The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-30
A CENTURY OF
GREAT STRIKES.
The Labor Strike Began One Hun
dred Years Ago and Will
Die Out, it is Be-
Iieved, with
1900,

be a strike among their employees anu
one of them added that the strlHe "ouIu
be unknown in the history of labor aIter
the nineteenth century-JnsI as Il as
before the eighteenth
This reeaDt that capital was coming
"a appreciate 3 hcT.
The recent strike ii idaho was milo; So
also the threatened Minnesota trouble
Strikes are growing less: vet at one time
the Threatened the prosperity OF the
country. 1t is no more than i've years
ago this August that there was a bread
riot. led by Emma Goldman, in New
York City The strike in various forms
menaced all industry.
The conditions have so changed IN the
last three years that now. if a strike -
threatened the capitalist invites the lead
ers TO consult him, not alone that ne
fears their power, but because he KNOWS
that they are men, Ike himself. lntrust-
ed with certain powers. and that they
have ground to stand upon Education
has raised labor.
THE FIRST STRIKE.
The first strikes occurred in New York
Cirv 4 little over one hundred years ago
The iourneyman bakers asked for
higher wages. the request was refused
and they stopped working The leaders
were arrested, and the bakers went to
work again.
The strike of the bakers was the only
outbreak for half a century
The Republic was formed. and the
workingmen of Boston, New York and
Philadelphia. the cradle of the Nations
infantiIe industries. believed that wages
would be higher. labor easier. A Repub-
lie must mean that. they thought
''AlI men are equal. they SAID.
Soon they learned that a fine phrase
is not always a truth, and that even
truth may be imperative. From 1too
to 1870 wages rose, but from the latter
year onward they began to recede To-
ward the old standard.
In 1876 the boot and shoe makers OF
Philadelphia held a meeting, declared
that they could not live on the pay given
them. and struck for higher wages.
They failed. and after weeks of hun
ger returned to work in humbleness.
In 1913 the same men repeated their
effort, and were successful IN securing
the advance In the following year the
employers felt stronger, and announced
a cut TO the old rate Again the men
struck and after 4 long struggle COM
promise was effected
JACK TARS' STRIKE
The sailors who came into the port or
New York-there were American sailors
then-had long complained of unjust ma
rine laws and illegal practices by the
shipping masters. Getting no legal re
dress. in 1903 they struck The ship
owners tried coercion When seaman
refused to go on a voyage for which he
had signed articles he was seized and
carried aboard.
Indignation grew among the marines.
and one morning New York's citizens
Gwoke to learn that the wharYes had
been seized by armed sailors, most OF
them drunk. and all ready for rebellion
The city authorities tried to arrest the
leaders, and bloody riots followed.
The year. 1905 produced a new phase
of the strike Then for the first time
since the Stars and Stripes were raised,
strikes were punished by law There
were Philadelphia shoemakers, dissat-
isfied as of old; and after they had been
out several weeks, the employers got
the ear of a local magistrate. and the
strike leaders were arrested and fined
This was their heinous crime, legally
stated:
Conspiracy to raise wagesp'
In 1871 the Albany printers. who had
formed a union, struck against the en-
plOyment of non-union men in a news
paper Office In two days the employers
yielded Printers were then, as now,
among the most intelligent workingmen
and the news of their victory spread
rapidly.
In Boston. in 1889, the carpenters and
masons struck for a shorter working
day. and failed because of dissensions
among themselves.
The weavers of Paterson, N J.. struck
IN 1880 for a shorter day, and failed
after six weeks of idleness.
In the same year the coal-yard labor
ers in Philadelphia went out. and the
strike was compromised with the raising
of wages 1215 cents a day, a good deal
OF money in that period.
From 1896 TO 1912 there were twenty
strikes, most of which were unsuccess-
fui, the strikers winning in but two
stances.
The spread of strikes may be traced to
the growth-almost unnatural in its
quickness-of three American properties:
iron works, coal mines, railroads.
The history of labor troubles, since
1870 proves that nine strikes out of ten
have been of labOrers in these three in
dustries. With every new line of rail-
way was opened a territory to be affect
ed by a general strike.
Iron was the first of the all-powerful
trio to be attacked In 1912 the Pitts
burg bosses reduced wages. The men
struck against the reduction But the
men had no organization, and after four
months they returned to work, as badly
battered as if they had been literally
striking against iron.
They were not as fortunate as the
Philadelphia weavers, who in 1913 won
a strike after destroying considerable
property.
The irOn-workers, however. had been
taught a lesson, and began the forma-
ton of union Three years were spent
in building up the organization. and in
1S45 they renewed the conflict with their
employers After three months wages
were raised 10 the standard demanded.
For i've years the men were nearer
contentment than ever before Then
the mill-Owners again complained of the
depression in trade. of falling markets,
of the absolute need of reducing wages
Deeds followed words, and pay was cut
OF course the men struck
Then capital tried. for the first time.
s course that has since become terribly
common. The militia was called out
The following year was one of strikes
There were riots everywhere. the entire
militia of Massa chusetts being called
out to conquer the rebellious shoema kers