The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
BRITISH LABoR rs.
Employers Seem 10 ne Coming out Ahead
BiE Cotton strike Probable.
spsciai Cable Despatoh to THE sun.

Bir Cotton strike Probable.
Speoiai Cable Dsspatch 10 THE Sun.
LONDON. Doc. 4.-English employers stand
firm against the triple army of malcontents.
The cotton operatives bslloted to-day whether
to accept the reduction in wages. The result
was sure to be a refusal to accept lower wages,
and, consequently. a strike is most probable,
which, considering the stiff nature of the COM
batants. will be OF the bitterest description.
The threatened railroad strike appears al
ready to be crushed. The men. under irrespon-
sible and inexperienced leaders. have been talk
ing loudly and threatening to stop all the
Christmas traffic. The companies did not finch.
Level.headed labor leaders warned the men that
they would be fools to enter upon q struggle.
even on their own figures, only one-third Of
the railroad men belonging to the union. with
funds inadequate and the public indignant.
These labor leaders have warned the men that
they would meet the defeat of tho engineers.
They are already temporizing. The railroad
men present an example of Pope's type OF men
who are willing to wound, and yet afraid to
strike" Christmas will certainly not witness q
strike.
As for the engineers, they are utterly beaten.
The employers have been as adamant. The
conference, theoretically postponed, has re-
suited in a deadlock. The employers fatty re-
fuse to make the slightest concession on vital
points. The eight hours question they refuse
even to discuss, and 1t was under cover Of strik-
ing on this point that the unions hoped to carry
tho right to control In tho works. The masters
were equally ~resolute here. In q word, they
refuse to brook interference either in respect of
the men they shall employ or tho rate of wages
they shall pay to different classes of workmen.
They simply promise efficient wages to efficient
workmen.
Representatives Of the strikers who are sub
hitting propositions for ballot complain that
the idea pervading the whole scheme Of the en-
ployers IL individual bargaining between en-
ployers ana workmen. Only their consciousness
Of the serious position of their members induces
them to offer to ballot upon propositions that
are Numerically opposed to the first principles
of unionism.. This itself 10 q manifest confess
sion of weakness.
II the men accept, the masters will win abso-
lutely. If they refuse, their eventual defeat II
certain. Tho masters carry on their work moro
easily every month. There will probably be no
places left shortly for the majority of the
strikers even IL they offer to return on any
terms. Moreover, the prolongation Of the strike
10 disastrous for the men on account of tho
depletion of their funds. Tho colonies and
continent are not subscribing q sufficient
amount to support them. and their own funds
arc nearly exhausted. As regards Great Britain.
even their champion. the Chronicle, laments
that tho country 10 Indifferent or prejudiced.
This 10 true II the Chronicle means to nay that
all the uninterested public are Indifferent and
all the Interested think the masters are right
The Amalgamated Society of Engineers to-day
paid out the aum Of 237 900 as strike pay to
90, 900 strikers.