The times., 1901-06-17
STRIKES IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Six Thousand Men Idle as the Resdit
of Labor Troubles.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 16.-Business IN
this city has been seriously affected by
the six big strikes which have occurred
since May l. over 5000 men are idle
with no immediate prospect of the settle
ment of the difficulties between employ
ers and employees. Already neaIS
S4OO,0 coo has been lost in wages Dy ths
strikers, and the employers nave lost
fully as much in profits. Fully $zoO'VOo
has disappeared from general clrculatioh'
as this represents the difference between
the wages lost and the Sl00,OW pald III
strike benefits. The strikers who are out
are $500 iron moiders. shipbuilders, ana
allied trades; 1900 machinists, 6e5 COOKS
and walters, and 10OO butchers
In all these trades employers aBreeu "
reduce the hours of work and to advance
wages. but they refused absolutely "
permit unionizing their SHOPS as tHey g
asserted that this would be the sur 5H,s
of the control of their business. LHeS
formed an association and asreeu "
close their places until this union ue
mand was withdrawn. The result mas mas
been the closing of several oL tns "a iIE;on
establishments in the city, like the CHioI,
Works and the Risdon Iron works. anu @
the throwing out of employment OF an an
army of men at the very season "heii
work is urgently demanded .l
With the forces of capital against tLieiii I
the union agtators see that the only nope
of success Is to cripple the industries iS 'hr. a.
furnish food to the pubic alllhs ~
their attempt to close the restaurants
they egged on the strike among the
butchers but this strike rallied frlddy;
when the journeYmen butcherS retuII.Suu III u
to work in the big slaughternonseS. Inc IhSS
net result of this army of idle men ana
this reduction of business in so many II. IL
dustries is a great shrlnKase IN @ @tIte
amount of money spent even LOT hs IIe
| necessaries of / e. San Francisco ought
to have had a busy and prosperous SUN SUN
mer but the season is now dun, all DUST
ness is seriously hurt, and there Is ho
stimulus to stf-t new industries until Ihe
| present trouble is ended.
The Employers Association OF san
/ Francisco, which has beaten the strikers
! at every point, is the most periectiy 1tl!
! eauipped organization of capital ever seen
/ in th4S country. 1t has large means, anu
| By its power over many Industries II i
sure to defeat the labor unions IN the emu
! II is the first test of the power OF organ
lied capital against organized labor, arld
| the results so far show that labor has
| suffered in the conflict.
/ Sensational reports were printed mere
| this week of big frauds in army goods at
the Preside. 1t was declared, on the au-
| thority of a local police captain, that
! thousands of pairs Of new army shoes,
many blankets and shirts, and tons OF
rations were being offered for sale by
small local dealers, VINO evidently secured
| their supplies direct from the ofhcl&ls II
the quartermaster 5 department care
| ful Investigation showed there was nc
| deficit in the quartermaster s stores, anc
that these goods were simply sold by re-
| turning soldiers from Manila. VINO nave
| a mania for bartering Uncle Sans sup
| plies of clothing and food. Nine out o.
J ten of the soldiers seen on the street d'
| not wear army shoes, and as soon as they
! are mustered out they sell their uniforms
| The system Of accounts in the quarter
masters department at the Preside
| over which Col. Oscar II. Long presides
is such that no one couid dispose oI aIii3