THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1891.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9276, 23 April 1891, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY).

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1891.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent, established 1845, and the JVew Zealander.

Union is strength. The proverb is, as Hamlet says, “ something musty,” but its application is fresh—a great deal too fresh for a great many people. For example, belief in its e&cacy only dawned upon the Australian shipowners when the demands of their men forced a little common sense into their heads. The threats of the strike made them leave off cutting each other’s throats, and the strike itself drove them into each other’s arms. That is the reason why the man in the street is so apt to imagine that they are ready to do anything to consolidate their confederation. The Union Company proved _ itself the strongest of all the companies, winning the first victory with ease. Naturally, the ,jnan in the street regards that Com pan v as about to swallow the others. That the shipowners performed a great feat when they defeated the strikers last year most of us were quite aware. Mr Champion’s de scription of it in tbepagesof the “ Nineteenth Century”nevertheleas opensthe eyes of most of us to its real magnitude. Labour, he says, had possession of a country too rich for a poor law, with universal suffrage at its back, and every politician under its feet in utter terror; where a wages rate prevails of 8s to 10s for eight hours’ work ; where any man can save £2O a year; where the country can get no labour; when all the protective resources are represented by 600 police and 400 permanent artillerymen. Labour federated established an organisation remarkable for the promptest obedience, and stopped the trade of a Continent; and it was suffered to levy on the richest working community on earth without publishing acknowledgments, Tpt, in spite

of all these advantages, Labour was beaten at all points, crushing! y, inside ot three months. The Federation of Labour “ broke,” says Mr Champion, “like an egg against an ironclad when faced by the resolute opposition of employers already federated ” The reason given by the same authority is the want oi leading power. “ Lions led by asses ” is the old phrase he uses to sum up the conduct of the Unions in tbo struggle. For the Federated Shipowners the one thing to remember is that their tremendous victory (a victory they never expected) was due to their superiority of leadership. In all struggles it is impossible to keep that superiority always on one side. But that proves the necessity of continued Federation of capital. The story was therefore “ well found ” that represented the Union Company _as about to perpetuate the Federation of Australian shipowners beyond all possibility of disruption. The storv having been authoritatively denied must pass away. But the necessity for continuance of union remains. In Australia the feeling between the two sides is exceedingly bitter. It is not a time for the usual pranks of excessive competition which has hitherto been the worst enemy of the capitalist on this side of the line.