The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-26
THE STRIKE FAILURE,

Every one will regret the failure of
the miners and operators to reach any
adjustment Of the differences between
| them. From this time forward it is 20
be war, and it would be too much to
expect that the future will be as
free from deplorable incidents invoIv-
ing loss of property and life as has
if, in this instance, some agreement to
arbitrate might have been reached, be-
| cause the men have shown such mod
GRAFTON in their conduct that every con-
| ceSsion should have been made that
their employers could make with prop
er regard for their own interests. We
cannot say, and no one at this distance
and unfamiliar with the details of the
business of coal mining can say, on
which side justice lies. Probably, as
! is the almost universal rule, each party
in the contest has elements of right
on his side, and the middle ground of
compromise to be reached by arbftra-
ton would have been equitable to both
|
! strike, such as this has been from
the beginning, marked by self-control
and the absence of disorder, degener-
| ate, as it inevitably must into strug-
gle of physical force
There is little doubt that the OPP
orators can open their mines and keep
them running with imported labor.
The unrestricted competition of labor
in the worlds market, the only COM
| modify which is not yet brought with
in the circle of benefits bestowed by
the trust, makes it a practical certain
ty that an employer can at any time
fill the vacancies of his men from the
unemployed. Those whom he hires will
not be as efficient as those whose plac-
es they take They may, indeed, be
little desired for the places. Yet the
men can be had. The close crowding
in the large cities toward the line of
mere subsistence, and the constant
accession from abroad to the ranks of
labor, insure an ample supply of ma
ter1al for the least attractive and worst
paid occupations. Such transfer in
wolves an incalculable amount of suf
fer1ng and hardship and abg financial
loss on either side. 1t will be months
before the companies, even if let alone.
can drill their new men into equal eff
cheney with the old, and it would be
years before the miners thrown out of
work Pnn16
and find other employment While the
adjustment is going on there are sure
to be savage reprisals, and it will be
both fortunate and unusual if the con-
fffct between the new men and the old
does not call for the intervention Of
military authority
A civilized community ought not to
be reduced to such choice as this. AS
far as we can gather, it is the almost
unanimous opinion of those well in
| formed that there is justice in the de-
mands of the men for increased wages.
Congress has just directed the fuel con-
sumers of this country to pay more
for their coal by raising the tariff on
OIie SIdue anu Imposing q new and Of
fensive tax on another for the benefit
of the employers. The share which
the men asked did not seem to be I'M
reasonable. Even if there is truth in
the contention of the operators that
the advance requested is too great for
the business to sustain, a compromise
could almost certainly have been reach
ed but for the refusal of a few on
orators to listen to reason There are
hot heads and extremists among the
employers as well as among the men.
and the deplorable issue of the strike
seems to be due largely to the former
element. Whatever the outcome now.
and one can scarcely hope for the best.
the strike has at least served one use
full purpose in exhibiting to the labor
organizations of this country the posi-
bility and the value Of a campaign con-
Quoted within the lines of law and or
der, and, therefore, the most effective
Of it's kind that the country has seen.
The Republican party may be a party of
luck their opposition claims hut II ic