The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-06-22
ST. Louis Strike.

perity.
The learned Editor of the Mercury
is peculiarly sensitive since he al Howe d
himself to be Stampeded into the sem
atOrial race and sees politics in every
thing. His mental eye distorts SO
simple statement as the above quo.
tation into an attack on his cherished
beliefs(?) Under these peculiar con.
ditiOns we are afraid to quote the
Lords Prayer or the ten command
ments for fear he would rise up in
righteous wrath and aSsail them as
pennicious populistic dOctrin, utterly
repugnant to the republican party
and clearly unconstitutional. 1t is a
sad commentary on the mental bal
lance of Mr.. Smith when he can draw
a moral and point out a lesson on
PROSPERITY from the labor conditions
in st Louis where many lives have
been sacrificed and say that strikes
follow prosperity, The fact that he
sees evidence of prosperity in this
deplora BILE condition only shows how
far politics can lead astray the judge
ment of naturally just man. In his
present frame OF mind. He would
und oudnly if he should meet the lowly
Nazaren preaching the dOctrin of 1900
years ago, goodwill, brotheraly love,
and equal even handed justice, to all.
Efe would denounce him as a danger
Gus agitator advocating impossible
conditions and one whom the COM
,nitee on public safety should un-
dOu btedly take in charge We feel
crb shed to earth by this attact on US.
1t was SO sudden. We Cid not exsect
it. We admit tnat we are often ig-
norant on subjects wherein our more
or less esteemed contemporary might
greatly enlighen MS. but our worst
| enemy does uot think that we ever
| malicously mistake facts. He should
bear with our weakness and remember
that by kind and gentle leading we
may eventually be brought to such a
| moral altitude and sublime hieght.that
| our editorial utterances may stand
side by side with those of the editor of
| the Mercury, on the pinnacle of truth.
| Mr.. Smith takes Us into his conf
dence and lets, us in on the ground
floor reserved for him and the only
other. who knows all things and tells
Us what he don't know about this
strike in the following languages:
/ What are the facts about the ST
Louis strike? Simply these. There
| is no question of pay or hours. The
employees are satisfied with the daily
wage they are Receiving; they are sat
| istied with the hours they are working;
there is no dispute or controversy
| owe" anything even remotely connect
ed with these vital matters. The
strike is called BECAUSE to accede to
the following demands. That every
| employee of the company shall be a
member of the union. That when the
union drops a man, the company
| shall immediately discharge him and
| when the union reinstates him the
company shall again employ him.
| That all disputes between men and
company shall be adjusted by the
officers of the union"
From the pOsitiveness with which he
makes the above statements we would
feel compelled to believe them did we
| knot know that they are absolutely
untrue. State Labor Commissioners
Johnson was here yesterday and says
that the difficulty in ST. Louis is be-
tween the cOnsOlio ated traction COM
panies. T, presenting every line in the
city but one, and. the labor unions.
The traction people are fully alive to
the advantages OF combiuation in
their case and equally aware that it is
to their interest that their employees
should be disorganized, hence 'the ef-
, fert to b"ek up the unions.
The principal demands OF the strik-
erS cover thrSe points: tirst-An In
crease in wages from Il to 10 cents
Der hour OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
| working hours SO that men can make
;Luay Oh Il hours without having 20
| put IN from i6 to is hours to % it, on
;.ccount of lay-outs Ihird-The same
| tecOS SuitiOn Oh the unions aS Is accord
ed the unions in other trades.
The company ObSolutcly refused t.
| give these demands any consideration
| and the strike is the result.
| This large hearted philanthropi,t.
who 20 doubt derires to go to the sen
ate that nv may labor in the interests
OF tue wage Garner ana against the
| trusts am cO;nnines sapo: Not sat
listed With striking they began mur-
derlns men employ ed 10y the company
co lake Their pIiices. 1ney have Ges-
j TROY Ell ine com ,any 5 properly. They
! have blown up cars on.which innocent
people mert. ridip.. They have mob
ted and beaten c'tlZeuS OF St.Louls
who rode Oh the cars. etc
| Truly if our friend knows all these
facts he so gllbly aaserss he could
gel much honor aud great reward by
| going co the city and pointing out the
guilty ones among tho strikers tor
mark the fact, while all of this lawles-
| ness has been going ou. not one sol
| itary striker has been convicted Tor
any of this violence. On the other
hand numerous deputies have been
lhuicted, il the dispatches are ~ be Le-