Evening journal., 1907-09-02


ito some achievement along these lines
which is due 20 their initiative.
But they cannot and do not claim all
OF the good things which Columbia has
poured into the lap OF labor. The
freedom of our Institutions and The
genius of the American people are re-
sponsible for goodly portion OF for
tunes faVOrs The sense of fair play /
alone stands the worker in good stead, |
and the philanthropic spirit. the con-
sidoration for others. which are nat |
ional traits, have been powerful factors /
IN accelcratng the great reform which /
has marked the last half century.
AS lasting content IS as rare as the :
Jewel Of consistency. Il Is not surprising |
that many workers throughout the land |
are sun dissatisfied with their condition |
ihut discomfort Is but another name for /
progress, and the struggles of the dis |
contentel sull exert the most powerful |
pressure on the lever OF advancement. |
Labor would be different from any other
form CT humanity A. It were not SO.
And, therefore, IL Is no exhibition OF
lingratitude for past fortune. no express
lsion of appreciation OF present
blessings 20 demand more benefits n
they can be obtained.
And NO it Is that organized labor is
lstll fighting in the various states and
IN the councils offthe nation for further
concessions 20 the wor ing man and
woman. The greatest fight Of all is
Ithe struggle for the eight hour day, and
Slowly bnt surely the goal As coming
into sight Most OF the States have
leight hour laws for public works, and
in the mining country. where the labor
fmnlnWuTnfaftH ff. ..I
is both arduous and hazardous. the
principle has been extended to the en-
ployoes OF private concerns Ground is
being gained every year. and the labor
leaders feel confident that the adoption
Of the eight-hour system an over the
country is but a question OF time.
Strikes Won oftener Than Lost.
Since labor as a distinct force began
to assert itself twenty-five years ago.
there have been, according to statis-
, lucs compiled by the Feedral Bureau
b Of Labor strikes IN 1Si,407 establish
r ments and lockouts In 1851 places Of
r employment The total number of per-
e sons who are recorded as having gone
1 on strike during the twenty-five years
, ending July 1, 1906, was 6.72S,04S. and
r the number OF persons locked out was
7l6.63l Il will thus be seen that T.
74427g wage earners have been affect
ed by industrial struggles dnring the
quarter OF century just past.
e More than 90 per cent Of those
4 thrown out OF employment by strikes
were men. Lockouts affected employees
IN which more than Si per cent. were
! men. The average duration OF strikes
/ per establishment was 25.4 days, and
o Of lockouts sac days. In these sta
- tlstics the strike or lockout did not al
O. ways result IN the closing Of the es-
n tablishmcnt involved. although CT pei
n cent OF all establishments embroied
were closed an average of twenty days
In lockouts 6S per cent. of all estab-
lishments involved were closed an av-
erage Of 404 days
20 strikes have been. according 20 the
. government Statistics successful more
=. frequently than they have been fail
, ures. Strikers succeeded In winning
Ian demands I'm 4I9 per cent. of tn,
a establishments. succeeded partly IL
n 15.2 per cent. and IN only 36.S per cent
y of the establlshments did they fail I,
win any demands on the other hant
I, when the employers took the initiative
y and locked out the workers. the lock
outs resfted wholly in favor Of tn
i, employers ia 5I2 per cent. Of the es
= Establishments; We're partly successful
-. IN 1917 per cent. of cases, and failel
y absolutely IN s2.1 per cent
f., Strikes ordered by labor organlza
W. tions were much more generally sue
M cessful than IN instances where EN-
# ployes were not organized In strike
h succeeded in 495 per cent Of the es
m tablishments; were partly successful
N in 1873 per cent Of the cases, and fail
= ed altogether in SAG per cent Wher
In there was no organization strikes wer
N successful in 33S per cent, party sue
m cessful in 9.S per cent, and faile
\ wholly in 56.3 per cent. Of the estab
20 lishmcnts.