The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-04-20
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF THE
STRIKE.


have a humorous as we'll as serious side
The man with a merry twinkle in his
!, eye will see a funny phase to almost
any occurrence or situation. A number
Of years ago an artist on the staff Of the
Century magazine stopped at Fort Ben
ton a day or two while Quitting for an
overland journey through tine Judith
and Musselshell countries 10 the North
ern Pacific railroad. During his ~sojourn,
what gave promise of a disastrous fire
occurred. The citizens turned out al.
most to a man to fight the fire fiend
About the time the flames gave
brilliant promise Of wiping out a block
or two Of houses, the artist might have
been seen we'll in the foreground, in the
lurid glare of the flames, laughing as il
it was the funniest thing that ever came
under his observation. When his friends
afterward sought out the cause OF his
merriment, he explained that the pic
ture presented Of Indians, half breeds,
Cinnamon, negroes, Mexicans, and all
the varieties of whites" fighting
the fire, struck him as 30 ludicrous that
he could not help laughing il he knew
he was to be hung for it.
**M
The lights OF the strike are 80 envel.
oped in the shadows as to attract but
little attention. There is too much
rigid seriousness attending the situation
to admit of a play of humor no matter
what the provocation might be. The
manifestos that have been issued from
dayto day, the worry and solicitude of
the people about the mails, the nervous
ness Of those who are strike bound, the
efforts Of some would. be politicians to
make themselves solid for the fall cam
paign, and many other phases of the
situation, would afford abundant nate
rial for the pens of the mute, in
glorious Bill Nye's that many have an
abiding place among us-if it we're not
always for the grim and gaunt shadows
that hover about, with a otal-eclipse
effect on the funny business.
So
Whatever conclusions others may have
reached The TRIBUNE has evolved from
its inner consciousness" the firm con.
viction that the struggle inaugurated last
Thursday is to be a bitter and protracted
one. 1t is as well to realize this fact
first as last and to be prepared in the
best way possible for the issue. All in
dications from st. Paul point in the way
of a stubborn resistance at Great North
ern headquarters. and Argus, with all
his eyes, could not see an indication of
yielding on the part Of the men at this
point. The fight lie on, and how it will
end is the question. The tie-up is now
extended to the entire Great Northern
system, and there are indications that
other systems, particularly the Northern
Pacific, may be involved. 1t promises
to be a battle royal, and whatever the
issue may be, all parties to the contest
will be badly hurt, The railroad CON-
pany must Of necessity suffer immense
losses, and who car estimate the hard.
snip and privation the thousands of
men, many of them with families to sup
port. who are left without employment,
must endure!
.*M
This serious situation, it appears to
The TRIBUNE, could be and should be
averted. AS yet there has been no clash,
no friction, and no trouble of a serious
character. The combatants are facing
each other and ready for the fray. but a
word in moderation might bring about
pacific results; il a blow is struck a
peaceful arbitrament is out of the ques
ton. 1t will then be a fight to the finish.
The brotherhood OF man and federation
the world" Is quite a good way off
yet, but the spirit of arbitration is how
ering nearer the earth than ever before.
In these contests between capital and
labor. to put it in that way, there should
be a system of adjustment under the
direction OF the higher courts that would
strikes exceedingly few and far
between. But as the proper laws TO
this end have not been framed no effort
should be spared in the present case to
an understanding by mutual con-
cession and agreement. The side that
will make a bold move in that direction
will be entitled to Il large share of credit.
Il .#
The paralysis of the industries OF
Great Falls and the surrounding country
is one of tine unfortunate features of the
strike, as affecting this community. The
a. Montana smelter, employing
300 men at acceptable wages, must close
down because its supply OF ore and fuel
shut off. The employees at the works
Of the United Smelling company, at
Sand Couiee, Belt and Neinart-a at least
500 additional--are in enforced idle
.2-x g.. Al.