The Danger of Irresponsible Power
By L. A. S.
An illustration of what may be expected from the domination of labor unions in the industrial affairs of this country, is furnished by the contest between the building trades unions of New York City and their employers during the last six months. Intoxicated with a sense of their power, these labor organizations seem oblivious to all bounds of justice and reason. We note in The Independent (New York) the following strong language on this point:— It should be borne in mind that neither the rate of wages nor the hours of labor were involved in this controversy, and that they have recently been fighting, under the leadership of their walking delegates, against the adoption of a fair arbitration agreement proposed by men who bind themselves to employ only members of the unions. When, owing to the returning sanity of the workmen and to the conviction of their rascally leader, the end of the wretched contest seemed at hand, a national convention took place in Kansas City, where this leader—a convicted blackmailer temporarily out of prison, and soon to be tried on four additional indictments—won a notable victory over the honest men of his organization, and was raised to the rank of a hero. Now he returns to New York, breathing threatenings and slaughter, and promising to cause strikes on all the building projects where work has been resumed—even upon the new bridge across the East River. The result is, the contractors and architects say, that not less than fifty million dollars which was to be invested in buildings has been withheld. Contracts have been canceled, rents are rising, the savings of the working men in the banks are almost exhausted, and a “blue winter” for the building industry is at hand; for it is predicted by the builders that, whatever Parks and his foolish dupes may do, not more than one half of the skilled workmen will find employment in the coming cold season. At the beginning of the present season, there had never been a brighter prospect of abundant work at high wages in this industry. The effect of this suicidal and criminal folly is not confined to New York. Building has been checked elsewhere, though not to the same extent, and the direct and sentimental influence of what has taken place is seen in the beginnings of depression in the great iron and steel industry. If this depression shall become more clearly marked, other industries and business generally will be affected injuriously in sympathy with it. Never have working men in America sought more diligently and with greater lack of common sense to kill the goose that was laying golden eggs for them. Great power directed with a disregard of common sense is the ominous feature of the prospect which arises from the present situation. It was never intended that great power should be exercised in this nation except through the machinery of government. In the government the exercise of power is safeguarded by the Constitution and laws enacted and administered by agents chosen by the whole people. Public officials entrusted with power are selected because of their demonstrated ability and worthiness for the place. The whole machinery of the government was designed with a special view to preventing the abuse of power on the part of those entrusted with governmental affairs. But a new and unforeseen state of things has arisen, in which one man, neither chosen by the people nor responsible to them, but merely the representative of a small fraction of the people bound together in a confederacy, exercises the power of a governmental autocrat, and, inspired by motives purely selfish, can throw out of gear almost the whole industrial machinery of the country, and lay a paralyzing hand upon the national prosperity. There has arisen within the government another system which to a large extent usurps the place of government, but in which the exercise of power is attended by no safeguards whatever. There could be nothing calculated to interfere more quickly with national prosperity than the development of such a one-man power. But just this thing has come in this nation, and it remains to be seen to what dimensions the evil will grow. L. A. S.