Arizona republican., 1907-08-09
STRIKES AND STRIKES.

A Globe reader of the Republican in
a communication which appears this
morning in a kindly manner criticises
a statement by a Republican reporter
with reference to Mother" Jones
presence in Phoenix just before she
went to Clifton to take part in the
strike there. AS to the Objectionable
language of the statement that Mother
Jones was going to Clifton ito make
trouble" that was the language used
by Mother" Jones herself in joking
manner and the reporter intended so
TO convey it.
The observations of the correspond
ent proceed to a general discussion of
strikes which he says are not
with the intention of the unions,
disorderly battles but dignified hu-
man struggles. He mentions various
strikes which have occurred in this
territory, among them the Bisbee
strike.
There need be no discussion as TO
the righteousness of strikes. Like all
human movements, some of them have
been right and some of them have
been wrong. but the reference to the
Bisbe strike is interesting. inasmuch
as IL illustrates and marks a point
where unionists and those who are not
members OF the union but fairly dis
posed toward them must differ.
The only avowed purpose. as we I'M
derstand il, of the Bisbee strike was to
add to the dignity of labor. There was
no grievance, on the part of any Of the
unions and. as the strike turned out,
no sympathy on the part of the major
ity of the miners with the strike move
ment. The wages paid at Bisbee were
better than the average wages paid to
miners. The hours were satisfactory
and to the outsider entirely free from
sympathy or prejudice. there was no
cause for industrial uprising. Not on
~ did a majority of the miners not
take part in the strike. but SO con-
prevailing at Bisbee that they, many
of them union miners. had twice over.
whelmingly defeated propositions to
unionize the camp. That was the very
thing the strike was afterward intend
ed to accomplish.
The correspondent truthfully OBJ
serves that there can be no hope OF
the success of a strike unless it can
enlist the good wishes of the public,
who have no relations with either par
ty 1t was certain that the Bisbee
strike. however peeceably it might
have been conducted. since it could not
command the sympathy OF all union
OF the public.
The correspondent like so many 9TH
ers. errs in believing that the dignity
Of labor depends upon the enforcement
Of a principle upon which employers
and employees are not agreed. They
seek TO cure the ills of the present sys-
TEN. assuming that it's ills are essen
tial and general. rather than to wait
until the ills are developed or even to
wait for specific causes for them to
appear.
This is a mistake which aggressive
unionists as well as most other re-
formers make. There can be no ready
made reforms. or as we may say
periodically. preventive reforms
Nor can reforms be made general and
rigid. They must be applied only tc
the places where they are needed and
in the degree in which they are needed
Then popular opinion. without which
there can be no reforms, will always
be with the reformers.
No one can say that the doctrine o.
socialism may not triumph In some fal
off day. but ii will not come all a
once. but whenever and wherever 4
comes It will merely displace some par
Of the then existing system for th'
better.