The record-union., 1894-06-29
What 1t Means.


EDS. RECORD UNION: l see by your
paper this morning that it is rumored
that if the railroad company does not ac-
cede to the demands of the Railway
Union, a general strike on the whole sys-
tenn will be ordered.
Have the members of the union con-
sidered what a general strike means to
the State? Last year and the year before
the fruit-growers OF California were un-
able to make the receipts for their crop
pay the expenses of getting it into the
market In many instances the returns
from the East brought them into debt tor
the freight and commission, to say noth-
ing of the cost of cultivation, packing
and picking.
AS consequence many of them have
been since that time hanging by the eye
lids over the abyss of bankruptcy, hop
ing that the good crop of this year ana
the crop failure in the East might pun
them through.
Many millions of dollars are invested
in the fruit industry in this State, ana ol-
rectly and indirectly it gives employment
to thousands of white men. Just az pres
ent and for the next month will be the
greatest rush of fruit shipments. "A
general tie up would mean the destruction
of the fruit crop, the financial ruin OF
majority of those engaged III the business,
who are heavily mortgaged. and the loss
to the State of several millions OF dollars.
These men who will be injured are
entirely innocent of any connection with
the trouble, and very few of them per-
haps ever rode in a Pullman car, or per-
haps even heard Of George Pullman.
Are they to be punished for his mis-
deeds?
A general tie-up means stagnation OF
business all over the State and consequent
loss to all engaged in business, from
which it would take the State long time
to recover. Are our business men to be
punished for Mr.. Pullman's shortcom-
ings?
A general strike means the withdrawal
from monthly circulation in this city OF
at least 100000, which helps to keep our
merchants going. These merchants and
grocerymen are carrying many OF the
members of the Railway Union upon
their books and giving them credit, to
help them along from payday TO pay
day. Will they go to these, their friends,
and say, I'VE know this strike is lnJur-
ing you-may perhaps ruin you, but we
want you TO give us credit and carry us
along till it is over and we go to work
again, if we can get it, and earn money to
pay you with" Do we generally go to
man and say, 81 am destroying your
business, but want you TO help me and
furnish me with the necessaries of life ~
Is the sympathy of the union more
strongly enlisted with the 1000 men who
are 1000 miles away, than it is with their
felloW-townsmen and friends VINO Will
suffer through their action-mores strongly
than it is with the farmers and fruit
growers, who are laboring men also. and
working under far greater drawbacks;
more strongly than with the various bus
mess men and others in this and other
communities who are laboring to build
| up the prosperity of the State?
These points are well worthy of serious
consideration by the union before any
decisive steps are taken by it, for they
show that thousands of citizens in our
homo communities have claim to con-
sideration at their hands who are as truly
workingmen as those in the Pullman
shops. The question as to whether the
whole State shall receive setback, from
which it will take several years to re-
cover, is another one worthy of their con-
sideration. JUSTICE TO ALL.