The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-25
STRIKE SETTLEMENTS.

STRIKE SETTLEMENTS.
The settlement OF the strike at the
! United States smelter reached on Thurs
day evening, is welcome news to this
whole business community. The United
! States Smelling Company is one of the
big concerns Of this State. 1t employs
moro than q thousand men, and it pours
into the channels of commerce here a
steady stream of wealth, the loss Of
which would be severely felt in busi-
ness, The concessions made to the
strikers mean an addition TO the pay
roll Of about $4,000 month; and this
| increase in pay the company is quite
willing to stand, because it is fair and
because the laborers are at heavier ex-
pense than ever before TO obtain the
necessities of life. Everything has gone
up in price, and in order for the la
borer to be on rs good a footing as he
was two or three years ago, his earnings
must increase correspondingly. The
company is quite reasonable about this,
aud at no time has there been any bit
terness of feeling between the company
and its employees. The strike, as a
matter of fact, has been about the gen
tlest strike ever seen.
1t is a good thing for Utah that the
strikes that are inaugurated here are Of
short duration. This one just settled
is the second Of the smelter strikes, and
we hope it will be the last. There will
be no difficulty In case of any friction
hereafter in adjusting matters, as the
American Smelling and Refining Com
pany and the United States Smelling
Company have adjusted them as be-
tween company and employees. The
spirit Of consideration and fairness
which has generally ruled on both sides
in strikes in Utah is n most commend
able one, and gives Utah an advantage
both on the side of labor and of en-
ploycrs that is much to the credit of all
concerned.
We commend the example of the
smelling companies above referred to
and their employees, and of the Street
Car Company and its employees, TO the
earnest consideration of the electrical
workers of the telephone companies that
are now out on strike. These workers
are not justified in saying that they will
not arbitrate differences. When differ
ences arise in other callings as between
employers and employed, it is univer
sally felt that the proper thing IS TO
get together by way of arbitration or
some other friendly method and settle
the points at issue. For either the en-
ployees or the company to stand off
and say that they will not arbitrate is
to throw overheard the best possible
means of getting together, and the
method that is universally approved by
the Judgment and common sense of the
American people. One Of the great and
just grievances of the packing employees
of the Armour concern in Chicago a mum.
Der of years ago was the refusal of the
company to arbitrate. 'tWe have moth.
ing to arbitrate,' was the reply Of the
companies. This was used as q slogan
by the laboring classes all over the coun-
try as something particularly opprobr-
Gus and indefeusibe And that is Just
what it was The company did have
something to arbitrate, and should have
arbitrated. The laboring men were ex-
actly right IN their claim that the com
pany exercised arbitrary harshness that
was indefensiblc in saying that they had
nothing to arbItrate, aud refusing 10
consider the questions involved. And
now that it is ON the other side, and
the strikers say they have nothing TO
arbitrate, they are under equal condem~
nation. Our advice is to all concerned,
to get together on basis of fairness
and mutual consideration and concilia
top, and work together with all their
might to the upbuilding of the State
and the advancement Of the city.