New-York tribune., 1895-09-19
ANOTHER CONNELLSyILLE STRIKE.

Another strike in the coke regions has been
ordered and. according to dispatches. has taken
effect in part Of the works, upon demand for
II per cent more wages dating from Monday,
and the published order adds that only the
companies granting the advance at all their
works will be permitted to continue In opera
'tion'
Is This free country, then, or only a despot-
ism Of mobs and secret leagues! History shows
plainly what the words will not be permitted
actually mean They mean that free American
citizens who will work AT wages which strikers
refuse are 10 be assas.inated. mobbed or driven
from employment by destruction Of plants. The
record of Connellsville strikes rivals In lawleSs-
ness and brutality that Of the worst mining
regions The question whether law can ba en-
forced at all in such regions. without the pres
ence Of standing army. gives TO every pro-
longed strike the form OF rebellion against civil
authorities, and always because strikers attempt
by violence and lawbreaking to prevent free cit
zens from doing work which the strikers refuse
to do.
II Is quite possible that the companies may
conclude to grant the wages demanded rather
than incur the losses which IA struggle would in
yolve at this time. The iron trade Is exceedingly
active. and coke workers know that the demand
for their product is enormous. For the latest
week 1928 ovens We're running an average OF
J69 days per week. against 2.622 Idle and pro-
ducton was 14S1S3 tons. Still there has been
such competition among the companies that the
attempt 10 raise prices was only partially sue
ccssful, and coke has been selling for weeks M
considerably less than circular prices. II ap-
pears that some concerns might be willing 10
have strike lasting long enough 10 raise prices
were 1t not for their connection In ownership
with great iron and steel works. to which any
interruption lust now would DO a calamity. A
demand for bridge and building materials un
supplied at This season Of the year may easily
prove demand lost for this year entirely.
The Frick Coke Company was one Of the
earliest to start the rise In wages March 10, I'M
mediatcly after Congress bad adjourned by n
voluntary advance OF II per cent. But II had
been known for some weeks that great strike
would come II the advance was not made. so
that par; Of It's moral effect may have been lost ;
indeed, 1t may have led the men to feel that al
most any demand would be granted I'm order 10
prevent a strike. The price Immediately ad
vanccd from 90 10 81 cents, Il little more In pro-
portion than the rise in wages. but later at
tempt TO raise prices has failed. SO that actual
sales are little higher than In March. 1t Is well
known that Iron prices have meanwhile adj
vanccd enormously. steel rails - per cent, steel
beams 30 per cent, angles ~ per cent, bars 80
per cent and wire nails 100 per cent. II is not
strange II many reason that iron combinations
getting big profits at the expense Of mine
and coke workers
A demand and even strike for higher wages
In cokewOring would therefore be not unrea
sonablc II II were conducted with decent regard
for law and for freedom of American laborers
But the fact that the first suggestion comes with
threat that the works will not be permitted 10
operate, even II they can find laborers willing 10
accept present wages. carries with 1t such def
nnce Of all rights and nll law as to deprive strk
ers Of any sympathy that they might otherwise
receive. The fact Is that In nearly all Of the
great labor controversies during the last three
years the strikers have been their own worst
enemies, because they have dehed the law and
denied the rights OF other laboring men. II
seems probable that this controversy. owing to