New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-25
nSHMp1THEILf STRIkES.r

The end of the strike OF electrical workers
and those associated with them, by when at
one time several thousand persons in THIS cry
were derived OF employment and livelihood
gives general satisfaction, although the men ala
not obtain what they demanded. 1t was agreed
that the change OF hours should be postpoheu
=, the. date first proposed by the contractors
Dut with the details Of the controversy ana us
nr.clse result the public does not occupy itscI.
Tho main fact IS that another important AZ
,errnt 10 coercc employers by sympatheuc
strikes which involve large injury to the puDllc
and large losses 10 workers not directly anectn'
hos ended I'm failure. The record Of the last
voor has been remarkably full of such sir'is-
clos. and they have resulted almost invariably
in disaster 10 those who made war upon puDhc
welfare for the sake Of private advantage
TIN, great railway strike which began ut Chi
caco and the strike Of coal and coke WORKERS.
were distnctyely Of this character, ana indeed
were expressly intended as legal evidence now
establishes. 10 demonstrate the overwhelming
and irresistible power Of labor organizations 10
,5, victories for each other In every conTo-
versy. by acting together without Sgard 10
nuhII. rights or legal obligations. The result
was that organized labor sustained the seVereSt
obIv the practical collapse Of many organiza-
tlous would be traced directly TO these miSdi-
rc,ted efforts II the inside facts were exposed.
Many thousand men were brought 70 rea'lAc
that ~ their organizations for mutual helpful
ness in their own occupation were TO DE useu III
this WAY 10 fight the battles Of any other organ
tied workers. whether right or wrong IL wouid
he well for them 10 draw out THOUSANDS more
who had been enlisted In miners or railway
denominations in the belief that these would DO
sensibly and lawfully managed, learned their
mistake.
Still something more was needed 10 DrlnS
home TO workers the truth that they have no
right. by taking part in n controversy not thelr
own. To innct injury upon the public. upon emf
Movers with whom they have no difficulty, ana
mon those OF their own number who are de-
pcndcns or have families dependent upon their
regular earnings. All this has nothing TO do
with the right Of men 10 strike whenever they
have lust grievances. when their employers are
not fair, or when their wages are not satsfac-
tory. The point IS that they have not the same
right TO assa public interests, the interests or
others. and to endanger or sacrifice the interests
Of thelr own associate members, when they
| personally have no grievance to redress. lhc
| strikes during the last few months have Illus
tratcd. IN peculiarly striking manner the
weakness Of every such attempt to coerce EN-
| ploycrs by cooperating efforts OF workingmen
who have no direct personal interest In the con
| troyersy In every such instance public opinion
| has been most strongly aroused against the
! sympathetic strike and those who take part III
| IT. In every instance also, the employers thus
assalcd have felt far more keenly the necessity
Of resisting to the utmost and even at grea'
sacrifice TO themselves, because OF the unjust
participation of men in a contest with which
they have no sort of business But to the labor
organizations It is more important still that
many thousand workers have been forced tc
see that they cannot permit their livelihood and
the support Of their wives and children to de
pend upon organizations which are liable to be
drawn into controversies Of this character.
1t is probable that the experience Of the las
few months will go far to lessen the number OF
strikes which have no personal grievance Il
warrant them. Already It is obvious that thu
support by workngmen OF organizations which
have thus been used has perceptby diminished
1t is coming TO be understood by workingmeI
themselves that while some Of their leaders us'
with wisdom and prudence and justice the enor
| nous power intrusted to them for the common
| benefit, there are others who use that powe
frequently and are apt TO use 1t In the mos
critical emergencies, mainly with view t
their own personal advantage, or to strengthen
the organization without regard to the Interests
of those who support IT, Probably there ar
many thoughtful and sober men who have ais
been brought TO reflect that they have no RICH
to be drawn or driven into an attitude Of hos