The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-11
AT CLEVELAND AND ELSEWHERE.
The WOrkinRman's Side Of the Strike
Situation Given.
John Parsons, in Golfers Weekly.

John Parsons, in Golfers Weekly.
Labor organizations among all kinds of
workmen have long since been regarded as
of the greatest necessity to their members
when work is scarce, as then those who are
idle would seek the places of those at
work-for less wages or longer nours-ex-
cept for the organization which encourages
them to be fair to their fellow-men; for
workingmen know that the men who are
looking for work are the men who regulate
the wages of any trade craft, and in
maintaining wages for its members and
regulating the wages of all, the labor union
has been success. Strikes are no evidence
pose the greed of our great corporations,
who desire to further increase their profits
by imposing upon labor.
1t is said there should have been no strike
at Cleveland. This is absolutely true. There
would have been no strike had 1t not been
for the desire of these new officers OF the
company to make record for themselves by
imposing upon the men,. And as We are
told that these men at Cleveland were only
farm hands, and had no experience in or
ganization, their actions showed them TO be
men filled with that wizard-word which or
CARNATIONS of labor are charged with using,
Manhood" This word should be made the
password into all society, as it represents
a trait of character peculiar to the Ameri-
can people. which restraints the hand that
would make the people of our country
slaves for the benefit of few. The men at
Cleveland have shown that they are not
ready to accept unfair conditions without
resistance. In the strike at that city the
issue depended entirely upon public support,
and for this both the company officers and
the men were contending. From the start
public sympathy with the men. until
the dastardly hand of the assassin was en-
ployed to cause alarm, by endangering in
nocent lives by the use of violence. AS to
who should be responsible for such acts,
first thought would at once suggest the
strikers; and, in the absence of any proof,
circumstances alone must be considered. No
one will contend that the cause of the
strikers could be benefited by the use Of
with their cause. while the company needed
just such help as these overt acts supplied
So. whatever the motive which inspired the
act. the result was most damaging to the
cause of the men; and no one knew better
than the leaders of the strike what effect
such action would have upon their cause.
During the Brooklyn railroad strike, a
dynamite explosion occurred, for which
many of the strikers were arrested, and
held upon the sworn statement of private
detective In the employ of the railroad COM
his statement was thrown out, because it
was not based upon facts. and also in con-
panys detective. All of these men have
entered suit against the company for false
imprisonment, which may result in heavy
damages being paid them In New York
city also, during the strike upon the Met
ropolitan Traction Company's lines, one Of
the motermen was arrested, charged with
brought to trial the evidence would not
sustain the charge, and the man had to be
held upon another, or make farce of his
arrest The use of violence in case of
strikes Is always against the interests OF
the men. and investigation into many Of the
instances where violence is used would show
that the strikers were not responsible for its
USE The intelligent labor organization of
to-day deplores the necessity of having to
strike. as a means to adjust differences with
employers. for the actual losses to them.
when compared to the gains, show a bal
ance on the wrong side. Many years ago
the Knights of Labor. seeing the Ruthless
ness OF strikes established their order upon
the sound principle of arbitration, for which
they still stand firm. This principle has
since become the means of settlement not
alone between employers and employees
but also between the nations OF the earth.
By this means many disputes are avoided