Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-14
INDUSTRIAL COM MISSION
MIR, COFFIN OF FLORIDA TALKS OF
THE LABOR TRUST.
What Causes Strikes-AEnfnst the
Labor UniOnS-Nr. bacon on
Railway Rates.

tri its relation to capital. Mr.. Coffin con-
tended that the relation of organized la
Dor to non-union labor and the right to lib
erty of contract is, as is well known by all
who have given the matter attention, a re-
latfon of suppression of non-union labor by
Ia Dor combinations whenever and wherever
it can by any means in it's power pro-
duce such oppression, using force even to
the death when it can attain its end by no
other means, and should non-union labor
surrender to combination without force
being used. then it simply means death
by slow starvation. for where not strenu-
Gus in their own behalf those who are not
IN the labor trust are allowed no favors
and no chance to earn their bread
1T is matter of placing their liberty in
the hands of a walking delegate, submit
ting to enforced idleness with all its at
tendant evils. taking their places in the
fields of labor ready to combat force with
force. if need be. even to the death. Labor
unions in the relations to non-union men
simply say by their political governors,
You must do as say and submit to our
dictation or you shall not labor for your
self. your wife or your little ones. In
skilled labor Is seldom organized to an eX-
tent to play any serious part IN the great
labor problem so far as organization goes.
Causes Leading to Strikes.
The several causes leading up to strikes
in my observation are. first, the walking
delegate a man usually who desires TO
earn living from the muscles of others
born and cultivated agitator. who though
himself prospecting largely from the cara
ings of others cannot bear to see peace pre-
vail for fear that the sinecure he enjoys
will be lost: therefore he insinuates sua-
gestions into the minds of those most
ready to receive them-a chance grievance
q g.
gerates instead of removes. The leaven
works the whole mass is stirred. particle
by particle man by man. until the whole
finally overnows in a strike without cause
or reason to the injury of all concerned,
the laburer most of all.
Second in the category l should place
the great crime of greed. but always and
ever in instigating and producing the effect
from these causes comes in the agitdtor
1t is sometimes that the greed Is on
the other side and narrow minded employ
erS grind the wages of labor down to Such
point that no respectable man can I'VE
upon the stipend. and this causes s;rtEe.
in which both are equally injured though
In this case the laborer instead of the en-
ployer has The respect Of the community
The third cause is the e!npluymt mt 'i
non-union men in shop where the labor
combinations trying 20 obtain and keep
absolute control. This cause attacks the
right not only of the employer to manage
his own affairs, but 1t attacks the right
of an American CitiZ, n to earn SuhSls-
tence for himself and his loved ones. it
attacks ihe very principle laid down in the
Constitution of equal rights to all men; II
forms a class which arrogates to Itself ex-
elusive privileges and denies equal rights
to others; it forms gigantic trust beside
which the so-called trusts or aggreGations
of capital pale into insignificance."
Railway Notes.
At the afternoon session Mr.. r. Bacon
of the Michigan Alkal Company talked on
the question of railway rates He contend
ed that there should be but one traffic as
sociation in the United States; that traffic
association, under the supervision of the
interstate commerce commission, should
make all the freight schedules.
There should be no Central Traffic AS
sociation. There should be no Western
Traffic Association There should be no
Southern Traffic Association. One traffic
association is enough Let one traffic as
sociation make the freight rates. and then
we will know what those rates are. As it
Is we are all at sea We STAR our goods
under one classification They may pass
through one or two other traffic assOcia-
tions territory, and finally arrive in an
other taking a different classification
through each different traffic association
territory which 1t may pass or enter. The
different traffic associations now haze diff
ferent rates. Compare the Central Traffic
Association rates with those of the West
ern. Then compare those two with the
Southern Traffic Association. Go west Of
the Mississippi river or south of the Ohio
river and you are all at sea when com
pairing their classification with those of the
Central Traffic Association schedules.
Recent Raise In Freishts.
THE recent raise In the freight rates on
some products is an outrage on both the
manufacturer and the consumer.
II believe 1892 was considered flush
times with the railroads of this country.
Then came time of depression in all kinds
of business, but the railroads did not put
down their rates during these hard times,
and the rates considered high enough for
the flush times of 1892, and which have
been prevailing ever since, up to the end
of 1889 should be high enough for 1860.
They claim the cost of equipment has been
increased. but that increase is offset by the
decreased cost Of operation, which has been
reduced to a minimum.
THE reports Of the railroads show that
their earnings have increased, while the
cost of operating the reads has decreased,
and these same reports show that the rail-
roads made good dividends with the rates
existing in 1899, and there was good
reason 10 raise the rates on January ], 1900.
But they say they must share in the pros
pcrity of the country. They did. and would
share in the general prosperity under the
old rates. as shown by the increased bust
ness that exceeds the capacity and equip
ment OF the roads, 50 much SO that they
have been troubled to take care of and
move the business that has come to them
from the general prosperity of the country.
prosperity Is not stimulated or advanced
by raising freight rates, but by the accu-
mulating and increased volume of bust
ness.