The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-26
rHE srRIKE PRonLEM.


The newspapers are all the time discuss
ing the race problem. the trust problem.
the railroad rate problem and various
other problems, but they have little or
nothing to say about the strike problem
The reason is probably that so many ef-
forts have been made 10 solve that prob
lem and without success.
There is a great street railroad strike at
present in St. Louis. and the labor unions
in Chicago are still at war with the
builders and contractors of that city.
There have been about a hundred strikes
Of one kind and another in this country
since the beginning of this year, and now
that prices are taking downward turn It
is not improbable that there will be hum
dred more before the end of the year. In
the 81. Louis strike there has been great
deal OF violence and a number Of persons
have been killed. The courts have issued
injunctions and the Governor has threat
ened to call out the state troops to pre-
serve order. He may succeed in putting an
end to the strike, but soldiers and in
functions are not the means by which
strikes can be prevented
in which they could be prevented. 1t
would seem as if more could be accom-
phshed by compulsory arbitration than in
any other way. In one Of the papers read
at the industrial convention recently held
al Chattanooga. this method of dealing
with labor troubles in the South was re-
commended. 1t might be advisable to give
it trial. The main objection 10 it is the
difficulty in getting arbitrators in whom
both sides have confidence.
1t is evident that steps Of some kind
ought to be taken for the prompt settle
ment Of labor troubles. Here in the
South these troubles are not as frequent
as they are at the North but the time is
approaching when the South, In all prob
ability. VIII have its full share of them.
The building Of factories of one kind and
another is going on at rapid rate, and
as the wage-earning population increases
differences between employers and en-
ployes will become more frequent
II will not be so very long before this
country will have population of a hun
dred millions. When that time comes it is
pretty certain that there will be more
strikes and bigger strikes than there are
a. present, though they are alarmingly fire.
quent and big now, unless some way is
found for the prompt settlement OF labor
troubles. The United States are destined
TO do the manufacturing for very large
part of the world. Her workmen are more
intelligent than those Of any other coun-
try and they will continue to be so. They
viii meet intelligence with intelligence in
labor wars.
In view of the danger to the whole
country there is in strikes. No effort
should be spared TO find means
for avoiding them. or at least
for settling them promptly. The
apprehension that was caused by the
great railroad strike in the West during
Mr.. Cleyeland's last administration is NOT
yet forgotten. Had not the government in
terfered and sent troops to Chicago, where
the rioting had assumed a very threaten
ing phase, there would have been a con-
dition of affairs in many parts of the
country verging on civil war.
The strike problem is becoming more i'm
portant every day. 1t is much more i'm
portant than some OF the other problems
to which great attention is being given
A mistake is being made in depending
upon the ordinary means for settling
strikes as they occur. Efforts ought 10
be made TO find some way of adjusting
labor troubles that would be acceptable in
all parts of the country.