Strikes,
A term applied to concerted movements on the part of workingmen to quit work unless their employers agree to some demand made by the men. The earliest strike of which there is a record in the
United States occurred in
Philadelphia in 1796, when 300 shoemakers struck for higher wages.
The struggle was successful.
In 1848 occurred a great strike of weavers at
Fall River, and in 1877 occurred the first railroad strike.
From 1888 to 1891 there were a great number of important strikes, ineluding the street-car strike of New York City.
In 1892 there were six great strikes, including the one at
Homestead, Pa., during which ten men were killed, the militia was called out, and such destitution prevailed that the government ordered an investigation.
In 1892 there were two great railroad strikes.
Perhaps the most notable strike in the history of this country occurred in 1894 among the railroad employes of the roads centring at
Chicago.
Fully 100,000 men were affected.
The strike originated among the 3,000 employ's of the Pullman-car Company, who demanded higher wages.
Just as their strike was about to fail, the cause of the strikers was espoused by the American Railway Union, an organization numbering over 100,000 railroad men. These men refused to handle
Pullman cars, and a great tumult ensued.
An immense amount of rioting followed, and the militia being unable to cope with the thousands of strikers, the
President was obliged
[
442]
to call upon the
Federal troops to restore order, after first issuing two proclamations to the strikers.
The railroads lost in property during this strike $700,000, and in earnings $5,000,000. The strikers lost in wages $2,000,000. Twelve persons were killed and nearly 700 arrested.
Eugene V. Debs (q. v.), the leader of the American Railway Union, was arrested for refusing to obey an injunction, and imprisoned for six months. The strike was a total failure.
President Cleveland appointed a commission to investigate the strike, and this commission blamed the railroads for the trouble, and advised Congress to pass a law providing for compulsory arbitration of all labor troubles.
In more recent years State legislation against boycotting, blacklisting, and conspiracy, and the ruling of courts against strikers and their methods, have done much to lessen these industrial disturbances.
The strike of the steel-workers in 1901 was to force a recognition of their union; there was no grievance on the scores of hours or wages.
See
labor, industrial.
