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THE MICHIGAN TRADESMAN.

 

 

 

 

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MicriaN TRADESMAN

 

CSE Ds,

me WEEKLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THR
Best Interests of Business Men.

Published at
New Blodgett Bldg., Grand Rapids,
— BY THE —

TRADESMAN COMPANY.

tne Dollar a Year, Payable in Advance

 

 

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He MIcHIGAN TRADESMAN.

E. A. STOWE, Editor.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20.

 

 

 

 

SOME EFFECTS OF UNIONISM.

It is a matter of observation that in-
dustries are specialized in most of our
larger towns and that for some reason it
seems to be impossible to establish, suc-
cessfully, any enterprise not in the line
of the specialty for that town. For in-
stance, the specialty for Grand Rapids is
furniture and allied lines, and it has
long been a matter of remark that it is
almost impossible to establish other
lines here, especially metal working.
What is the reason for this?

It is also a matter of observation that
in the towns where a special industry is
suecessful thatindustry is placed beyond
any material influence of unionism, es-
pecially in the matter of wages, and
thus the production is enabled to take its
place in the markets of the country. But
in the weaker industries the effect of
the arbitrary prices maintained by
unionism is to send all valuable con-
tracts to towns where that particular in-
dustry is beyond their dictation Thus,
as stated above, metal working cannot
be made successful here on apy very ex-
tensive scale except by one or two
specialty manufacturers whose patents
and other advantages enable them to
continue, as they do, in constant defiance
of the unions.

It is not alone in the matter of wages
that such enterprises are handicapped,
but in the arbitrary inierference in the
business management. A_ notable in-
stance of this kind occurred recently in
this city. An industry had been in-
augurated here under the most favorabie
and promising circumstances. With
valuable patents, large capital and wide
experience in that particular business
the indications were that in a short time
hundreds of workmen would be em-
ployed; but, unfortunately, the manager,
in discharging a drunken workman, in-
fringed some rule of the union. On his
refusing to re-instate the man, when di-
rected to do so by the union authorities,
a strike was ordered. This, in due time,
was followed up by a boycott, and the!
nen-union workmen put on in place of}
the strikers were made the targets of |
abuse and assault—the same old story of
union methods. What is the result?|
The controversy having attracted the at-
tention of the management of a concern !
making a specialty of that particular |

 

line of work in a town where the indus-
try is beyond the control of unions,a
proposition is made to take the manufac-
ture and furnish the finished goods at a
price more than 15 per cent. lower than
they could be made for here even with
the co-operation of the union.

Grand Rapids maintains a somewhat
expensive Board of Trade, which puts
forth commendable efforts to secure in-
dustries. but what is the use of continuing
the work against such influences as this?
It will take a long time for its efforts to
repair the loss of such an enterprise as
the one in question.

There is no good reason for, or benefit
in, thus driving industries into specializ-
ing centers, either for the unions or the
communities. The unions thus drive
them beyond their control; and it would
be much better for a community to have |
a varietyof industries and not be depend-
ent for its prosperity on the commer-
eial vicissitudes of a single product.

 

INJURING OUR CREDIT ABROAD.

One of the worst features of the for-
midable opposition arrayed against the
administration during the last Congress
has been in the very unfortunate effect
this opposition has had upon the credit
of the nation abroad. The very pro-
nounced disposition towards absolute
free silver coinage, which is but another
name for a silver standard; the success-
ful opposition to the Government guaran-
teeing the payment of its bonds in gold,
and the eagerness displayed by some leg-
islators to deprive the Government of the
means of meeting its present gold obli-
gations have thoroughly alarmed the
holders of American securities abroad;
hence it is not surprising that there
should be a display of anxiety to unload
such securities.

The steady decline in Ameriean securi-
ties in the markets of Europe has been
one of the most interesting phases of
financial affairs for the past few months.
This decline cannot be attributed merely
to mismanagement in the case of various
railroads, but must be placed to the
credit of the growing distrust as to the
financial stability of the United States
and to the gross perversion of financial
legislation in Congress.

How can we expect foreigners to have
any confidence in the permanence of our
institutions when they see prominent
members of Congress prepared to sacri-
fice the credit of the Government in order
to satisfy some petty animosity enter-
tained towards the President? With
Congress full of people who are prepared
to ruin the country to increase the value
of their mining property in the West; of
Wali Street Shylocks who are willing to
precipitate a panic to perpetuate the
gold standard; of politicians who are
willing to do anything to make political
capital, it is not astonishing that foreign-
ers should despair of the future of the
United States, and should become anx-
ious to unload their holdings of Ameri-
can securities.

This withdrawal of foreign capital
hitherto interested in the United States
has been one of the most serious phases
of the financial situation, as it has been
this, more than any other cause, which
bas been responsible for the heavy ex-
ports of gold during the past year.

It is a noticeable fact that strikes are
nearly always promoted by men who will
not work themselves, under any circum-

 

stances.

DIGGING THEIR OWN GRAVES.

The most important political questions
which can come before the American
people, after the more urgent financial
problem shall have been solved, are
those which relate to the employment of
labor. The working classes deserve and
need all the wise counsel and all the
kind considefation it is possible for them
to have; but, unfortunately, their affairs
have been conducted with extraordinary
wrong-headedness ever since their cause
was espoused by the exponents of so-
ealled organized labor.

Anybody with reasonable intelligence
can readily see what an enormous politi-
cal power could be secured by uniting
the whole of the working classes into
one vast voting and working body. Such
a force at the polls would be invincible.
It could stock state legislatures and the
National Congress with members who
would carry any measure the working
classes might dictate, and, instead of leg-
islation being enacted in the interest of
the whole people, irrespective of class
and condition, it could be effected solely
in the interest of the working classes.

So far from taking advantage of the
remarkable opportunity offered, the
masses have wholly neglected it and are
chiefly engaged in fomenting and main-
taining the widest and most hostile divi-
sions among the different branches of
laborers. For instance, all organized
labor is bitterly at war with all unorgan-
ized labor. The man who is forced to
work, but refuses to wear the yoke of
the labor union, at once becomes an ob-
ject fer the most bitter persecution and
hostile treatment. It is not exactly law-
ful to kill him to keep him from work-
ing, but it is excusable to do so.

As a result of such wrong-headedness,
which is precipitated and perpetuated by
venal and unscrupulous union leaders,
organized labor has assumed a_ pusition
of menace to the peace and prosperity of
the country, instilling the insidious doc-
trine of discontent and anarchy among
the membership and inspiring deeds of
violence and crime on the least provoca-
tion. Cursed by fatal divisions and in-
ternal feuds and jealousies, the working
classes bear the seeds of their own ruin.
With universal harmony and co-opera-
tion they would be all-powerful; but,
with universal discord and war among
themselves, they are utterly, hopelessly
weak. It is their own fault.

Many grievous blunders have been
laid to the charge of our State Depart-
ment in connection with Hawaii, with
Samoa, and with the quarrel between
China and Japan. In its recent demand
for an apology from Spain, however, it
assumed an unflinching attitude for the
rights of American citizens and the honor
of the American flag. It is, very nat-
urally, a souree of congratulation to
Grand Rapids people that the corres-
pondence with the Spanish government
was conducted by a Grand Rapids man—
Hon. Edwin F. Uhl, now Assistamt Sec-
retary of State—who appears to be as
full of backbone as his superior is lack-
ing in that essential element of states-
manship.

The prejudice that obtains for state
and local rights causes no small annoy-
ance and inconvenience in dealing with
local disorders, as the recent New
Orleans and Colorado riots. The federal
authorities may be present with ample
means torestore order, as is the case in

 

New Orleans, yet they must wait until
the Mayor, who is in sympathy with the
rioters, and the State authorities have
“fought it out’’ before taking any action.
Meanwhile the representatives of foreign
governments whose citizens are suffering
at the hands of the rioters must prefer
their claims through the general govern-
ment and await its pleasure to interfere,
a position not at all satisfactory to them.
It is not to be wondered at that such
representatives should be tempted to
overlook diplomatic etiquette and cor-
respond with local authorities, as Baron
Fava, the Italian representative, has
done in the Colorado matter. Of course,
he must suffer for his temerity, but his
action may serve the purpose of em-
phasizing the necessity of reform in the
practice, at least, of getting at such
eases.

 

It is acoincidence that the death of
MacAllister, the autocrat of the social
world of New York, should be so soon
followed by the death of Worth, the
autocrat of the fashion metropolis of the
world. Itis worthy to note that while
the former had no special or natural ad-
vantages or prestige save that of self-
assurance, the latter was even more ob-
scure in origin and advantages for
artistic culture. Born in an obscure
English town and easily finding employ-
ment in an English dry goods store, his
advancement to the position of the great-
est designer of costumes in the world
seemed to be the result partly of fortu-
nate circumstances and partly of a real
genius for correct taste in women’s dress
that was most remarkable. His position
and reputation, however, were largely
dependent on empiric assumption of au-
thority which he had the tact to main-
tain until a visit to his studio became
the Mecca of tourists. The wonder is
that he should have been able to main-
tain his prestige so long.

The labor riots in New Orleans and the
lynchings in Colorado, involving, in both
cases, citizens of other countries, revive
the question of Federal responsibility
aud right of interference in such cases.
The great jealousy for state rights which
prevents the general government from
interfering until all local authority is ex-
hausted creates a condition of affairs
that is not atall satisfactory to the re-
presentatives of foreign governments,
who can only deal directly with our gen-
eral government. As in the case of the
New Orleans riots, the Mayor of the city
may bein collusion with the rioters, and
the government cannot interfere until
local and state authorities have ‘‘fought
it out.’”? This condition is an absurd one
and one that should be speedily reme-
died.

There is considerable speculation as
to the effect the payment of the Chinese
war indemnity to Japan will have upon
American finances. If the payment
should be demanded in gold it is prob-
able the reserve would soon disappear
from the Treasury. It remains to be
demonstrated what serious injury that
contingency would cause to this country.
It is thought the sudden advance in the
price of silver iscaused by. the probable
demand in the same direction.

The Spanish Government has given
notice that all code or cipher messages
received by cable into that country will
hereafter be subject to a government
censorship.