Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 8, 1888, Page 15

e ———— e — e ——————————— STRIKING RESULTS ANALYZED. The Galns to Labor From Strikes Far Outweigh the Losses. THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS. A Comprehensive Review of the Lia bor Problem by Commissioner ck of New York—Statis- tics and Deductions. Labor Commissioncr Charles F Justmubmitted his fifth annual ro bureau of statistics of labor to York legislature. The following densed summary In the introductory missioner says ““A brief retrospect of the acts passed dar- ing the one hundred and tenth session of the legislature of this state serves not on! before us the amount of attention given to he labor inferests during the year 1887, but to-vecall to us how much had been done pre usly “These acts include laws, either original dr amended, for the arbitration of difference between” employers and employes; for co oporative savings and insurance funds; for public industrial drawing schools, day or evening; for a mechanics' wage lien; for inspection and supervision of tenements and lodging houses; for protection of women and children employes; for free libraries; public holidays and half-holidays; checking compe- tition by convict-made goods; for securing to workmen the right to membership in iabor organizations; for extending and sccuring liens for wages: for regulating factories; for protecting messenger boys' morals; for en- forcing the observance of the Sabbath; for limiting hours of labor on surface railroads, and for other related purposcs;at all of which, it'is safe to say, thata generation apo there would have been an outery and protest for pernicions activity and interfer- ence with the sacred rights of capital, arainst which a man might not lift his hand and live, “Some of theso acts are original; others arc amendments or extensions of laws pre viously passed,but which on trial were found not to work _satisfactorily. 1t goes almost, without saying that much of this legislation is tentative, It is plowing up new ground, and is in many respects against the t tions. It is to be expected that blunde bemade, and that now and then p with ‘axes to grind’ may misdirect the legis lator enthusiastic in the cause of humanity Those are, however, trifles, and will settle down with time. ' It is emough that the spirit of the age is in favor of the worker and that the laborer is held worthy of some- thing more than his wages hire, inasmuch as he is also a valuable helper in’ the building up and maintenance of society and its insti- tutions, ock has srt of the the New is a con chapter the com WORK OF THE BUREAT. “Hitherto the inquiries of ) been detached, dealing callings and their incidents. This has been in some measure from the necessity of th case and the limits of our expenditure. In homely language, ‘the coat has been cut ac- cording to the cloth. ““My first report for 1583 was necessarily baiof. It included the results of an inqu into the prison contract labor system report for 1881 included 1 An inqui factory and child labor, with an appendix on the matadies incident to trades, 2. The gen- eral and trade education of factory laws in various states of the union and'in Gr Britain, 3. An account of a visit to the city of Pullman, I, by the several state coui- missioners of labor statistics. “In my report for the year 1885 1 treated the questions of woman and child labor, long hours and the homes of the working people, especuily - the tencment houses; forcign cheap labar, strikes, boycottin, labor organ- izations thelr uses and methods. “Inmy report for 1586 1 dealt with the subject of upprenticeship and the expedienc; of muking provision, social and legislativ for the continuation’ and succession of our native born artisans and skilled mechan u question which I regard more carnestly than cver, as of vital importance to our country, and our institutions; the immigra tion of adult skilled labor into this country, involving, us I believe, great and imminent peril to our social and 'commerecial relations, of which we have had ample evidence during the past year. As an accompaniment to the apprenticeship chapter I presented a view of manual training. T Lve heard from many quarters on the subject und the chord strick in_ Al vi brated in the education board of New York city, whieh determined to give manual train ing i trisl in some of the schools under their control, with a view to extending its utiliza tion if ‘found satistactor: strikes of 1886 received attention, and were special sub jects of inquiry, especially the great street car strikes, tho fa awrmakers’ strikes, the Troy laundr! nd the knit goods sirike, affecting eighty-six factories and 20,000 hunds. Besides these strikes, there Was o chapter of boyeotts and the law’ of boy cott with tables of the strikes, numbers gaged and results, The report for the year 1887 treats of the strikes, their causes and consequences. Phere ure speciul articles on the coal and "ongshoremen’s strikes, wlhich formed the bicet of leglslative mvestigation ~The trade disturban 1557, though not so important us those of © been quite numerous, Their and consequences, huve been very promi- nent subjects in compelling ~ the at tention which labor interests have received in recent years, “The résult of strikes,” says the commis. sioner, “is a most importani subject. The handicraftsman or laborer lives through his wi No work, no wages. No wages, no food, no lodging, cither for himsclf or those dependent on him. 1t must be a preat and strong mwotive indeed which impels a wan to suspend work and cut himself off from wages. He often makes a mistake, but he is terribly in earnest. He proves it by self- sacrifice, the sharpest tost of faith and prin- eiple, if not of judguient and prudence. Even when the striker gets assistance from his or ganization, it is only a relief, not_a wage, not equal to Lis needs, but only to help hiw tide over obstacles and discomforts. “Strikes have helped to raise wages, to shorten hours, to improve the condition, not only of the particulur workmen who have risenup in protest, but nlso of tho masses. A striko in a particular shop for reasonable cause often ends in general improvement. Bakors baye roduced their hours from eigh- teon to about twelve. The nine-hour day is dug o the strike systen. Wages in whole trades have gone up from 10 per cent to 30 war vent beciyse the men in- particular shops havo dsscried themselves and made good their, olaim to_cousideration. ven s ‘lost’ strike is not always a dead 1oss. 1t may carry With it the promise sand potency of bette ment in some other way. Then the employer does not feel the pinch of & strike in "his own home, his food, his fclothes, as do his workpeople; but the employer has bills to meet, rent to pay, and other causes for anxigty, and he csunot be indiffe stand still of & great business; ev a strike be unsuccessful, it brigs to wind that what has bappened may happen again, and may bo repeated with worse effect; with the fear of another strike befos eyes, the tas may feol cowmbe do tardy justice. The majority of employers, %0 their louor be it said, are in pleasaut re lations with theiy workpeople. They are ay what the trade will afford, as they understand it, There is strong compe tition botween business men, while between wage-carners there is not much competition excopt for the newcomers. A notable ‘re sult’ attained by strikes and organization is a tendency to establish fixed rates from one seasou 10 another. Oue of the points debated and not yet setled, is whether the uniform wages {8 to the profit of the trained and thoroughly competent and reliable work- It is said that there is no law against paying & mau oxtra for his ex- but it is more exact, perbaps, 10 sy, that such & man is always sure of eu ployment und gets his quota of the geueral neement. Commissioner Peck says ‘“that in the Strike Relief Fund, we find & stroug and in teresting proof of the solidurity that exists among the workingme Unlons not ouly asaist their own members, bul they make loans and advances to each ‘other just us reat capitalists in stress of circumstances ;n!luflwmllme- to do;, though possibly capitalistic beneficence {8 toss from sympa thy than from mutuality in the presence of a comimon danger. The unions stand together to defend a principle and make heavy sacri fices for the cause. ““The value and significance of tradeorgan ization to which the strike, as the protest in action, is the necessary accompaniment, are shown positively in th ment of the workingman, negatively in the non-advance ment of the workingwoman. In the cigar trade, in which the women are paid the same rate of wages for the ass of work, the women have been in the general improvement resulting from com bined action. In the textile trades, where men and women stand on the same plane, they have got their share of such advance! ment as has resulted from general action. Even in the subdivisions of the sewing in dustries. where men and women work to geth tailors for instance, women get somo share of the general good, which, small as it may be, is, at any rate, cquitable. But in other industries which are given over to women exclusively, and in which there is no organization, the wages are at the lowest notch and it is a ceaseloss struggle against starvation. “Whether the strike should be an incident of our competitive system is not worth argu ing. It is with us, ana it has its value, al though the right of resistance or self-asser- tion may be occasionally abused through excess of zeal o personal ambition. “Every one is aware that by increase -of - miachine power the progress of applied scionce, an fmmense incredse of production has been achioved o this century to the great gain in the comforts of life for mankind at large. But it is not gencrally known that by im provements in machinery and manufactoring processes the production st pre i . even surpassin which has heretofore been accomplished in equal periods of time. Thus it is alleged that in Great Britain alone, which may be said to be wholly dependént on her com morco, her manufactures and her minerals the increase of productions has, through me chanical improvements, in some cases amounted to 20 per cent in the 1asttwo years. I have no means of verifying such a broad allegation,but all who take note of the course of tradé mud mechanical enterprise must know that prodigious strides have been made In manufacgured products even within two years, and that the work still goes on. Iivery ay we hear or read of something new in th> way of invention or combingtion by which the profits of capital may bé in- asod and the use of human labor reduced In such case it 18 self-apparent that the laborer stands justified in agitating for shorter hours and botter wages as his share of the generalincrement, and of course when he has won his better position he must con- tinue to use all lawful and Lonorable m to hold it. the and CONSPIACY AW, “Conspiracy and combination to attain or provent a certan result are almost inter- changeable terms, their differeutiation being found in the almost intangibly fine hair of ‘legality.” Thus the laborers, who combine 1o raise wages and to prevent certain persons from_carrying on business operations principles injurious to tho interests of the masses, would at first sizht scom to be on un cqual footing with the capitalists who enter into combinations, for the purpose of main tainingor enhancing prices, or for the pur- pose of getting their goods and commoditics at the least possible risk to themselves, and crushing out unrcasonable demands of the sc-carners, A scction of this report ha reful and impartial analyti the history of combinations to maintain or advance w 0 the origin and ¢ dition of the wmgon that subject The open or sceret protest. of the laborer in support of what he cousiders his right to fair subsistence out of the product of his skill and energy 15 no_modern idea, it is as old as history.” The differcnce between the present apd the pastis that formerly the peasant and_the workman had reeourse to violence and brute force, wheieas, in these days they seek to effect the betterment of their condition by combination, or by refusal to work, thereby kecping capital inert, and unproductive. The luborer’s right to sell his one commodity, skill and force, at the highest price in the best market, is i conceded by the capitalistic it is not generally admitted u rs have a“right to unite and combine in suc mode as would compel the capitalist to hire labor b its own price. Labor ias simply an optionto refuse to work and so to starve; dut itis not clear to what extent discontent may go or at what point lawful negation be- comes illegal action. On the other hand, it would seem that tho capitulists, employers or produc not only lic idle, but may enter into agreements with cach other to re strict production, to raise or depress priccs and to impose théiv law on the whole com- munity. This was not always the ease: it was once aceounted illegal to artificially sisc or devress prices by concerted actiof just as it was accounted an offense to arti- ficiaily raise wages, though they might be, and often were, depressed by law. In thesa latter days it would seem that labor and capital should be equal before the law. CONDUCT OF STRIKERS “Much change has taken place within the last two years in the manner of orderiug and conducting strikes. Many of the labor or. ganizations have revised their rules govern ing trade difiiculties. This is made very plain by an examination of their constitution and by-laws. Indeed, some of them have wone 80 far as to wholly rescind obstructive rules, and insert provisions in their laws which prevent the use of what they term ‘shop calls,” Formerly it was the custom to stop work and consider the matter in dispute durmg working hours. Now, when found necessary to discuss a_grievance, the subject is postponed until after the day’s work has been performed, andsometimes the whole matter is discussed outside of their shop al together. This has been a frequent cause of annoyance to employes themselyes, since they had to lose the time consumed in set! the” matter in dispute. In shops wh lurge number of men are employed it readily be seen that even half an hou off the individual worker’s time for: cousideraple tax upon the employer, and_is ) unnecessary sacrifice on the part of the cmploye. Phése abuses do no exist in any of the old organizations, a8 provision is made for such contingencies by the creation of what are termed executive 1 ittees Where the latter do not exist it is the duty of some paid official to reconcile differer sud prevent, us far as possible, the suspe of work, been given to inquir; 4 will <en no in GAINS DY STRIKES. “An attempt wus made last year to give the possible gains acerued by strikers. Tho figures furnished at that time only had refer to strikes into which the question of wages entered, althougn all strikes indirectly affect wages, but the'data were very meagoer, and as statod at the time, there was no at tempt to cover the. whole field. The trade ich furnished the largest result was that carpenters, The gains aceruing clo that trade are not to bo limited to the figures presented in last year's report, for it is evi ranch of the industry have kept on adding to count during the 1887, 80 that in rto pive.the strikers full 'eredit the gains of 1857 should be added to those of 1886, This applies also to the bricklayers, who went on strike in 1854, No strike of any importance is reported in that trade for past year, and yet they have coutinued ing at the advance secured in 15%. they alsa should be eredited with two their anpual earnings. Tn ion of the subject iu this phase will ar towards excusing some of the seem foolish strikes which it becomes the pr of the bureau to report, and would scem to prove the truth of the statement made by members of the labor organizations that the benefits of a strike are not to be measured by the mere gaiu in wages for the time being Indeed, many advocates of labor organiza tions go further than this and assert, as be fore mentioned, that even an unsuccessfu strike is not a loss, since it prevents the pos. sibility of a reduction in the near future From the tables of the building depart ments of New York and Brookiyn, it is plain to be seen that the improvement in working hours and workingmen's wages, which was denounced by alarmists as likely to result in the injury of trade, has not realized these ¥ anticipations A reference to the report of 1884 shows that in New York city 3.697 buildings were proposed, with estimatod value 5,604,043 This number was for ten months, the return being made up ta Octobor 3i—ten months. “The return for the year, November 1, 1856 to October 81, 1857, in New York city shows 4,570, with dn estimated_cost of §6%, 073,157 “I'his being for the full year it is Iding | the parties to the wage cor ccessary (o deduct two mouths of time and | sixth of the cost to equalize the period Luildings and the outlay, the result ing “New buildings, 4,370, less one-sixth, equals balance 3,647, omitting fraction, e wated cost §05,075,157 lesd onessixih, leay 56,797,631, a8 the buildings and_c months of 1587, showing increase, n Brooklyn permits were granted from November 1, 159, to October #1, 1857, for 242 new buildings, at a cost of 420,007,024, The return used in our [ast report covered only ten months—buildings 8,434, value $10,- st for ten over three millions r deducting two months or one-sixth time and one-sixth cost the Yesult is 8,735 buildings and cost 816,505,857, showing ne six millions increase. “These points may vet form an interesting topic for inquiry us iliustrating the gains and losses by strike In the two_trades that have been specially mentioned it will be found, by reference to the bureau reports for the past two years, that the disbursed cost of @ strike, and _even grand total which incindes the loss of wages, bears but a small proportion to the increase made and held HOURS OF TATOR, “Strikes for tne regulation of hours of labor during the past year have not been as frequent as formerly, ~ The collapse of the nine hour movement in May, 1885 seems to have had a deterring effect upon the move. ment and the attempts to reduce hours of labor during the past year were contined to special industries, svch as waiters and bukers, with a few others,” Strikes as an open expression of discon nt and a serious interruption to business, still continue to occupy & large part of the bureau’s time and attention. The frequent id_protracted suspension of useful and fituble labor is aserious fact uder ordin- ary conditions of trade, but the addition to their number by the striie, as ameasure for redress of grievances or increase of gain, is avery important feature in modern labor history. A strike implics strong sonse of trouble which cannot be adjusted by calm discussion and appeal to equity. If a sirike succeeds it is quite certain that war might have been avoided by timely concession. Itisnot by auy means clear that the non-success of a strike proves it to have been based on insuficiont or unreason- able causc. It only establishes thoe conclusion that it was hasty or ill-ad- vised. Young organizations are anxious 10 try their wings, and are apt to disregard prudence; old organizations, who have been through the mill, adopt the strike only extreme measurd, after aegotiotion and conciliation huve been tried and have failed, Any petty disagreement may scem goud cause for making display of newly-acquired power by the young organization, but the ex. perienced body is satistied to threaten and take measures to muke success certain, They know the strike should not be resorted to except asa heroic remedy in an extreme case, where all palliatives have failed. “The strikes for 1887 include 144 trades and callings, against 137 in 1856; the number of shops on strike amounted to 1,604, against )it shops in 1856, This, however, does not give an exact reflex of the work performed by the bureau in this dircc 2,212 labor troubles were investigated. Many of these, upon inquiry arid investigation, were found to come under the head of threatened s Others never got beyond a simple d for an advance or a mild. protest against a reduction of wages. As a consequence, no figures could be obtuined regarding them and the facts are only stated to show the un- dercurrent of dissatisfaction which is always running, but owing to the lack of organiz tion among the workers in the unskille des in which most of these troubles occu cks direction. These cases, however, re quire as much work, and often more trouble: some and expensive than real strikes, as they require thoe presence of a special agent. ‘the returns for the past y show (4 strikes successful, 19 compromised or nartly successful, three doubtful, 695 unsuccessful and twenty-two pending. The returns for 2,061 shops _reported on . during the year 1856, show 51 suc 1,426 compro- mised or partly successful, 212 ‘doubtful unsuccessful and 147 pending. The nun of workers engaged i strikes was 51 from this number, however, must be sub. workers, who were engaged in termed “‘threatened strikes, where there is very shight, if any, suspension of work. This would make the actual num. ber of strikes 50,726, Bight thousand one hundred and_seventy-six strikers were re- fused work after strike. The loss of wages incident to strikes was 2,013,220.45. The amount expended by labor organizations in relief and conduct of strikes was $217,080.75. Estimated gain in wages for one year to . Loss to employ- “For the_year 1356, the r s were as follow Number of worl d in strikes, 127,302, of whom 6,301 were refused vork after strikes: the loss of wages was £2,552,554. Amount expended-for relief and conduet of strikes by lubor organizations was Bstimated gain in wages in 77l $1,420,5% per annuam, benefitting 34,832 persons. Loss to cmployers from all uses, §1,644,312. +Of these figures, it may be observed that the ‘loss to cmployers’ is probably ove if taken as an absolute, iverable loss. Oftentimes the employer has set down a “lost contract” as an item of damage by reason of u strike, The only loss sustained in such a case bemg really the loss of hope for gains. Where the strike for an adv. in wages issuccessful, it s clear that employer’s loss could only be upon contrac already in | ss and in which an ine of outlay involves a corresponding ¢ of caleuluted profits. Inasmuch, how strikes for wages usually take plac of the business season, the em ployer to make his contract bids or 5 e with the altered condi- tions. When work is already begun and a demand for advance is sprung upon the ployer, it is not to be denied that loss may be en d; but this also follows on a rise in the value of commodities or materials, due to causes outside of the relation of employer and employed, and for which a man of pru dence and foresight will have made his cal culations as one of the chancesto which every business transaction is liable, On the other side, under the head, ‘Loss of Waiges," it is well 1o remark that this loss is by no means absolute. 1t is possible that the worker may be entirely thrown out of oc- cupation ind may have to subsist on sa: from the past or on union allowine istance from sympathizi very oftenhuppens, hov rs'in one shop may i other shop in the very same city, much more inother citics. This. therefore, may turn out a ch of employers rather than a loss of wag o what extent a_dearth of employment has attended on a purticular strike it has not boen passible to discover. In some trades where the minor branches of a_handieraft are easily acquired it has been a diversion of trade from skilled to unskilled hands, the unskilled soon picking up the wage-earning aptitude. Again, almost every trade has its dull and its busy scason and *loss of wagos” may in that case be made up by prolongution of ‘the season or by extrahours of work ometimes, indeed, it happens that the sca slips away and nothing done, und then the 10ss is irreparable. *“The extent and impor of 1587 have not been 50 great us those of some previous years, The building trades g bound together by a communio and are naturally sympathetic; a made up_chiefly of tool-handlers and not of achinery-handle their eondition in uny season may be aceepted us an indication of the movements in all the constructive trades, The heaviest strikes in the building interest during the past year are those of the car. penters and framers. They show totals of 2414 and 1,550, together 4,000 men with loss i wages of #40,030.31, #26,22.75 und £13,003, to the orgauizations, of which the strikers wera members. 1t will be noted that the bureau has introduced u column into the tables showin al ggain in wages re sulting from the present sacrilice of ready mouey, by whick, if individuals lose, it is for the eventual good of the trade. In these cases the 108s in wapes, ete., hos re a prospectiy 1 of §34 v-work: ver, that work in ance of the strikes annual ga CAUSES AND KESULTS OF STRIKE “The causes and marks Commissioncr Peck, “are a vitaily im portant detail of information, setting forth in brief the matters in difference between ract. The causes are various, They are eithor i 3 defensive, but they go to show the homogen pusness of ideas in_the several trades, and unity of principal of action. The causés of strikes are either o establish trade usages, 10 increase wages, or 1o protect against neg lect and arbitrary 1wfraction of recognized rules; sowetimes @ strike is the overt expres sion of disapproval against objectionable per- sons or practices in & shop. Sometimes & strike 4y be for more than one cau ““Tha most notable causes are for incroase of wages or against reduction of wages; for the reduction, of hours and regulation of shop usazvs are important to. the worker, while lusistance on the employment of union nien and objection to non-unionists concern the intpgrity of the assoclative ' priuciples. vesults of strikes,” re | 9 iner | increase of wages of strikes, merely While the nt ) ns- | i ot best an investment for possible future sist other tr in their troubles, attests the | gain ¥ solidarity of orkers, “The causes as roturned by answors are: Avolition of plgco work, 2; chiange of pay day, 3, disoWnidge of union men, 11; dis charge of employes 5; discharge of forrman, employmet of non-union men, 113 equalization of wages, 3: increase of hours, ‘ww} wages, 400; increase of wages and abolitforf*ofpayment in_ saloons, 42; in crease of wages and reduction of hours, 55 and m rules, 414 in crease of waeRote,, 15; miscellancous, 3 non-paymenteof wages, 12; number of ap. prentices, 100; Aih‘m nable employes, 2; obnoxious fineeg -obnoxious foreman, 7; obnoxious rulegy;15; opposed to contract svs. 1, 25 opposed to Saturday night work, 3; opposed 1o use of whael-barrows, 2; reduc diction of hours 158; reduction of wages, 203 refusal to handle boycotted coal H 1800 to handle boycotted coal and freight, 34; re- fusal to handle boycotted freight, 35; refusal to handle voycotted patterns, 18; refusal to handle non-union material, 3; ' refusal to gnize Knights of Labor, 13; refusal to recognizo Kuights of Labor rules, 9; refusal to recognize union rules, 803 refusal to recog. nize union rules relative to hours of labor, 20: rival labor organizations, §; Saturday half-holiday, 28; to assist other trades, 145: use of machinery, 4 MODE OF SETTLEMENT. “Thao bitterest quarrel must havo and it is well to_know for future guidan what the end has been. Of the number of strikes reported and investigated 1t is found that 606 were “abandoned.” This almost im- plies that thoy were hastily entered upon without dwe” considoration as to the final chances of success. The lack of satisfactory rsults does not. however, conclusively estab- lish the improvidence or precipitancy” of the strike. It may have been undertakén when cmployers are strong and_united, as in the silversmiths, and where the public customers are willing to wait, and_so competition is not feared. The cause may scem stronger and better founded than it really is. In_short, strikes, like other enterprises of faith and moment, are not to be gauged only by their successful issues, The modes of sottloment are the familiar ones of arbitration, personal conciliation between parties engaged, or con ciliation through labor organizations. The full figures are as follows: “Arbitration, 6; 1 by the state board of mediation and arbitration, and 5 by the mayor of Rochester; conciliation, 21 conciliation with employes, 121; conciliation with labor anizations, 6673 no formal settlement, 52; ndoned, 660; blank 41, The figures for ion, 11—9 establishments engaged in general strike, and 1_shop strike by state board of arbitration, and 1 by railrond commissioners; conciliation, conciliation with employes, 813 conciliation with labor organizations, 8323 no format sot~ tlements, 203 abandoned, 430; blank, 356, WAGES DEFORE AND AUTER SIRIKES, “The wage-rato is by far the most frequent causo of strikes, although, as we know, not the only one. In needless'to dwell here on the importance of the wage-rate to the worl ingman. The proposition is a common place truism. When tho employer gives into an increase of wages, under the pressure of a strike, it is sell-evident that he might have done 50 on the first request, as if_only a mat- ter of policy. One fact not'recorded ‘i this table is worthy of comment, viz: That the advanced rate _continues for an indefinite period, say until a monetary crisis or some other ‘derangement of business relations. Some ccouomists are of the opinion that there is a general tendency in tho rate of wages, as with the rate of icterest, to de- cline. Whether this be so or not, it is cer- tain that on, tha first symptom of falling trade, the producer cuts wages just as he cuts any other business expense, and that wages put down haye a.tendency to down. It is proverbial that wages are the first element I, and ‘the last to rise n hard times. This has beenshown over and over again, espocially in the production of great staples. By the influence of organization, the rise in wages may alsole looked upon as a pe manent, not o transient gain. Moroover. there is'a solidarity in_the trades, and rate in one locality affect those in surrounding districts. Tl ratio of advaece is nutural variable in the several trades, but one trade (the bakers) may be adduced as an examp! of conspicuous gain: guin, too, thut seems likely to be retained, for with the wages o the hours, aud-a- general improvement of working conditions. In the building trades, aslight advance is recorded in the case of carpenters. An i portant advance is that of the hod carrier: which seems just, for though rude labor, it quires the skill that comes from practice, and moreover, exposed to the stoppages incident to open-afr construetive work “The horseshoers, entirely limited to man- ual labor, have sceured an important ad- vanee. Lie longshoremen, whose labos el rude, implics a good deal of skill in'th - ling of heavy packases (indeed all labor, even the roughest, implies skill), have ceeded in obtaining a partial advance in night work. This trade, which is almost al- adent on the arrival of is one of those in which the secming ity of pay, by the hour or the day, does not indicate the week's earnings. There are & great mauy hours wasted in waiting for n job. “During the year ending November 1, 1887, the number of establishments reported alfected by strikes relating 10 wages was 1. In 394 the employes secu an in- crease, fifty reported a decrease and (60 stated that there was no change. For the yeur 1856 the r Number of estab- lishments afth of which 506 ob- tained an inere suffered a decrease and 146 reported that there was no change from previous v HOURS BEFORE AND APTER STRIKES. +One of the salient topics of modern trade witation is the length of the working day. Many workers can recall the time when, in most trades, twelve hours was a_short day, 6116, w le in very many others fifteen hours was not cnongh to satisfy the cupidity of capital, and in some there werc no_hours all—work begun must be finish In two hreo trades (bakers, barbers and waitors, for instance,) there are still some specimens extant of this last and worst position, but pily they are dying out. “Short hoarshave been the ground of sharp contest in latter years, and in most construc trades niné or ten hours are an estab- 4 rule, altough the agitation has not quite subsided, and in trades where muchin ery has to be tended as in the groat industrial ions, the shifts arc apt Lo be uncert perhaps necessarily, In the bakers' trea. great progress has been made, Ot of 404 inquirics regarding strikes, in which the question of hours of Iabor was involved in that number of establishments, 78 report no further change this year, w decrease and 22 report tho normal standard or under speci tions. One hundred and eighty-one persons hed empleyment through the reduetion of hou In the year 1856, out of 251 str reduction of “hours, 74 were successful and 152 were lost, One thousand and eighty: three additional persons seceured cuip) ment through the successful strikes. The great diffe r betwe the fi 08 of 1586 and 1557 are dfe to the fact3that in the former yearlatiikes for shorter” hours were more fréquedt gadof greater proportion than in the latter joph. This is especially true of the building trages in New York and Brook Iyn, in whicty Jagge numbers of men are cui ployed its on SYAEATIETIC STRIRERS, “The sympatfiitic strike is u topic often mentioned in'thdcourse of this inquiry. Its motives are vaMbus io their specitic charac ter, but may be summed up in the one gen. eral proposition af an interest common to all Wage-carners: st as all merchants may W compogy interest in some principle, and 80 give agd Jd comfort to a particular individual who'ts engaged in somethin touches the gencral weal pute with thd eolléctor of customs or internal "o strike tolassist another trade, as it is termed, may be predicted on any cause, even in sympathy with what secins a case of injus. tico, though that is rare. Generally it may be presumed that there is some ¢ unity of iuterest betw D the parties. What burts A may thus react on Z. The modus operandi is frequently that if various trades are en azed in common business, say in buil themen in one trade sirike on aspecific grievanc confined at first to their own call ing, and then the others join in o sustain a general principle. This, of course, puts a pressure on the employer, who might oth wise have been able to get rid of the individ ual strikers’ demand. “Those sympathetic strikes form a very important item in the general ‘account. . The total loss in wages being 897,583,60, while the 1083 to employers is placed at§36,000. An other instance of -the ‘solidarity’ of the workingmen: - Whether the loss to . em- ployers was absolute or relative, there are no means of kuowiog. The lossof ‘a day to a wochanic is for dle time being absolute, It ““The following show the results in detail Number of losing number compr ressful, numbor rsons engagod, y bsitions, 650; successful, S3; or partly successful, 63 unsi doubtful, 3; pending, 1. Total tablishments affectad, 148 'or the year 18, the results woro as fol Number of persons engaged, 10,9033 who lost positions, 233 l0ss in w 3 10ss to employors, $12.123; success. ompromised or partly successful, 4; unsuccessful, 39; doubtful, 28, pending, 3. Total number of establishments affected, 9. TAREATENED STRIKES, ““Tho threaténed strike,” remarks the cominissioner, “is_often_as effective as the actual Indeed, where the employer refuses to concede reasonable demands and 80 avoid a strike, it is mostly because he ddes not believe in the strength or persistence of the emploves to enforce their demands. In one trade, the bakers, as oclsewhero told, t workmen did not feel justified in making open_demand_for redross of grievances, and 80 adopted the threatencd strike system, breaking out in spots and earning wages while they sustained the few men on strike Tho causes of threatened strikes, as will be seen, are the same as those of actual strikes. “1f nead scarcely be said that cmployers show a wise discretion in avoiding the con summation of threatened strike, where the employes are numerous andhave the power of acting simultancously, as 1n the case of the ‘car employes,” whose rike isa great public inconvenience. “Total nuwmber of throatened strikes sov enty-one, involving 1,006 employes. In fift five cases they were successful, fifteen were unsuccessful, and one case was compro mised. The number in 1556 was fitty-seven, resulting as follows: Successful, twenty: eight; compromised, eight; unsuccessful, ten, und even not reported.” WAGES LOST. “The ‘wages lost! or sacrificed by employes in their effort to seenre a redross of thioir greivances or a_betterment of their position 1y, must bo accepted as at least con clusive of their carnestuess. The saerifice is enormous. 1t is_a prescut and real loss and inconventence for a future and doubtful good. When the sacrifice is for gain in money returns it is, in o measure, a mercan: {ransaction; an outlay from which a nful return is expected. Even in that o. however, the risk and loss are not all incurred for the individual striker's own ad- vantage oule, for it enures to the general good of all concerned in_ the trade, wherever located. The men engaged in the strik who make the sacrifice, are not necessarily beneficiaries. Moneys 'in hand, the savings of lubor, are voluntary paid out for a possi ble future good to the whole calling, Pre ent earnings are refused, present p ions incurred, by comparatively few, i the hope s future good for the many. Forty tho! and three hundred and forty-six wag arners, in 993 establishments, * voluntarily deprive'themselves of §2,013,220,45, an aver- age of 40.60 cach, computed from the begin- ning to the close'of tho strike, besides which 606 make noreport, of whom it is perfectly permissible to believe that they also had their share of present sacrifice, though the amount! for reasons unexplained, i8 not given, In the year 1830 reports were re- ceived from ninety trades or callings, show. ing a loss of wages amounting to #2,538554. Forty-seven trades made 1o report on the subject. 1t must be borne in mind that this self-taxation fora principle 18 quite volun- tary, It is not the taxation by a govern- ment, imposed by a central power—it is a srsonal operation in which cvery individual can, and if he pleases, docs have his say. It may not always be a work of wisdom, but it is proof of terrible earnestness, and ' when the loss is incurred in what is cailed the ‘sympathetic’ strike, it isa_ proof of unsclf- ishness and the sense of special interest in the general welfare, "he memoirs of the sc ments show the pa nses for which these sacrifices were incurred. Here it is only necessary to call attention to the outl and to suy that the causes are as often mat ters of principle as of gain. Regulations as to apprentices, for instance, ave more a ques- tion of principle affecting the future condi- tion of o trade than the wages or gains of the present gener of workers, The brass- ¢ hinged mainly on the 0 of general zood. The longshoremen’s strike originated in sympathy with _the grievances of laborers dutside of this state, and was finally carried ou to enforce what Scomed to them' the just claims of local labor. “I¢ is only to be regretted that the leaders and adviser's in these acts fof sclf-sucrifice have not always been the right men in the right places. NUMBER REFUSED WORK AFTER STRIKES ST almost every strike, some persons, per- haps, on account of pernicious activity, suffer for the gencral good. This is especially ob. servable in the case of ‘unsuccessiul’ strikes. This table give the detail of workers who have lost employment on account of their par ticipation in strike movements, Ninety-five trades or ¢ \rs report that 8,136 persons lost positions 40 trades do not réport on this subject ¢ the year 1836, 76 trades or call- ings reported that 6,301 persons were refused work after strikes, and G1 trades failed to re Dort. COST OF lows nur 1 sirike move- STRIKES TO LADOR ORGANIZATIONS. Self erifice is the most eritical conjune- os accepted as a proof of sincerity, With that as a test, it cannot be questioned that the laborer is in carncst when he enters o strike to enforce his view of right. The re fusal to work under conditions which he thinks unfair to himself or his fellows, is a cogzent proof of his sincerity and determina- tion to defend his own rights or to help in asserting those of others. Itis easy for looker-on, or even for the employer, to_con- demn the laborer for throwing away his liv ing in order to fizht a battle in which viet is wot always on the side of the right, and by which he must in any case suffer great pre t inconvenience for aun uncertain future benefit ‘e wmount of the laborer's d s been shown in the summary ‘loss of s, bu the loss does not end there. The “labor organizations,’ formed to maintain and cenforce the laborers' rights, have also thewr losses and sacrifices for the'common good ! shows ata glance the total loss inc by fifty-nine organizations, which ha won strike during the past yeur. The total cost amounted 1o ¥217.060.75. he details are found under the several trad titles. For the year 185, forty-eight trades reported us to cost of strikes §520,080. ESTIMATED GAIN In this table Commissioner Peck shows ‘the estimated annual gains in wages in tho several trades in which increase of wages was the main purpose of the strike. The cost of the strikes to attain the bject can be found in auother table, The totals in this case show from fifty-one trades engaged, the results being that 11,472 received an annual increasc of #044,652.55, or #%2 each “During th 1856 the totals of forty five trades wore that 34,542 porsons received an increase of E420,585, or #1 each “Strikes for the same canse were reported in the previous year, and it 18 only reason able to suppose that the strikes were for the purpose of following up the advantages gained, and_that those who had not already profited by the rise were secking to equalizo up. “The ‘wages’ rate is the most important of all questions to the workingman, and it is th first and greatest cause of organization, N 15 the benefit resulting from antation tem porary in churacter; wages are maintamed for years unless in case of trade or money risis, when ther isa gencral decline in value by which the wage-earner is the speedy sufferer with notoriously a very slow return. The here shown, although few in comparison with the mass of wage-earncrs, may be i ted a8 typical, except that th great eity of New York takes the lead as the class of work done and the abundance of capital “Besides, 8 act 1088 few strikos took place in what al known s ‘piece’ trades. They proved successful, butit was found impossible to make any estimate of the gain tothe strikers 1t must be borne in mind that strikes ‘against the cmployment of non-union men,’ and sev eral of the other causes enumerated, are af ter allonly an attempt to preserve what is called the ‘union as the table givin, the wages before and 'after the strike will show thut the non kers scale is lower than the demand wade by t labor organizations. tted by the organization to 1 v ate union rules gulations, 1 only be a question of time when all'working in the shop will b forced o work for the lower or non-union rate, and this will spread to the entire trade. This may not be true of the new organiza 3ions which strike for causes that are trivial, but it is absolutely trae of older organiza tions, which 1every infringement of rules or customs as tendinz ta eventually re duce the rate of .wages. Hence th rsist ence and. vigor with which a strike -appar- ently unlmportant i itgelf. but reaily of or shop r regar grave moment to the trade in general, i pushed.” REFUSAL OF CONTRACTS AND TIR LOSSES, The questions cover the whole number of trades, and involve all transactions in the class of ‘fatures,’ A feature of the roplies would naturally be the number of negatives Very many trades work from day to day for immiodiate delivery and consumption, ‘spot’ transactions, as it were. The building trada must be in the nature of work for a future date,so also with many manufacturing trades in which goods are made to be held over and delivered as called for or according to con tract “The totals of answors from all classes of labor employers amount to 1,214, out of 1,604, of which 833 indicated that contracts had been refused by reason of labor troublos, while 405 having had no strikes had given no refusals, at least not on strike grounds ““The other inquiry, *loss by refusal of con tracts,'" remarks the ymmissioner, “‘in volves a little moro critical examination. 1t is assumed, by the employer making the re turn, that his undertaking would surcly have returned a profit. That is tho object of all business and the specific purpose in_the par ticular transaction. Putting aside the obvi ous eontingency, that tho contract, if under. taken, might have turned out a 1088, p or total, we will accept the reasonable y bility with which overy man undertakoes trade, that will turn out fairly well, in which case it only remains'to add that there is rea on to four the trader may have occasionally returned the gross sum as a 108s in place of returning the profits lost by his being pro: vented from entering on tho transaction. A small, careloss caleulator will porhaps say that No lost #1,000, when the whole intended transaction only amounted to #1,000; whereas the careful man will sy that he missed o deal by which out of $1,000° he might have netted £200 profit. Subject to this comment, it appears that 123 firm: made $217,202 loss by their abandoned contracts, while 181 pre- forred to make no cstimate of their misgains. In the year 1550 the 10sa from refusal of con- tracts was reported by 147 firms at £603, NUMBEI OF ESTADLISIIMENTS CLOSE *“This is a most important summary, presents at a glance the suspension” of i dustriss which takes place as an accompani- mont to the strikes. 1f the policy and right reason of a strike are determined by the cir- cumstances, it is also self-ovident that the policy of resistance to a strike is_open to the logic of facts and_conditions. Tho strike is industrial war, and like other is botter avoidod by wise concossion thi by rashness or obstin even the tempor closing, or v suspension of o business cstablishment is a public as well as personal loss. The fact that 635 establishments elosed and seventy-three partly closed, outof the whole number investigated, should be u sharp lesson to both parties in_theso issues. In the year 1586 thero were b establishments reported closed. “In speaking of discrimination agamst members of Inbor organizations the commis sioner says, “that when an employer turns off an employe for a camse that affects the body of employes, and not for a cause per. sonal, such as dishonesty or incompetency, it is lookod on a8 an act of oppression, and the shop rises in his defense, The individual may verhaps have been active in promoting unfon interests, and so have become obnox ious to an employer. In that case his fellow laborers rise up in_his dofense, It may so appear that an employer or his forman as. signs a false cause for his dismissal, the roal 150 being that he is too carnest a unionist This is calied unjust “discrimination” and leads to strikes. The results have not been very conclusive; 814 have denied the impeach; ment, 834 have ‘made no answer to the in quiry form, 310 no strike was answered, and in 171 the fact of discrimination was cstal lished. The resuits in 155 were as follows: 152 firms reported that they did discriminate, 1,118 reported no- discrimination, and 757 s’ tablishments made no report on this sub ject. DREACTES OF THE PEACE AND ANRESTS, “A satisfactory feature in our i labor troubles is their avoidance of sc crime—a great contrast to the anu ago, particularly in other countrics When labor disagreements were accompanied by riot and bloodshed. The arrosts reported this year ouly amount to forty-cight for tri vial causes, such ns distributing boyeot cir. culars, disorderly conduct, obstructing the sidewallk, ete-; the fines and penalties, where imposed, being equally trivial. Only one ase of dctual violence was reported, which was followed by conviction and three 3 of state prison. . Whether this arose out of the strike, or whether a case of previous animosity is not known. The total uumber U5 10 1536 was 3713 245 for assault, 10 orderly conduct, 1 for firing off a pistol, 35 for hoycatting, § for conspiracy, 3 for black- mail, and 66 for various causes WALNUT HILL . BIG BARGAIN! Two 7-room honses near corner of Hamilton and Furcka strects. Fiuished in first class style, for #1,400 cach. All agents allowed & com- mission, Small payment down, balance on easy terms, Wil rent for #18 per month. Inquire . G. MERRILL, Contractor, Walnut Hill 'Tho best and surest Remedy for Cure of | all diseases caused by any derangement of the Liver, Kidncys, Stomach and Bowels. Dyspepsia, Sick Headache, Constipation, Billous Complaints end Xalariaof all kinds yleld readily to the beneficent influence of PleLI 1t i pleasant to the taste, tones up the system, rostores and preserves health. 1t is purcly Vegetable, and cannot fall to prove benefiolal, both to old end young. As a Blood Purifier 1t is superior to all others. Bold everywhere at $1.00 & hottle. 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