Show POINTS WORTH considering CURING the last few days dayi the air has been filled with rumors of strikes most of them unfounded 1 4 this aphis perturbed coalition has existed since the action of the street car men one newspaper has been specially busy in circulating reports of the character referred to this i morning it publishes the following disclaimer which because of the reasonable spirit it breathes we deem worthy a place iu in our columns 1 I notice an item in this mornings issue of your paper that it is asserted on good authority that the carpenters and bricklayers will go on a strike this morning in justice to the public and to ourselves ourselves r hasten to correct the report As regards the bricklayers we do not intend to strike on monday tuesday or any other day that I 1 am aware of y we are not a striking organization we arbitrate our difference it and we always succeed in fixing matters satisfactorily facto rily we have never had a strike when we asked for a reduction of hours of labor we gave contractors V six months notice and will give the same time lime in ease case of other demands and shall endeavor to keep the good will of the publio public and und the record we have made of being the most conservative union in the city adhering strictly to the principles of justice and equality between employer J and employed emp loye we believe that in union there is strength and that self preservation is the first law of nature we hold the justice and truth of the principle merit makes the man 11 and we firmly believe that industry sobriety and a proper regard for the Vr welfare elfare of our fellow man form ol a baaba upon which the principle rests fyd recognize no rule of action or prin principle cloo that would elevate wealth above industry or the professional man above the working man we recognize no distinction of society except those based on manhood and worth usefulness and good order and no superiority except that granted by the great architect of our existence and let me here express our byrn sympathy athy for the streetcar street car men in the tattle battle for their rights which in of the most vital importance to all organized labor in more than one respect and I 1 hope they ai a i well as all others may be successful when the principles of justice and equality equa ity and the dignity of labor are involved georoe R cushing president of bricklayer and masons union the foregoing contains several points which at ou e comment commend themselves to the intelligent and unprejudiced reader the writer in vindicating the course of the bricklayers u union it ion with walh he Is ia immediately connected sustains correct principles 1 ile he puts in a pie i for arbitration 2 he does not favor strikes unless perhaps it be after the resources of arbitration are exhausted 3 he believes in giving due notice of demands made by the employed emp loyes to prevent public injury 4 he recognizes the necessity of keeping the goodwill good will of the public whose sentiment must never be confounded with the unreasoning expression of the rabble or the designing manifestations of political POlitic Hl demagogues 5 he is 18 not dot in favor of claw distinctions on the basis of wealth the correctness of each oft of these liese positions is beyond question A recourse to arbitration means the application of reason in the solution of a problem coercion of every kind is war although it may be bloodless and is only justifiable when intelligent and pacific methods fall fail A prevalent re eort dort to force in social disputes will sap the foundations of society sand and lead to chaos hence the aver siw sign to ill considered strikes which accord according I 1 dg to the history of our t times mes have wrought incalculable hardship upon those who have engaged in them the ideas of mr gushing cushing with regard to class distinctions are commendable the man of wealth who wears weare a stiff neck and lifts his bis nose high in the par air when he has occasion to address a workingman is an object of pity and an honest laborer has no f reason to envy him he proclaims f the emptiness of his own cran cranium craciun iun f by showing a higher appreciation for property than for manhood he is only leas lea contemptible thau than lie who toadies to the holder leold er of wealth ath because of hes instead of appreciating him for his worth A greater insult could f scarcely be offered to a sensible rich man than to admire him bidi for his bis money but there are others who on the other hand are equally despicable the class who for ulterior political purposes hypocritically give expression to the most extravagant manifestations fe stations of alleged sympathy for the working classes because they want to use them the workingmen should beware of those who have in the past taken every occasion to slander and insult them and now because they think they can manipulate them for the attainment of political ends pretend they are overflowing with sympathy for them sources which have been throwing mud at a certain class of men depicting them as unfit for the situations they held are now pretending to be their warmest friends the spectacle inspires the onlooker with ineffable disgust let the working meu mea beware of political demagogues who imagine they can use them to further their schemes |