The Strike

Usually when a class of men make a strike en masse they in some way lack that sympathy of the public without which their strike proves a failure. For a week past souie 14,000 of the raen who opérate in the telegraph offices of tlie Western Union have refused to woik because of abuses In the system of eniployraent. No violence lias been done to any person, wires, instruments or other appliances of the business and In consequence of thia and of the evident justness of their cause popular S3'mpathy in tliis contest is on the side of labor as opposed to monopolized capital. Telegraph operators as a rule form an intelligent and gentlemanly class of people. Their calling is one which makes such deinands on their nerve force as to incapacítate them from business afterseveral years steady application. Th is is evidenced by the fact that we neyer see an oíd man who has tended simply to tha business for many years. With their arm continually electriBed frora the key afte a time they get the telegrapher's paralysi and are obliged to seek other employ ment. Their wages by no means are as higl as they ought to be for such work and the hope of advancement is denied thern by the policy of the company, which is in di reet deliance with the idea of civil service rules now prevalent. As a class the men like to travel about from one city to another. oftentimes taking pride in the num ber of cities they have worked in and if for instance, a $G0 place becomes vacan in an office it is filled with some one from a distance in preference to a $45. or $50 man who has been a faithful worker right in the office and merits promotion. There can be no question but that this is an injustice. Tlien, Sunday work is now demanded of them, and that too without crease of pay. The Westera Union is au immense monopoly having in its employ over 17,000 men,'kthe large majority being on the strike. Jt iinds itself unable to transact the necessary business of the country and if the men hold firra it must make some concessions tothem. Of courseitnowhas the entire control of the transmission of news froin point to point and can represent the Btrlkera and their cause la whatever way it deerns is best for its own interests, so we must put ourselves on guard vhen reading the ex parte reports, and in turn put ourselves in the places of the salaried telegraph men who have families to support and their future to care for. We sympathize with the " boys " and hopt for their triumph.