Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-10
Industrial Activity and Reaction.

There are Indications that the era
OF Industrial activity which we have
enjoyed during the past few years
has reached its food tide. In that
there Is now somewhat Of a reaction.
Already we see some contraction Of
industry by which workmen have been
rendered idle. II Is true that the
change is not pronounced, but II is
sufficiently evident for notice and de-
serves III consideration. More
especially should this receive our at
tention since quite recently. acting
upon the cue given BY II most pro.
~nounced antagonists, the capitalist
press has endeayored to place upon
our movement the responsibility for
the Industrial reaction. That the
charge is untrue Is fully capable Of
proof, and to which | shall refer later
herein. But attention Is called to the
fact that when the reaction first made
itself manifest one Of the great news
papers OF our country questioned the
representative employers, business
men. and fnanciers Of America to
make answer as to what in their judg-
ment was Its cause. Without attempt
Ing to ennmerate the causes assigned
BY them for the Industrial reaction, It
Ia worthy Ok note that under the first
impulse Of honest expression OF opin.
ion, before the minds Of any OF them
we're perverted by those who always
desire to shirk upon the shoulders
Of others the wrongs OF the errors Of
which they themselves are guilty, ]
repeat, with unprecedented and nupcr-
verted mind. not q among the thous
ands who answered held organized
labor In the least responsible.
or course. TO the thinking, observ.
ing men the insinuation or charge will
have no effect. We understand. as
every stndcnt and intelligent trade
unionist understands, that under our
present economic system periods Or
Industrial activity and stagnation are
equally natural. That a reaction did
not set In sooner, or that 1t has not
became acute, Is due more than any
other cause to me organized labor
movement
Our movement has increased wages,
shortened the hours of labor, aud 9TH
sr~ise Improved the conditions of the
t~oilsrs: IN other words, has nais tho
workers great Of the
things that have been produced; and
10 this factor. supplemented by some
organized method among Intelligent
employers, Is due entirely the credit
rather than the censure or bla ne.
The era Of industrial activity has
been maintained and prolonged ior a
n -
longer peiiod than any similar revival
In tho last forty years, while ITS rsac'
ton las thus far been attended with
less severity and Is in itself less In
Ter - than similar reactions hereto
fore, These Industrial conditions az,
not due 10 any particular phenome
non. They have their cause ana cffer,
exactly AZ have the tides. Attraction
and rcprls.on, and the law Of giayita
lion.
The working people RESIST tny at
tempt to reduce their wages o. L
i~ncrensc their hours Of labo..
Vie aro better organized anl be M
prepared III resist encroachments I'D
on our condition than ever bcioie,
and. Il re,chance some Of our EFFORT,
mas be lost. IL Is better To res,1t anC
lose than not to resist at Ill, sct /.
complacentIy accept a reduction II
wages Is simply to invite Az repe
tt.on while II enfeebles our epili3 4
resist further efforts In the same al
rection.
In former periods Of Industrial stag
nation employers often accompanied
their wage reductions with discharges
OF some workmen, and then, as an In
ducement 70 those retained, suggested
that they increase their hours or labol
40, as they put II, make up the loss,
In other words, those discharged, be
ing a menac both to the conditions
of employment. as well as the employ
ment itself. were utilized as a mean.
10 further reduce wages and impos,
more onerous conditions, while the In
creased hours Of labor OF those EN-
ploycd further accumulated and made
acute the industrial situation
Surely. II is not rational TO suggest
for the relief OF an oyer-stocked OF
glutted market, that the workers shall
curtail their power OF consumption
and then work longer hours TO in