Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08
FACTS FOR p AVID LARoR

$500 ~ - AND ADO
The prevailing conflicts between capt.
tai and labor make more than ordl.
narily interesting and instructive the
facts presented by the United States
commissioner Of labor, Carroll D.
Wright, regarding strikes in this coun-
try. The statistical history Of these
conflicts goes back no further than 1881
and the period covered by Mr.. Wright
Is from that year to 1900. OF course
there were strikes before 1881, but the
data concerning them were not col
lected In a m~ethodical way and there
fore are Of little value. For instance,
there were two formidable strikes of
railroad employees in 1877, particularly
that against the Pennsylvania railroad
at Pittsburg, which was characterized
by serious r1oting, but not much of sta
tistical value was recorded in regard to
these. -
The most extensive and ~far-reaching
of the historic strikes was that at Chi
cage in June and July, 1894, but Mr..
Wright says that the conflict possessing
the most interesting, thrilling and dra-
matte incidents was the Homestead af.
fair of July 4, 1892, 1 n which blood was
shed and it was necessary to send sol
diers to the scene to restore order. The
year marking the elimination Of labor
controversies in the nineteenth century
was 1894, when the Pullman strike at
Chicago, the Lehigh Valley strike, the
strike on the Great Northern railroad
and other strikes of minor Importance
took place. Reference is made by Mr..
Wright to the steel strike of 1901 as
being especially interesting because for
the first time the issue was in regard
to the right of the association of work
ers to demand the unionizing of the
mills, on which the association failed.
This strike is estimated to have resulted
In a loss Of wages amounting to
$4,O00,OO0.
The instructive and impressive facts
in connection with these conflicts during
twenty years relate to the losses suf-
fered by employers and employees, which
are estimated to have been over $46S,-
600, 900. In 1881 there were All strikes
and the money loss of employees was
$3,372,57S and of the employers $1,919,-
4S3. In the year 1900, twenty years
later, the number of strikes in the
country was Ito, or nearly four times
greater, the loss in wages was $1S,341,-
7EO ood tba loss. of ornnIovare waS 60 =
431,299. Only one year in the twenty
showed a larger money loss from
strikes than 1900, and that was 1894,
when the business depression was great
and all industry was greatly disturbed.
The total loss in wages in the twenty
years of strikes approaches $250,00O 900.
Such facts ought to arrest the attention
and command the serious consideration
of both labor and capital. They mean
not only much injury to the general
welfare, but in respect to labor more or
less Of ~privation and hardship. The
anthracite coal strike has already cost
the miners several millions Of dollars
in loss of wages and while the opera
u0rS nave as yet suneIeu HO very BlSdb
loss, If any, the ~prOlongation Of the con-
hict cannot fail to result in their In
jury.
Mr.. Wright observes that the approx
mate statements are sufficient to con-
vince any right-minded person that
every effort that can be made to adjust
differences and deal with grievances in
such a way as to prevent an open out
break should be encouraged. Every
body will concur In this, but unfortu-
nately when controversies arise between
employers and employees it is nearly al
ways the case that n side obstinately
rejects efforts to prevent an open out
break and effect an amicable settle
ment The attitude of the anthracite
coal operators furnishes a notable in
stance of this.
SERSATloNALISM IN EDUCATION.