The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1890.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3602, 1 September 1890, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1890.

"Union is strength," and if by Union we can circumvent those who are opposed to us, then union is a blessing,—but if those who are against us also discover' that "union is strength" and bring their union to bear against our union, then " honors are easy," and really there is no advantage or profit to be got out of the game. As matters now stand, unionism is proving to be what is vulgarly termed " a fraud." As long as the trade unions had a monopoly of the union business, everybody was afraid of them, everybody bowed down to them and worshipped them, but now that employers unions are in full swing the tables are turned. Two months ago the railway employees were more afraid of the Maritime Council than of the Commissioners, now they fear the Commissioners more than they do the Maritime Council, and the formation of an employers union has wrought this change. Practically unionism is played out, there is no more profit to be made out of it, though some individuals are still realising hjgb, wages under it, but their big gains will not last. A capitalists, association has brought free labor into competition with union labor, and- the unionists, are not strong enough to withstand the power brought to bear against them.' Publio opinion .is dead against, them, and though capitalists are not loved in this democratic community, it is felt that on this occasion they are, in the actipp they have taken, simply defending themselves and tljp'jubh'c from an unreasonable aggression. The contest between Union labor and free labor will last for some time, There are olever men in the counsels of thp unjop party, astute M.H.K.'s, who will no doubt tihpw {he Maritime Council how t.o keep the jigbt gpjng for a while, but Jbgugh these clever 2?u may. prolong the contest, they cannot avert the defeat of. tbo labor party. This party during its. brief term of power has put employers through a somewhat severe discipline, It has ordered thein about in all sorts of ways; it has not only injured them, but it has, metaphorically speaking,'kicked them Into the bargain. Under these circumstances conciliation or even arbitration is out of the question. There exists a very strong feeling, not'against individual employees who have nolens volenti east in their lot with trades union?, but against {fee leaders and salaried managers oi the Unions, These ■ leaders and managers have beep ft i failure! They have in their wisdom ' discovered what they deemed to be a ! fair rate of wages, they haye teed,

that this fair rate shall be paid, and theyhave forced masters to pay, it, There are -melrnow in Wellington, unskilled laborers, who are earning over five pounds per man per week by order of the Czar who'rules the rate of wages in the Empire city, and '■ the masters of such men are losing, all they possess by paying a rate of wages which their business will not stand. This sort of thing cannot go on, anil it matters little that the present A strike should -have been brought about by a difficulty which has arisen in' Australia. If this particular cause had.not operated it would have only been a question of' weeks for union labor to come into collision with free labor. When the quarrel is thrashed out—this will be some tinie first—master and man will be good friends again and a certain number of inisohief makers will hove been sent to the right about; If a few dozen deniagogaes' and political agitators were expatriated to-morrow all labor difficulties could be settled to .'• the satisfaction and contentment of both sides in the course of twenty-four hours. It is tho professional agitators.and the f .oarpet bag politicians who are setting '. iverybody'by the .ears,/and .these i gentry.will -have*' they will diehard. : =-^C;-^'j-'