Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-06-22
WHAT IS A LABOR STRIKE {


WHAT is A LABOR STRIKE :?
A labor strike has been vnriously
defined. Some declare that it is At
protest OF organized labor against in
justice md wrong on the part of OF
ganized capital. Mine operators, man-
utacturels, railroad officials and other
industries where labor is an import.
ant factor agree to adopt scale tf
wages by which they will be govern.
ed III the employment of their oper
ators, often without consulting the
employed. If the terms are not sat
isfactory, laborers employed in that
industry federate together and quit
work. They strike to obtain increns
ed pay or to resist a reduction. If
the controversy ends there, it might
be called peaceable strike. Unfor
tunately for all parties interested. and
for the peace of societyf means arc
employed to enforce the desires of
the employers or of the employed
At this point, it becomes au insurrec.
ton, or open war, when both parties
adept any measures lawful or unlaw
full to carry their point 1t is the
right of workingmen, either singly or
collectively, to refuse to work unless
their terms are complied with, and
the public. may, with propriety, JUST
fy their action.
There are always some in n labor
union, and many who do not belong
to the association, who are willing TO
comply with the employers terms.
The strikers claim the right, by
persecution or violence, to prevent
the willing from taking their places.
In tho coal miners strike they hive
not only driven the willing workers
from the mines, but have DESTROYED
property OF employers. and have even
undertaken to prevent the railroads
from transporting conl, either for
their own use or any other PERSONS
use. THIS is Il criminal conspiracy,
INVOLVING violence aud lawless in
reference with personal and proper
ty rights.
1t then becomes a proper function
OF the State, by the civil and military
power, to intorpose, ut whatever cost
OF nponey and life, to suppress the in
surrection against law and order. If
those having control of the civil and
military power act with decision, and
do not stop to reason or parley with
mob, peace and order Will soon be
restored. Attempts at Cancellation,
appeals to reason. are not ouly vain
but the rioters will increase in mum.
bers and grow bolder and more de.
structive The time for Cancellation
and arbitration will come when the
conspirators have been taught that
they cannot triile with the power of
the State. Strikers must understand
that the sympathy of the masses is
exhausted when their striking termi-
mates in manslanghter. arson and
fopefy. Governors are sometimes
afraid they will incur the displeasuro
of organized labor and lose votes for
re- election if they hurt anybody in
suppressing lawless mob. Laws
,,eshould be enacted compelling COR
porations to submit their differences
10 boards of arbitration aud their de
eiaion should be enforced.
f Employers of labor strike as well
as the employed. When by con
cert OF action capitalists agree to re.
tt.uce wages it is strike, not of la
Dor, but of capital, and when the EN-
ploysd throw down thoir tools and
unit work they are on the defensive
and resist the strike of their employ
ers. There are May who denounce
labor unions as unnecessary aud reg
nAnt with evil consequences. They
are necessity. Capital is exactiue,
selfsh and tyrannical In all pur
suits, except agricultural, great re
suits cannot be attained without an
aggregation of capital Business en-.
4 terprises in this age assume large
& proportions. The individual, instead
q II acting Independently, becomes an
8 7asigniticant part of great machine.
d He fssa wage Garner instead of bose.
& he cannot dictate his wages unless
= heis sustained in his demand Inv OH.
ers in the same occupation. Build
sng contractors, for example, can
lsombineand determine what waoes
q asey will pay stonemasons, bricklav.
err, carpenters and plasterers, and
Anlcss they can cooperate together
and dictate the terms of their EN-.
2loymant they are at he mercy OF
& the bosses. The operators in GU,
l Ks eat fectories, the tens of thousands
et employees upon our railroads, the
q hundreds OF thousands of coal min
q srs, have no protection against avn
IT SSt$a and greed unless they unite with