The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Tuesday, August 19, 1890. A WISE RESOLUTION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 495, 19 August 1890, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Tuesday, August 19, 1890. A WISE RESOLUTION.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at bo thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.;

The decision come to by the Labor Unions, in regard to the Whitcombe and Tombs difficulty, is a very wise one, and will ensure a feeling of relief in the minds of all colonists. The Maritime Council made a mistake in threatening to paralyse the trade of the colony, but the rashness in the one respect has been more than atoned for by the calm judgment that has been exercised in other ways. There was never much doubt as to the indefensible position held by WHitcombe and Tombs, and no matter what the outcome may be so far as that firm is concerned, no sympathy can be felt for them by anyone who has dispassionately considered the facts. What we could never understand in regard to the difficulty was the assertion that it was to be a great contest between Capital and Labor. Shrewd men who would in such a contest be arrayed on the side of Capital, would be hardly likely to select such a weak foundation for their defence. Yet if the Labor organisations : went so far as to paralyse the whole trade of the colony, to the ruin of hundreds of individuals who have nothing to do with the quarrel, there would soon be such a reversion of sympathy as would be very injurious to Labor, while from the great struggle that would ensue, the probabilities are that New Zealand would emerge a ruined country. That would be little satisfaction to the leaders in the great Labor movement. Their proper policy is to work quietly for the object they have in view, and avoid any struggle that can be avoided without completely stultifying their positions. It is sheer nonsense, attended with no small danger, to put on “frills” and talk big about dignity and that sort of thing. All they should seek is fairplay ; and if it comes to a stand-up battle they will be able to hit just as hard without having to keep time with the dancing-master’s piping. Employers of iabor can themselves see that it is far better to have their servants decently remunerated. In the past an insane competition in all lines of business has been keenly brought home to wage-earners, j In the case in which Whitcombe and Tombs are Concerned, all the other I

master-printers have agreed to a scale of prices that enables work to be done at a reasonable profit, and there is no possible excuse for that firm. They claim the right to conduct their business in their own way, and a lot has been said about the destruction of individuality if they are not permitted to do this. But though plausible, those sort of arguments are very weak. In no community can individuals be allowed to do just as they like, without restraint of any kind. So far as this special effort is concerned it bids fair to put the whole printing trade of the colony on a reasonable basis, which can lead to no inconvenience to the public, but this one firm stands out, and turns a deaf ear to all reason. We cannot imagine that capitalists would rest themselves upon such a broken reed if they had really determined upon a struggle. Still, there are a few men in the capitalist ranks who would like to see the labor organisations precipitate a great struggle. Having taken care to be safe themselves, those

men would look on and applaud, and then be at the finish to b itten on the ruins. On Saturday the Maritime Council issued a manifesto that will commend itself for its temperate tone. The firm have been offered every facility —they have been reasoned with until any further effort in that direction would appear to be waste of words, and they have resolutely refused to submit ’o arbitration, the fairest course that could be adopted in the circumstances. Therefore the position defined by Mr Millar, the Secretary of the Maritime Council, will meet with general approval. The letter is as follows : — “ The Council have given this matter close and careful consideration, and have looked into it from every possible point of view, with the result that they have .arrived at the following conclusions : —That no general strike will take place ; that Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs have determined | to attempt to run their business on nonj union lines, and thus enter into unfair I competition with their fellow-traders to the detriment of the latter and their em-

ployes ; that they have rejected arbitration, which has been twice offered, and have defied the union, and must abide the result ; that Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs have deliberately made up their minds to bring about a general labor complication regardless of the result—disasters, and consequent waste of time and money—and with characteristic selfishness the firm are content to disorganise trade in the hope that they may benefit in some degiee amid the general trouble. The Council will, with the help of the unions, deal with this company on simple but effective lines. They will not be assisted to drag union employers and employes into,their own plight. Until they fall in with the general practice of their trade this company will. be compelled to stand out in miserable relief as the only

firm in the colony who refuse to recognise the rights of labor arid true principles of unionism. The Council appeal with confidence to the public, whose comfort and welfare are wantonly sought to be imperilled, to mark their appreciation of. this company’s tactics.by refraining from purchasing their goods or countenancing them in any way. To unionists no such appeal is necessary.” The firm have gone into the struggle with their eyes open, and may well be left to their fate. Were a general strike to take place, self defence would drive many to take up an attitude that would mean a propping up of the firm, but when the decision is to deal with them singly, and not to drag hundreds of unoffending people into the struggle, there ought not to be much doubt as to the outcome.