The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-17
pBrYArE CoNrRovERsr.

A PRITATE CONTROVERSY
Unlike every other strike of lockout
of large proportions that has taken place
for many years, that which has just
been brought to a close ends without
having aroused the sympathies OF the
public in favor of either of the parties
to the contest. The reason of this is
quite obvious. Neither of the parties
was willing to take the public into its
confidence, and each was equally intent
for its own purposes on deceiving the
public as to the true condition of af-
fairs
naturally have been on the side of the
strikers did the mana cement of the strike
admit of it. But, without either tact
or sense of responsibility, Shaffer and
his associates at the very outset made
it plain that the struggle was between
two monopolies. 1t was Hobson's choice
with the public 1t was as If two
bandits had started to slit each others
windpipe, while the disinterested OBJ
server stood idly and indifferently by.
When President Gompers appeared on
the scene with his public declaration it
was too late to convince any, as he
sought to convince the public, that any
higher question was involved in the con-
troversy than which of the two bandits
should get the others purse.
Had the issue been squarely made be-
tween unionism on the one hand ana
have been moments doubt as to where
the public would stand. But there was
no such issue; or, if there were, it was
an afterthought The true issue was one
as to whether the steel trust would allow
the control of all its mills to pass over
to the prospective labor trust, and be
thus made the more easy victim Of any
exactions which might be attempted in
the matter Of wages. On this issue the
struggle was made to rest. The outcome
is victory for the steel trust.
result of the strike. 1t is that in such
contests the public interest is utterly lost
sight of by both parties. If the struggle
against the trusts is ever to be made
in this generation the labor organizations
tending as they do distinctly toward in
dustrial exclusion-will not be found on
the side of the people. Identity of prin-
ciple and interest will keep them with the
trusts as against the consuming public.
There are those who still believe that
when the struggle against the domination
of the trusts does come labor organiza-
tions will be found on the side Of the peo-
pie. The steel strike presents no such
view. On a larger scale it vindicates the
principle of a recent understanding
among the plumbers of Minneapolis, by
which the journeymen plumbers organ
ization had entered into a combine with
the master plumbers organization where
by it was impossible for any master
master plumbers organization to hire
union plumber. In this way the combine
of men and masters had hoped to corner
the local market for plumbing work. and
make such charges as the greed Of the
combine might suggest.
When labor organizations seek to &C
complish the same end as the trusts the
public should treat them on the same
plane. The G. b would be glad to
see every factory and shop in the entire
country organized. But when, if ever,
the labor organizations are able to die
tate their terms to the trusts, which now
so effectually control the world of Amer
lean industry, it will still remain a seri-
Gus question whether that power will be
exercised for the good of the common
wealth or only for the further satisfac-
ton of the greed of those who possess it.