The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-10
THE DANGERS OF CLASS
FEELING.

That body OF our citizens Rno"l1 as
workingmen occupy such large and I'M
portant sphere in our social existence
that whatever concerns them. morally,
intellectually or financially. affects the
whole community. They are the recog-
nized bone and sinew of the State, and
at courthouse and church, on the hustings
and in business they are part and parcel
Of the manhood OF the land, and SO inter.
mingled as to be inseparable from all tho
people that make UP the body polite.
We regard therefore with deep regret
every effect that is made to create a Gloss
feeling between the workngmen and their
other fellow citizens. Such an alienation
between citizens of the same State as
must result from this class feeling can
only be Injurious to ALL Yet VIC see
around US some such conditions to-day
growing out Of the street car strike And
1t is most important to know how and by
whom this condition of separation has
been brought about Therefore The
Times Dispatch is going to put few plain
questions to the workingmen OF Rich
rnond, especially to those composing the
labor organizations.
1t has been stated in the public print
that the merchants Of Richmond have lost
years profits since the street car strike
began. We ask the strikers and their
sympathizers If they believe that the mer
chants OF Richmond blame the Passenger
and Power Company for their losses,
O. -
great expense to keep the military here
to preserve order. We ask the strikers
and their sympa thizers If they think the
taxpayers hold the Passenger and Power
Company responsible for this cost.
A great many men in Richmond have
been walking during the hot weather be-
cause thea were afraid to ride on the cars,
We know"that many men and women
have walked through genuine sympathy
with the strikers, but 1t is equally certain
that many have walked not through SYM
pathy, but through fear. We ask the
strikers and their sympathlzers II they
believe these men hold the Passenger and
Power Company responsible for their IN
convenience.
There has been much disorder In the
community cars have been rocked and
fired upon. passengers have been terrified
many are afraid to ride on the cars II
the cool OF the evening, and the whole
community has been upset and terrorizet
as never before in the history OF Rich
mond. We ask the strikers and thei
sympathizers IL they think that the public
generally hold the Passenger and Powe
Company or Its new employees or the mill
tary responsible for this state OF things.
These are serious questions for organ
tied labor In Richmond to consider. !
strike has come to be public menace
Whenever strike OF any great proper
tons is declared it is Invariably accom-
panied by serious apprehension on th
part OF the general public. The declara
ton OF such a strike Is almost like d dec
laraton OF war. AS soon as the stree
car strike In Richmond was declared tn
authorities at once began to make read
for trouble, which the general public wer
looking for and there was feeling o
fear from one end OF the city TO tn
other 1t was generally understood tina
as soon as the Passenger and Powe
Company should attempt to run It's car
with non-union men counter attempt
would be made TO prevent the compan
from operating and that serious disorde
would follow. no threats had been mad
on the part Of the strikers or on the par
OF anybody else, but 1t was generally un
derstood that trouble was coming, 10
the sufficient reason that street ca
strikes elsewhere have Invariably beel
attended with more or less OF dlsorde
and riot
In vain will the strikers plead, in val
will the labor unions plead that they ar
not responsible for the evils Of tho strlk
for the loss 10 business. for the incon
venience TO citizens, for the lawless out
breaks that have occurred since the strik
began. There are demagogues who wi
tell them that the "Yankee capitalist an
his minionsn are to blame, that the Mayo
and the Governor are to blame for bring
tnx trnons and all that bur ory anti .