Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-07
HISTORY OF LABOR TROUBLES
Story Of the First Strike in the United
States
The First Political Dele~nte nj. .
Platform Demanding Indus-
trial Reforms.
From the Chicago Sunday Times.

From the Chicago Sunday Times.
In America trades unions were original,
the outgrowth of a desire on the part Of
the craftsmen for closer social relations
Even in the infancy Of the government
certain distinctions of class, based upor
wealth and family. grew UP. and the me
chsnics banded togo her for the plrpos,
OF mutual benefit socially. Later on these
unions were formed for mutual protection
as well as pleasure. From that time for.
ward the strife grew hotter and hotter
resulting in the Industrial contest of TODAY
after many strikes. many fearful riots. and
the loss Of lives and treasure In the end
for the end must soon come, the policy OF
Cancellation and arbitration is the policy
or the workman, and il Is yearly being
forced upon the master.
Inc nrst strike in America took place in
the city of New York in 1903, when some
sailors struck for an increase of wages.
This first outbreak-if it could be so de-
Dominated-was ended by the arrest and
confinement of the leader. Prior to 1875
while there were numerous organiza tons of
a minor nature. the formative period of
trades unionism in this country was of lit
tie importance. From that time until 1851
the development of the movement was
important. as It was the creative period of
the union. based upon the demands Of or
ganized labor today. During this period
of twenty-six years labor worked for short
err hours Of toll. higher wages and also
lost considerable time in cooperative ex-
2eriments- The most notable one Of the
latter Is that of Robert Dale Owen and his
New Harmony, Ind. company. With plen-
~ Of money and land the little company
lasted but two years. falling to carry out
any of the projectors ideas and efYectually
damping the ardor of those who wished to
create such establishments.
Financial depression near the beginning
of the formative period caused an amount
Of agitation and several strikes Of more or
less Importance. This agitation and these
stcppages of the wheels of industry
brought trades unionism into politics for
the first time. divorced from the dominant
New York was elected to the state assem-
bly, on a platform demanding Industrial
reforms and protesting against the con-
tinrance Of the ''feudal system" This was
In 1879.
From this time on trades unionism has
been a factor Of ever-increasing importance
In the affairs Of government. Dating from
the success of Mr.. Ford trade papers began
to appear and advocate the cause Of the
people. larger unions were formed. state
societies took the place of merely local
lodges. and the work Of pushing labor to
the front was commenced with a greater
degree of systematic effort than ever be-
fore In the worlds history. From the same
date the merchants and manufacturers be-
gan their opposition to organized labor
New England led in this organization
January ., 1881, general VI
all the mechanics Of Boston and vicinity
was formed. July Of the same year the
first public demonstration of organized labor
vas held In the New England capital. Two
thousand men marched through the princi-
pal streets, displaying banners and devices
Indicative of their principal political opin-
ions, and wound up the celebration with
speechmaking on the Common. This was
the precursor Of Labor day. now the rccog-
nized holiday Of the mass Of wage earners
and wealth producers Of the American ma
ton
This demonstration and its succeeding and
somewhat exciting imitators elsewhere
nerved the employers to the first attack
upon organized labor In this country. Suit
was brought against the journeymen boot
makers of Boston and an effort was made
to break up the union by law. An indict-
ment for conspiracy was found against
seven Of the defendants. The lower court
found them all guilty. but In the Supreme
Court the exceptions taken by defendants
counsel We're sustained and the men set
free.
Soon after this the shorter-hour question
met with its first success In New England
by the voluntary shortening Of the labor
day to ten hours by some of the more hu-
name of the masters. The agitation Of the
question was renewed with greater Sigor,
and the fight carried into the elections.
With the formation Of the New England
Workingmen's Association in Boston, in
March. 1S45. end its first convention. May
ganized labor In the United States In a
more than local aspect. This was the first
industrial congress. and was of vast i'm
portance in the battle between labor and
the successive national organizations and
the several peoples parties which have
been striving to accomplish something at
the polls Three years after this first meet
Ing labor convention was held in Phila-
delphia- and Gerrit Smith placed In nomI-
nation for the presidency.
Thenceforward labor united as 1t had
never done before. Unions were formed ell
over the country, the secret order succeed
ing the open organization. This was due
to the ostracism Of the leaders by the op-
posing forces. The unions made an organ
ICED effort for shorter hours Of work and
sent petitions to Congress by the hundred
In some states a ten-hour law was PASSED
but the best the unions could secure at that
time was general statute fixing a legal
days work at eleven hours Benefit asso-
Citations grew out of the strikes and the
need for some means Of keeping the un-
fortunate members In the unions.
In their struggles to emancipate them
serves from the grasp Of the morey power
the working classes took a prominent Part
IN the anti-slavery agitation which was
such a strong feature of the politics Of the
ante-bellum period. They seemed to realize
that as long as such an institution as CLAW
cry was recognized as q legal institution
Just so long would their own case be hope
less; Hence. In all the preparations for the
mighty struggle which absorbed all others
In Its titanic embrace. the humber classes
OF this country were firmly against the
longer continuance of slavery in any form.
In the war for the Union these people
bore even more than their fair share OF
the difficulties and dangers. periodically
making their personal interests subscryient
10 the common veal of the whole nation
While working steadfastiy for the amelio-
ration OF all whose condition of life de-
manded betterment. they lent a strong and
willing helping hand in the perpetuation of
the institutions they had learned to believe
were the best ever known in the history of
the world Yet, while the war progressed,
organization was not lost sight of, and with
rs close the old battle was renawe4