New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-11
TIE EPIDEMIC or STRIKES.

7, t. :, hc regretted extremely and yet II -
mas, natural that Just when the astonishing for
eirn demand for American securities clears away
apprehension of danger in money markets, ana
stocks and products are advanced by active spec
ul,,iou. and business compares well with laSt
wears and begins 10 approach In volume that
If 1893 and the great industries are enjoying III
increased demand for their products. although nj
prices so low as TO yield scarcely any proh"'
go that they can keep most Of their factories at
work. an epidemic Of strikes for higher wages
has broken out and spreads rapidly lhr'e
weeks ago few woollen mills were anec'e"'
two weeks ago the important establishments III
Olucvvillc and about Providence were stopper
bv strikes and few iron works AT or near rus
hurr. during the last week other iron works
thcr. and the works in the Mahoning ana 'he
mango valleys have been stopped. ana 'hose oi
tho great Illinois Steel Company, besides many
minor establishments in various parts OF 'hr
country.
The men ought To- know that prices oDfaln'h
far finished products Of iron and wooll'n worhs
are sin the lowest or close 10 the lowest ever
known; that no such advance has occurred IN
that which enabled many cotton mills 10 '''Se
wages. and gave To the boot and shoe mlnuiac'-
r c,ntrol ~ ,h.ir market: that greatly III
,...o,,.I f,rcicn compettion has 10 be met and
defeated before the home market can be hpid ny
American works. and that "A rise In wages III 'n'S
,ir,.. n,st force, many mills 10 give up the orders
which have enabled them 10 open. b''aus" 'h'!
cannot u. executed without loss II cost OF liDor
is io he materially increased. The asia'ors III
tho labor organizations find II easy To ignore SUCH
conditions They point 10 the advance III wages
~ cotton workers and ask. why not III wooli'h
olsof'. They note the concession OF higher wages
IA coke. workers and cry. Must W" stay III III"
ho,,o,n while The IIungarians rise" II Is so cas-!
10 pcrsuadc men that they only have to demand
and will surely get what they want because me
manufacturers al last have orders and joyously
nroclaim the fact in many Journals
The manic i over" these men say. All the
"Ip.mncraiic, newspapers have Informed you
"tha, the small changes In tariff had nolhlns 10
do with wages. and that rates would rise III
"ouce 10 the old poin, II business should revive.
Also. everybody proclaims the fact that DuSi-
mess Ia. revived and the cotton and coke work
"crs mr.. getting their share ~ the benefit II me
r.s, do not II is only bccaus" they VIII MOI
strike for their rights. Appeals Ike these
cnuld not fail ~ influence with organizations
Centralized largely bv men who do not study pub
uc oucs,lons much for themselves. And so many
,housonl vorkingmcn. whose want of work or
,,v wages for the last two years have involved
many In debt are To be plunged into struggles
which have, no more chance Of success. In many
instances than the angry waves have OF break
inc down the iron bound cliffs against which
,h.v dash For new conditions have been ere
u,od by Democratic legislation and a change of
lp
Labor Of England and Germany and Belgium ana
France Is one which cannot 'nd WITHOUT so"'e
los, to American workers.
In a ,rc sense this epidemic Of strikes Is the
frui, If Democratic victories There would be
no strikes for restoration OF wages II 'h're III"
hoon no great reduction Of wages In consequence
Of the decision 10 change the National poh'y
Some reaction in business might have come had
there been no political revolutions; such reacto"s
have come before. but have not gravely aflec'ed
the earnings of labor throughout the land. Never
since Republican Protection began has th're
been a general drop Of 20 per cent In wages OF
Labor except In IS.39i. for even after the panic
~ 1873 the decline in nominal wages was not
60 great and represented mainly the increase III
purchasing power OF the currency AS the premium
ou gold diminished 1t Is therefore strictly war
rantcd 10y The teachings or more IMAM 'hlr! years
experience to declare that the violent de'''he Ill
wages WAS the direct effect or 4 victory over the
protective policy, by which competition win
cheaper foreign labor has been so long restrict
| ed And I'm consequence. the losses ana the cost
of the many strikes which spring from that great
reduction Of wages. and from III" natural efforts
OF the men to get back to the old level az soon as
they can, must be attributed to the same cause