New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-30
THE GREAT STRIKES.

THE GREAT STRIKES
Another epidemic OF strikes Is threatened. Inc
effort on Monday OF last week TO open over thirty
carpet mills about Philadelphia entirely FAILED.
and many thousand strikers are still ldle Hopes
are expressed that the strike will end ms week.
but it Is not easy 10 see foundation Tor them.
The proposal Of iron mining companies In the
Marquette region to the four thousand organized
strikers which was given verbatim In dispatches
Yesterday. reads as II II We're expressly intended
10 prevent any settlement for weeks 10 come
With great quantities OF ore on hand which they
could not be required 10 deliver under Oh con-
tracts nj low prices II the strike should last.
some employing companies have temptation
10 block The way 10 peaceful settlement Next
the aors OF this city and Brooklyn, 10000 to
10000 in number. have stopped work on IN"
ground that employers are refusing 10 renew last
years agreement To pay for work by the week
This the representatives Of employers deny. but
urrc that many OF the workers will not do n fair
days work when paid by the day, that they re-
sent task work. II any thing like Il fair days
work is required. and that the farcst way is 10
pay 10y the piece. Finally. the coal miners OF
Western Pennsylvania. Ohio and Indiana seem
about 10 renew the struggle which was so disas-
trous for them and for the country last year
The Pennsylvania miners have formally dehahu'
cd go cents for mining where there are company
stores. or "a cents where there are none ana the
wages are paid wholly in cash. 1t Is stated that
the Ohio and Indiana organizations are ready 10
ioin the strike if the demands are not granted
by August ].
There is nothing strange in this concurrence
of serious labor controversies by the lear ol
Democratic tariff. and by the new tar,H whl'h
lessons bur by no means removes hpPr'n'""0'
injury all the industries and business oi 'n'
country were plunged into new conditions. Inc
wages of the panic period are not such as ought
10 be prolonged for American workers one honr
longer than they are absolutely unaVoidape'
But II is yet impossible 10 know. in many I'M
portant branches OF Industry. what wages can
be paid hereafter under the new CONDITIONS
Evan II =, business is not affected directly by any
duties on imports. il may yet be affected 10 al
most any extent by the inability OF other ih'er-
c-ts. which are directly reached by the tarih' 10
provide materials. 10 work up products or 10 hhd
sufficient consuming demand in the face OF Tor
.icn connection No one can yet determine
what the effects Of new conditions VIII he upon
many entire branches II industry, or upon part
Of the works in industries when as whoie ihay
not be seriously affected
The inter,iepcndcnce Of industries Is commonly
overlooked Here is a coal mine iar III Inc III
terror where duties on btuminous coal nave no
direct influence. Most Of its products were uS'u
by a tinplaic mill in II different county WHO"
may now be idle or may have TO stop any DAY
because Of foreign competition, the du'y OH
plates having been reduced. mus IL becomes
a question whether the coal mine can WORK III"
iron used in the plates comes from Mlcnik""
mine and when the mills stop the mine ma! DO
unable to raise wages or may nave 10 STOP. Inc
workers In mills and mines buy carpets, whrh
at work with fair wages. but stoppage OF low
wages at mills and mines must cut down the
sale Of carpets and without large sale carpet
mill NAV not BE- able 10 pay good wages ana YET
compete with foreign carpct-makrrs al REDUCED
duties The miners and the mill workers buy
clothing when they have work and wages. Du'
II trouble comes them the sales or clothing arc
reduced and thus the makers VI clothing cannon
tell how they will fare until they know whether
the consuming ability Of miners ana mlll-worK-
ers is TO be Increased or diminished.
ON the face Of things. II Will need much pa
tience and mutual consideration 10 adjust all in
dustrics and the wages In all 10 the new cOndi-
lions 1t is task that cannot be finished right
" and safely i'm an hour. Many weeks, and In
some cases many months, must clapse under me
new conditions before any one can know dell
nltely what wages can be paid. II Is trying
thing for miners 10 see that coke has advanced
30 per cent In selling price, and The wages OF
ke-workers are raised; that pigiron has risen
81 30 per ton at Pttsburg, or more than ~ per
cent and the wages Of furnace-men are raised;
that nails have been hOisted by combination
much more than 100 per cent, ana that wages
Of labor In many iron and steel concerns have
been raised: and yet the miners do not get their
share of benefit. 1t Is so In every other Dranch
Of industry The prosperity OF which the work
ers hear so much has not yet reached great
many Of them and strikes are not unnatural.
But all this DISCRIMINATION Of Industries, WIN
unfair and even cruel results TO many. Is part OF
the fruit Of Democratic legislation. and neither
EMPLOYERS nor men can yet form the least idea
how wages can be finally adjusted. or how many
establishments can Withstand the new c0ndi-
tons or how much strife and suffering VIII be
involved before the workers and employers III
various Industries can find out what Is now pos
siblc or just. The harvest OF Democratic success
Is trial and suffering even now, as II was before
recovery in business began.
RAILROADS. REVENGE.