New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-21
LABOR LEADERS AND THEIR WORK.

The dispatches from Ishpemng announcing
the complete collapse of the iron-miners struggle
against their employers add another dlshcarten-
ing chapter to the recent history Of strikes In TINS
country The miners in the Marquette range
have failed mlserably to compel acqulescence in
their demands: and though they have not yet
ceased in their efforts, they must fail in any
further prosecution Of them, because the condi-
lions that prevail are such as to make success
impossible That a body Of men Of exceptional
intelligence such as they are should enter upon
n struggle in which failure was foredoomed
from the start Is discouragng fact for the con-
temptation Of those who have their interests at
heart The last few years have been full or
object lessons teaching the danger Of the uncon-
sidered strike and the disaster and widespread
suffering that follow failure.
The continued neglect Of these lessons In too
many instances seems to make palmer and
palmer the fact that the leaders OF labor organ
Izations In this country are too seldom possessed
of the wisdom and experience successfully to
direct great bodies Of men. The unions intrust
them with almost entire control over their pol
lev. The members voluntarily surrender to them
their right Of individual judgment and their
freedom Of action. With the idea that through
union alone can be exercised the power that the
laborng men feel to be theirs, they put them
selves entirely at the control Of one man or
small body of men. and stake their all upon
their judgment 1t is a great a burdensome re-
sponslbility-a responsibility that would not be
ntrusted in the business world to any man who
had not shown himself TO possess knowledge.
training and experience. coupled with sound
Judgment tact and executive ability
There are such labor leaders in this country,
and the organizations they control have attained
n power and exercise an influence that Is known
and reckoned with by all who have relations
with them OF the other sort, some who have
failed most disastrously are keeping peanut
stands; others are in Jail; but. unfortunately.
there are many who still retain the places OF
power they have shown themselves incompetent
to fill. and who need only an emergency great
enough to involve the organizations they con
troll in disaster and their fellow-members in IN
told suffering.
The strike at 1shpcming presents the Ola story
Of a stubborn fight based on transformation and
false assumption. Times were improving prices
were going up; therefore. argued the miners,
their wages must advance with equal steps 1t
is unfortunate that the conditions under which
often such that apparently just demands
cannot promptly be met, even should employers
be never so DESTROYS to see their workmen benefit
equally with themselves 1t was so In this in
stance Contracts made in bad times governed
the prices received for ore; an advance in the
rate Of wages meant loss and ruin to the operat-
ors. II these conditions were presented to the
consideration Of the men, they were not be-
leved; the tantazing stories Of better prices
elsewhere blinded their understanding or the
memorable facts in the case The cool Judgment,
the unclouded vision that could see and estimate
the necessary outcome, were lacking, and in de-
fault OF the good counsel and the firm guiding
hand of n real leader Of men the contest was
precipitatcd that has wrought sad damage to
the present interests Of those Immediately con-
cerncd ana has contributed It's quota OF injury
to the true interests Of laborlng men and women
all over this country.