The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-09
THE STRIKE CASES.

citation at Buffalo abandoned the eff
fort to adjust the troubles with striking
grain shovelers at that port. The State
Board Of Mediation and Arbitration, it
is reported, are unable to get at the
root of the trouble and have no hope
of being able to bring the contractors
and the men together. 1t seems that
the grain shovelers rejected the propo-
sition, submitted by the State Board
of Arbitration, board be it noted
raised under the law at the especial in
stance of the organized labor element in
the State of New York
This proposition was the result Of
joint action by the board, the Lake
Carriers Association, the Elevator, and
the express companies and the United
Trade and Labor Council. To this plan
of settlement the contractor Corners,
against whom the strike is aimed, had
acceded, he yielding most of the things
contended for by the strikers. But it
seems that the President Of the strik-
ing organization would not even SUBJ
init the proposition to the men. APP
pealed to to at least Let them vote upon
DIT he insolently answered no" Even
when the Labor Committee wrestled
with him to submit the plan to vote, he
dictatorially refused Thus one man
becomes the sole judge Of what the set
Element Of this grave difficulty shall be.
The workers put their liberties, their
consciences and their judgment into his
keeping and he becomes practically
their possessor while they occupy the
position of bond men to a leader who
is logged, unreasonable and insulting
even to the other bodies of organized
labor which besought him to concede
something. But his response was and
is, that until the contract system is
abandoned he will permit of no settle
ment.
1t is here to be noted that the union
represented by this man while assail-
ing the contract system is willing itself
10 enter into grain handling contract,
in fact to take the place Of Corners.
On Sunday renewed efforts to bring
about a settlement failed and the grain
shoveiers became still more defiant and
succeeded in preventing, by coaxing and
by intimidation, new men from coming
in to do the work necessary in grain
handling The threat now is to make
the strike sympathetic call out the
1ongshoremen along the chain Of the
Great Lakes, and thus tie up the COM
merce OF the West so far as it is affect
ed by water transit.
The attitude of the strikers at Bue-
violence may be had at any moment.
Lawlessness seems to be openly advo-
Gated, and that it will take place is
expected. The trouble is one that kin
dies very little sympathy in the public
mind for the strikers AS far as we are
able to get at the matter the people
who are innocent are to be made to suf-
fer bitterly namely, the commercial
men, the carriers and the general pub
lic having to do with traffic about the
Great Lakes. These have the sympa-
thy of the people while the strikers seem
to be under the condemnation of the
public mind. It has come to a pretty
pass indeed If there is to be substituted
for law, orderly government and the
right Of men to work for a living, the
dictation of a small, determined and
threatening body Of men who propose
that the grain business of the West
shall be carried on as they dictate
Up at Duluth the strikers against the
street railway have resorted to force
and have the city under COW apparently,
while at wardner nearly a thousand Of
the miners and their aiders who blew
up certain mills and destroyed vast
quantities of property have been cor
rallied by the Federal troops, while a
like number are fleeing to the noun
tsins. These mem General Merriam de-
ciares, after patient investigation,
have no wrongs to complain of worthy
% resort to such means as they en-
ployed. He adds that the whole out
fit must be crushed while the Attorney
General emphatically declares that pun
ishlnent shall be melted out to the guilty
and THAT it shall be settled once for all
in Idaho whether the mob rules or due
authority prevails.
At latest advices the strikers in Gus
tody We're falling over. one another in
the endeavor to get in early with con-
fession of the whole conspiracy to de-
stroy, burn and murder if they pleased.
They hope Ey turning States evidence
to be able tc escape the seyerer penal
ties of the law. The organizations at
Wardner and over near Spokane are
declared by the Attorney General to
be criminal, and he and General Mer-
ram hase exacted from mill and mine
owners pledge that they will employ
no men from these unions, but will
stand by the officials in their determine
ton to break the backbone of criminal
1awlessnes5. The Attorney General de-
clares that the Miners Union in Sho-
shone County is peppered with bad
characters, notorious criminals and des-
peradoes who are guilty of doing and
leading the men to do the criminal acts
they have already committed. Twice
the county has been put under martial
law and it is now resolved to put an end
to the necessity for SO doing again.
Mine owners at a distance from
Wardner and living in Spokane, have