Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-07-12
The Government and the Strikers.

| The Federal authorities have grave
problem to deal with in the shape oi
the present struggle between the rail-
ways and their employees.
| Under the law the government has
| the right to arrest and punish all per-
sons who obstruct the mails or forcibly
interfere with Interstate commerce
But while this is the law, the interests
of peace and order require great mod
Grafton and discretion in administering
it.
We regret to learn that the bill upon
which Judge Woods issued his restrain
ing order against the employees of twen-
ty-two roads was first submitted to
Washington for government approval.
Our Washington advices state that
it is feared that the labor strike. if not
checked, will result in civil war, and
the authorities are, therefore, deter
mined to use the regular army against
the strikers who continue to interfere
with the mail trains and commerce.
This should be done only as last
resort. We agree with the New York
World that the state and local authori
ties should maintain order, if possible.
The federal troops should not be called
out until all other means fail. The
World says:
That the federal government could
be called upon to intervene in such
matter would not have been dreamed
of ten years ago. Through the en-
croachment of the federal courts it is
now being dragged in on all possible
occasions, but the effort to make fed
eral question of quarrels between en-
ployers and employees should be resisted
with the whole force of enlightened
public opinion. Such an Injunction as
that drawn by two corporation attor-
neys and granted Wednesday by Judges
Crosscup and Woods is a monstrous
invasion of the peoples rights.
.'If this doctrine prevails and feder-
al interference is insisted upon, on the
ground that railroads are performing
a semi-public service, and that conse-
quently railroad employees are quasi
public servants, then the interference
should not be by legal quibble. The
government should act frankly and |
straightforwardly and accept the full
of the position it as !
sumes.
.If operating railroads is public !
service and railroad men are public |
servants in any sense that can Justify |
federal control of their acts, then the |
federal government must not only pro-
tect the railroad companies against
their employees when there is quarrel |
between them-it must also protect
the employees in all their rights and
privileges as public servants. 1t must
guarantee them adequate wages, reas-
enable hours of work, proper vaca-
tions, and all else that it guarantees to
1t must stand security for their wages
if the companies default. 1t must re-
strain railroad managers from nagging
interference with them. 1t must for
bid wage reductions except by consent
Of congress. 1t must insure railroad
employees as secure tenure of office
as it insures other government en-
ployes."
Upon the whole the government
would do we'll to go slow in this mat
ter. The Chicago Times sees the dan
ger of unwise federal interference, and
thus comments:
.'Itis perfectly certain that the strike
could be suppressed by the regular
and volunteer military forces of the
nation, as our warlike contemporaries
urge. But what then? Are the work
ng people of this country to be driven
10 work henceforth at the point of the
oayonet? Would the slaughter of ff-
.een or twenty strikers and bystanders
1t Grand Crossing prove Mr.. Pullman
/ benevolent and honorable employer
Would the incarceration of Mr.. Debs in
, military prison disprove the theory
hat the interests of all men who work
or wages are identical and that an in
ury to one is an injury to be resented
oy all? Riot guns may quell riot,
out they do not solve the problems
eading 10 that riot. The labor ques-
ion is one for statesmen, not for SOL
liers."