The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-25
TIE ~LEApvILLE srnIKE.


San Francisco Bulletin
There IN Il lesson 70 American la
bOrera ana labor unions in the strike
N the silver mlnGrr Of Leadylile, which
eliminated this morning IN such an
outbreak ~ lawlcssnesa a. does not
often characterize American Industrial
progress. The silver mine owners, the
gentlemen who are working 10 hard 70
secure the election Of Bryan and the
enactment 81 free coinage Legislation
In their own interest. the gentlemen
who demand the votes ~ the members
~ laber unions. do not hesitate. II
seems. to call out militia when their
right 10 Cypress labor In assailcd. nor
10 shoot down the men who demand
n fair days wage for u fair days work.
This trouble. be II bourne In mind, did
o occur in an Eastern state. II was
In Colorado, the home Of Teller and Of
Organism. the state which u all others
insists hat ~ peculiar industry shall
be conserved at the national expense.
the state in the van {. the sectional
fight Of the BryAnites.
The union scale Of wages in Lead
vile. we are told. Was 50 a day for
everybody prior 10 1898. When the price
Of silver dropped below 60 cents an
ounce the working miners. being in
earnest In their belief that their pros
pcrity depended upon the restoration
Of the price. and believing the repre-
sensations Of the mlne-owners that
they could not operate gave at a loss.
agreed that $3.50 should be accepted for
some classes OF work until silver should
return 10 s3 cents an ounce.
Then n strange thing happened. It
was discovered that. even al the low
price OF silver. many Of the mines still
paid large dividends. The miners had
been deceived by the representations Of
the mine-Owners, and they resented
the deception. They were ground down.
oppressed. compelled to toll and mol
and suffer. while the millionaire owners
NJ silver mines grew richer, revealing
in luxury. II was seen that the mine
owner loved the laborer In the mines
only for the profit he could get out OF
him. Does II not follow that he loves
the laborer at other avocations only for
the good he can get out Of him?
II there ever was IA just strike Of la
Dor In the world 1t was the strike at
Lcadville three months ago, when 5000
men declared their right to a fair share
OF the results OF their labor. And yet
there was not and has not been the
remotest approach 10 fairness 10 the
position taken by the silver mine own
ers. They have brought In labor in
defiance OF the union and its scale Of
wages. and the output OF the mines
now Is 1900 ons OF silver daily. against
1000 tons before the strike began. The
mine-owners. naturally. have been In
creasing the output as fast as they
could. They have been spending their
millions TO bring about the election OF
Bryan and a free coinage congress,
and they have felt a natural desire to
be In a position TO take advantage Of
the market which they have hoped to
create for silver-with the aid OF the
votes OF deluded workingmen. They
appealed TO class feeling in other
while they stood ready 10 call
out the militia OF Colorado to shoot the
at home who would not submit
TO their dictatlon.
Now a strike is a lamentable thing,
under any circumstances. II is dOubly
TO be lamented when the mob spirit is
aroused. and when men maddened be-
yond reason blindly destroy property
TO injure the pockets OF those they can
not reach in person. Nevertheless the
mine owners OF Leadville should
be consistent. II class war is a good
hing outside OF Colorado, II insecurity
II property is desirable in other states.
Why should their property be made Sc
'ure by the government? The appeal
labor on behalf Of free silver would
,e more worthy OF respect II the most
distinguished Of the Bryanites showed
| disposition to abide by the logical re-
Iults OF their own teachings.