466 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



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 under- 

 stand 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 in- 

 creased 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 condi- 

 tion 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 



