be viii find