The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1874-07-25 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

THE POSITION OF THE MINERS IN NORTH AND SOUTH /STAFFORD.  On the whole, it may be considered, that, in afr cepting the terms recently arranged at Birmingham, the miners of South Stafford hate acted with that wise discretion which is proverbially knowii as "the better part of valour." It is not an agreeable thing, we admit, to have to submit to reduction in-one's wages, and especially so when those wages, at the best, are no more than is sufficient to meet the ordinary requirements of 'life. The pill is undoubtedly a bitter one to swallow, and while we lament the necessity for its being taken, we think it useful to draw attention to the fact that, in this life, it is our lot to endure many things that are unpalatable and disagreeable, in order to avoid the acceptance of alternatives still  more obnoxious and bitter. Reduced wages are bad enough in truth, but utter poverty, destitution, and domestic misery and ruin are ten thousand times worse than even the much-hated "drop." It is a good thing to know when to commence striking, and an equally good thing to know when to °ease striking. To "take up arms against a sea of troubles" is a noble and courageous procedure in most Wes, but to continue to bear them on high, and, he ,miserably drowned while in the act of doing fie, is not true courage, but something very nearly approaching to madness. To prolong the &thuggle in South Stafford in the face ef a rapidly falling market, would have amounted to simple suicide upon the part of the men; but to make the best of a very bad case, to cease struggling when struggling was worse than useless, was au act of prudence and wise foresight, that we are sure the miners will have no cause to ultimately regret. The reduction, which would have been manifestly unfair and unjustifiable four months ago, became, through the lapse of time and the deplorably depressed state of the market, an inevitable neeel: sity ; and when the odds were so clearly against there, the best thing the men could do, under the circumstances, was to resign themselves to their fats as philosophically as they could. The result of the battle is apparently against them, 1110• but the miners of South Staffoid must, not conelude that the fight has been altogether nt pro. ductive of benefit .to themselves; nor must they be too hasty and eager inlay all the blame of de: feat upon the Union of which they are part. The, Union in the past has bravely stemmed the torrent of reduction, and prevented the masters from easily snatching from the men the short hours and high wages which the Union during the last few years has been the means of procuring. And even in the recent struggle on which we are commenting, there has been won from the employers, by the power of the Union; a recognition of the existence and authority of the Miners' Association, and an acceptance of the agents as representatives of the mem. If the Union be deserted by the men, on account of recent events, if the miners turn round on the hand which has protected and fought for them so long, then, indeed, the result 'of the strike will have ' been a real defeat and calamity. But if this should not take place, then, we shall be of opinion that, thoagh the principal result has been what it has, the men have not fought and struggled in vain. Instead,then, of giving way t blank despondency and indifference, let the agents, the officers, and the rank and file of the association gather fresh strength and inspiration from the contest, and show a determination, stronger than . ever to do what they can in the great cause of in- , dustrial progress.  The North Stafford miners, too, would have been guilty of an act of groat folly had they not listened to reason, been governed !.iyi the advise . et their agents and committee, and submitted to the compromise of a ten per cent. reduotion, that the 4eputation which waited on, the masters in Henley thought it wise and prudent for them to submit to. The North Stafford Miners' Union is • a. strong and influential 'one, it is, perhaps, . '..eqSal to any other in the Amalgamation er the National, its officers are honest, earnest, moderate men, and it would Moat assuredly have surprised 'us lied the district refused the reasonable • , terms which were on Monday last proposed for its acceptance. The masters, it is evident, aro 1 anxious to enforce a reduction wherever there is 1' an opportunity of getting it submitted to, and to i resist this aggression is obviously the duty of the Union; but, if an abatement can be made in a , reduction which is not altogether without reason or justification, and which seemed certain to be enforeed sooner or later, it were unwise and imprudent to resist it and resort to all the calamitous consequences of a strike. From the full and graphic report of the recent meeting of the North Stafford miners, which we publish elsewhere in our columns, it will be seen that the men quietly' listened to the advice of their agent and officers, , and that they were sensible enough U arrive at a decision, fully justified by reason and . facts. It is lamentable to note, however, that some of the men had so far forgotten them- • selves and their union principles as to give vent to silly threats of violence against their officers. The position of the leaders of a body of miners is not the most enviable office in the world. It is not a "bed of roses," aud, so long as web will act in this reprehensible manner, it never will be. When offircers of an association do the best they VIM for these who employ them, it is, to say the least of it, iather hard that they should be abused and thricatened by the very persons whom they have striven to the best of their ability to serve. Millers' agents have to encounter difficulties and obstacles in the path to high wages which no talent, energy, or wit on their part will enable them successfully to override. They cannot extract high wages out of low selling prices, and while' the market is rapidly falling, they cannot . Shisly and honestly advise their men to plunge into all the misery and disaster of a strike. It is useless and senseless to expect impossible things from the union or its officers. The union is a powerful engine for good, and as such ought to be anilversally supported and upheld; but there is a limit to its power, as there is a limit to all things, cl none but the thoughtless and ignorant will desert it because it fails to accomplish that which is beyond ita power.  r".„,