Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 84.djvu/470

466 of picturing to the workingman the miseries of his condition; one might imagine that medieval conditions exist everywhere, whereas they exist only among the peons of the trade unions. Cicero was unable to understand how one soothsayer could look in the face of another without laughing. He would be more puzzled to-day if he should hear a labor leader telling his serfs that capital has made it impossible for a poor man to rise above his caste—and this in New York city, where a great proportion of the wealthy men have risen from poverty and a very great part of the real estate is controlled by men who reached this country almost penniless less than 30 years ago. The savings bank deposits in the anthracite region and in the copper region of Michigan prove that the "awful misery" did not exist when the men were at work. These savings have been referred to boastfully as the "backbone of the strike." The selfishness of unions proves the hollowness of their pretence that the warfare is for the rights of humanity. Not only do they attempt to prevent all except their own members from gaining a livelihood, but they also do not hesitate to incommode the whole community, rich and poor alike, in order to hasten success of a strike. It matters not how insignificant the matter at issue may be, the fact that it is an issue makes it so important that destruction of the community would be preferable to defeat of the organized minority. One need not occupy 6pace by detailed illustration. The numerous trolley strikes, ordered at hours when most inconvenience and suffering may be caused; the recent strike of railway engineers in northern England, whereby a great region was threatened with starvation, because the company had suspended a tippling engineer; the recent strike vote on a New England road because the company insisted that fitness should be considered in assigning engineers to important trains; and the strike for similar reasons on the Southern Pacific road suffice. The list might be increased indefinitely, showing indifference to interests of workers who do not belong to the union army—even of those who do belong to that army, but not to the disturbing regiment. The boast, "for the rights of humanity" means for the right of union humanity. Mr. John Mitchell is reported to have said at a convention of labor leaders, that the condition of wages is better than ever before, but still he would ask for more. If a 25 per cent, advance were granted, he would demand yet more. If an eight-hour day were secured for all, he would struggle for a seven-hour day. All this, of course, for unionists. Members of unions are said to number about 2,000,000 in this country; they are to thrive at the expense of the vast majority, who must pay them high wage for a short day. Many are puzzled to explain why trade union workers should have a short day when almost all others have a long day, although the labor in most of the trades, which are unionized, is less exhausting; but the explanation is simple; the union, like the highwayman, possesses power to enforce its demands. There is no laborer save the "horny-handed son