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Show THE CHICAGO STRIKE. The big strike of the packing house employes, like all strikes, is greatly to be deplored. Viewing j both sides of the controversy, as given in the dis-. patches, neither the employers nor employes could be blamed. Hence wc may reasonably suppose thf one, or both, have salted their side of the trouble. In presenting their case, an appeal is made to public pub-lic sympathy by representatives, of both parties. Armour S: Co. is represented by Arthur Meeker, who says: 'Wc consider the demand of the union for an advance in wages of unskilled labor entirely unwarranted un-warranted by conditions. Wc could not concede it and proposed to submit the question to arbitration, which the union declined to do and called a strike today in all our plants. Fvery department is kept running, however. We have llad applications from hundreds of unemployed men for positions at less, wages than we have been paying, and every day expect ex-pect to increase our output. Wc regret x-xtreniely thc hardships and suffering that will be imposed on the thousands of men who are thrown out of work, directly and indirectly, through the strike and the temporary inconvenience caused the public at large, but wc consider the fault rests entirely with the union, who not only asked what they were not entitled en-titled to, but declined to submit the question to impartial im-partial arbitration." If the demand for an increase of wages was unwarranted un-warranted and meant pecuniary loss naturally they the packing companies could not concede to the demand. They are not in business to extend the hand of charity to their employes. It is simply a question of business, and as they can purchase labor la-bor "from hundreds of unemployed men at less wages than they have been paying," to agree to give liipre would not, in commercial parlance, pay. Another An-other strong point made by Mr. Meeker, aud one which will appeal to the public sympathy, is that "the union declined to submit the question to impartial impar-tial arbitration.' There is no law to settle the difficulties diffi-culties between the wage earner and his employer. No law could be enacted compelling a laborer to work and sell his labor at certain fixed prices per hour, nor compelling capital to employ labor and pay a fixed price per hour. The law may regulate the hours of labor and the age at which it is lawful law-ful for minors to engage in labor. Then the only remaining solution for labor difficulties is m "impartial "im-partial arbitration." Mr. Meeker's view of the present pres-ent 'difficulties, then, is not only plausible, but reasonable. rea-sonable. But Mr. Donnelly presents the difficulties in another light, entirely different.. lie says: 'J wish to make it clear that we are not fighting for an increase of wages, but against a decrease. "Our original demand was a minimum, of 20 cents per hour for laborers. This demand was amended after our second conference with the packers pack-ers in June. We then agreed to a scale of IS 1-2 cents an j hour, except in Omaha and Sioux City, where the scale is 19 cents. '"The packers, on the other hand, refused to pay more than 3 7 1-2 cents an hour, and declined to sign any agreements at all, except with a small portion of the workmen. "The question of wages to skilled men was not discussed. To unskilled workmen the average wage was 18 1-2 cents, but when we asked that this be made the minimum wage, they cut it to 17 1-2 cents and l.j cents. Men could riot live on 15 cents if they got steady work, but in some plants men have been able to make only thirteen hours a -week at this wage scale. They could not live on it. X'o one could." Mr. Donnelly's brief fakes all the poetry out of Mr. Meeker's "extreme regret for the hardships and suffering that, will be imposed upon the thousands of men who are thrown out of employment " If the present fight is not for an increase, but against a decrease of wages, it changes the whole aspect of Mr. Meeker's brief. In June a conference was held and a demand of IS 1-2 cents an hour as the minimum mini-mum wage for unskilled labor was asked. This would equal $1.4S a day for eight hours' work.. Supposing Sup-posing the laborer to be a man of family, jafter clothing the children .paying the butcher and grocery gro-cery bills, settling with his landlord and the coal company ,therc could not be a big balance to- his credit at the bank. By working twenty-five days in the month he would receive a check for $:7.' Neither would a single man, after paying his board, lodging and washing, have much left to' spend on luxuries, or deposit in the dimes savings bank. The demand does not seem to "be exorbitant. The packers refused to pay more than 17 1-2 cents an hour, or $1.40 a day, which would mean $2 less every month for the workman. This tax of $2 may seem a small item, but the mother who figures on 10-oent articles at the bargain counter could secure many useful little article., for herself and babies for .$2. Yet even at 17 1-2 cents the employers declined to "sign an agreement, except with a small portion of the workmen." The minimum wage was reduced to 15 cents an hour, or $1.20 a day. ''Men concludes con-cludes Mr. Donnelly, "could live on l." cents if they got steady work, but in some plants men have been able to make only thirteen hours a week at this wage scale. They could not live on it. No one could." This is true. Xo family could live on $1.95 a week. A single man may by taking his meals at the free counter lunch and sleeping under ihe broad canopy of heaven. ' The reduction of the hours of labor is universal. It is the complaint raised in all the large cities. How settle the hours to which 4 here can bo no reduction by impartial arbitration? When too many steers are already slaughtered, and too many dead hogs waiting to be consumed, the t ' - I. Illl 111 II III I. ill, I , IHIHIIIHMHI" 1 IIOH HI II IN . I ..I I Ill tl hours of labor must be re duced to thirteen in the week, and while the steers and hogs arc waiting for consumers the laborers, their wives and children are starving. Too mudi meat aud no meat are the simultaneous cries. Mr. Meeker may plead his cause '.'with tongues of men and of angels," but his deep sympathy ''becomes as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." Why '. Because he gives hot air as a substitute for Christian charity. We sympathize with the inequalities that exist in the old European countries, but at home the equalities of which we boast, and which in theory are the fundamental principles of our government, are never realized in practice. Of what avail is it to Mr. Laborer to be declared equal to Messrs. Armour Ar-mour A: Co. when he knows, lie is their social inferior infe-rior and that they regard him as su'ch '. Hi.- labor may be. taxed at will by trimming tb'' scale. They can live in ease and luxury v. itjiout laboring, but Mr. Laborer, who is an able-bodied man inured to hardship, can barely keep himself and family from starving. ,Even the starving point is reached when the hours of labor are reduced. Then when Mr. Laborer La-borer tries to raise binis-df from pining want and squalid misery, wealth, indulging in bloated luxury, will abuse him for his bold arrogance, for refusing, though" innocent, to .sign his own death warrant. This is subversing the Christian order which demands de-mands that we love one another and that, like tin. Good Master who died for all men, we should be ready .if needs be, to die for one another. The wrongs and woes that beset society, especially in large cities, where extremes of poverty and wealth are' to be found, are viewed from two different standpoints. Who, under the warm glow of Christian Chris-tian charitv, can look at a poor mother, pale and emaciated, bent aud watching her starving child, without being touched with real substantial sympathy? sympa-thy? It is all right for Arthur Meeker's clinets to avail themselves of Mr. Laborer's sweat and heart's blood to accumulate plethoric wealth, so that they may live in luxury, feast on the rarities of every clime, but when it gets below starving point the conflict looks serious. The issues at present are well defined. They cannot be blinked at or hushed up. The press may be controlled so as to give a certain coloring to the great issues involved, but truth and justice can not be suppressed. Truth, which makes freemen, will in the end prevail. |