Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-08-21
TIE STRIKE CRISIS.

PerhapI the great blocking OF trsfll @
and ttaJe promised II the labor unions
generally join the request OF the coal
mi mere will not come, but 1t lie just
possible thatit viii. II 1t DOES so at
this time. 1t appears to MS that
| the immediate result will be Rd.
verse to the iaboring CLASSES who en-
gage In It, but the effect of iuch M
outcome Will be disastrous to the ma.
ton In the not far distant future.
Without taking eide with either
OF the combstsnts TO the present
struggle, 1t Is clear that two promi MT
characteristics mark the situation,
VIE: That the strikers are itritaled by
q feeling OF long continued oppression
ana by what they believe to be an at.
tempt to continue the bondage, until
they have little care what comes, it
could not be worse than eu bmlssior;
snd that the operators feel they have
tn power OF law and courts ON their
side, and that In such case combined
capital lie stronger than combined
labor, beciuse more resourcoful.
There Is no thought OF investigation
now by the strikers as to whether the
operators are treating their employees
fairly. The conclusion has been
reached thst they are not. 1t was
this conviction that made the strike
possible; and 1t is held by very many
OF thoee who refrain from joining the
strike, and who accept work from the
necessity Of their circumstances. o.
the part OF the employers, there is not
apparent any inclination to learn
whether or not their employees were
paid living wag 5: they were GEL
ting all the operators felt like
paying, and no more would be given
except under compulsIon. Thus the
TWO parties are brought face to fac
where neither will give way II 1t can
help II.
Now comes the crsis OF the stru qgle.
The heads Of the Fe leratlon o ( Labor
and OF the Knights OF Labor believe
that the strikers' cause should be
maintained; and they are not wi,ho at
large share Of public sympathy In
that View. II the congress cal q d for
the Both instant agrees with them,
there will be inaugurated a condition
beside which the great railway strike
OF 1894 VIII pale Into nslgnificance.
The strikers on this occasion have
been sirgularly free from acls OF
violence. With the new phsle instl.
luted 1t Is improbable that the same
estraint can be msiutaineI, hence
the imminent danger.
The question now lie, what VIII the
government do, or what eau II do?
Either the operators OF the s.rlkers
may be wrong, or both. While only
they were concerned, the national
government might refrain from in.
terieren oe when no overt act was com.
mittcd. But now the natio al wei.
fare is threatened. The danger is as
apparent as II an invading army
were gathered on our frontier, await
Ing only a Promised declaration OF
war. In this situation the government
can 90 something, and ought TO do n.
in sheer self defense. The people who
are to be affected by a pfolongalion Of
this trouble have a right 10 protection.
This & vsrnment, state and national,
should take holt OF the matter, and II
not by arbitration then by arbitrary
methods settle this COT filct on basis
luat to both parties. II 1t does not,
hen the time is close In the develop.
ment OF these labor troubles when
government settlement will be In
practicable. The orlsla is no longer
between the coal miners and the mine
operators 1t involves the nalion's |
peace and safety.