Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-04
Tho Problem OF Strikes.

strikes all over lile ldiu' 100
numerous enough here in New Eng
land but they are worse through the
middle West. There have been rlots
| in Chicago with several men killed.
and many more wounded. A soldier on
guard duty was shot down III cehtra'
Now York These strikes are not III
our mills but are mainly in the puiio-
ing trades. involving especially the
granite workers, and affecting numer-
Gus lines of industry
| What IS the meaning of all this?
WHY are the working men 50 uneasy
and the labor unions 50 activeE 1t IS
simplv an evidence and result OF the
prevailing good times. Prosperity IS
| not an unmixed Llessing, for 1t has
been shown before as is being done
INV. that IT causes most of the strikes
and labor troubles. The country was
| never more prosperous than at the
| nresent time: every branch of Ameri-
can industry is active; employment is
seeking men rather than men seeking
employment; and wages have been
raised until they were never upon
higher level. And as a result and ac-
commandment of this, the workingmen
have more money than before and the
labor organizations are strong IN
funds. They are jealous Of the pros
perity of their employers and want
larger share of the good times for
themselves. They have their employ
crs at a disadvantage when work Is
piling up ahead and good contracts
made. and they seize the moment to
hours and more pay. If times were
hard. work difficult to get, and
there existed an imminent danger of
| the establishment closing for lack of
orders there would be no strike or
| talk of a strike.
And to look at these matters fairly
it is well to bear in mind that labor
has its combinations now as well as
capital. The industrial class has trusts
of its own, while denouncing 50 bitter
~ those of the capitalists. Not wholly
in sclf-defcnse. either, have these great
combinations Of labor been formed. fer
they are viciously active to take ad-
vantage of any embarrassment in
which capital may find itself. 50 ii is
through the great unions, often led by
INSCRIPTIONS dcmagogues, that strikes
are now 50 far reaching in their effects
and become oftcntimcs SO ncedlessly
destructive to life and property.
Ii is the privilege of a laborer to
strike if he wants t.. The man who
does not care t. work at the rri ae
| offered for his services is free to say
| that he will not work unless h" is paid
more. But the rights Of strikers 90 no
| further. 1t il; not right, for instance.
for one man to Kill another because
the latter Will not quit work with him.
1t is not right for body Of strikers to
| combine to resist law and destroy
| property in their blind hatred of the
| employing class. 1t is not right for
these great organizations Of labor to
conspire t. deprive the public of luNu-
rics and necessities, Of transportation
ana fuel and food, that pressure may
be put upon their employers t. bring
| them to terms. But these are the
methods often employed by strikers
who seek. sometimes with reason and
sometimes unjustly. to get more wages
than their employers deem it possible
or necessary to pay them. The vicious
| influences at the head of many of the
| labor unions have done labor more
| harm than good, and yet the members
| through cowardice or the cheating of
| their own conscience suffer themselves
| to be- led from one strike to another,
| bringing suffering to their homes, do
| ing murder, upsettng business. and
filling their own lives with bitterness.
1t is true that labor often has
wrongs that need righting, but seldom
have they been riShted by strikes and
never by lawlessness. Capital does
not 50 often or 50 wantonly seek to
take advantage Of labor as labor does
If capital There is no doubt, also
that many strikes are begun under the
honest misrepresentation that higher
wages can be paid with profit to the
employer than are being paid. Either
such misunderstanding or malice
against non>union workmcn is tho
basis of a great many of our strikes
and the greed and ambition of loafing
labor leaders" account for many
others. With these conditions exist
ing, what is to be done? Will society
remain forever passive under such cir.
cumstancos? Are organized strikes
ana strikers Il necessary burden fol