The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-18
THE RIGHTS OF LABOR.

y The New York Legislature has under con
sideration conspiracy till, or bill intende
to make it a penal ohenss for one or NOR
men to inclte, organize or share IN q labo
!. strike. meeting Of remonstrance was hell
y March 10, at Cooper Institute, when its vas
!. hall was filled with mechanics and working
men, Resolutions were passed denouncinG
the measure as oppressive and in violation 0
the Constitution and of laws which guarantee
the right of organizing for mutual protection
and declaring that sit i'll becomes the repre-
sentatives Of a free people to introiu a
measure SO much at variance with the Con
stitution OF our country and so contrary to
all reason and justice.
The probable line Of argument in support
Of the Conspiracy bill iso that combination
Of mechanics. Of any particular trades by
which the members agree that they will work
r no less than stipulated schedule Of
wages. is detrimental to the interests Of en-
ployers and q conspiracy against their rights;
that such conspiracy to damage men engaged
! in particular vocation is an evil example to
those engaged in other pursuits; that strikers
are not content with quitting work. but wish
to compel, and generally do compel. others
in the same line or trade to suspend work and
sales; that strikes are organized and pre-
meditated idleness, and necessarily attended
with the usual concomitans Of vice AMI dis
oipation that labor strikes are attended
with demonstrations that provoke insult and
assault, which superlnduce retaliation and
riot; that this organized disturbance Of the
peace is in violation Of the public tranquility,
and therefore demanding punitive restraint
or prohibition
The objections to legislation of this kind are,
that it is leveed at what is not in itself |
wrong, and does not Of necessity lead to the |
preparation Of wrong; that mechanics of any |
trade, or laborers in any speciality, have full |
and perfect right to unite in fixing a tariff of
wages. that men as individuals are not at all |
times the best judges of what wages they
need, and what their labor is worth to them;
that the same laws which permit of combina-
tons of capital and coalitions among en-
poyers, should equally tolerate combina-
tons and agreements among employees;
that trades guilds and unions have
always been recognized in all free coun-
tries as eminently useful, and promo
that without such guilds and mutually pro-
tective associations, there would be no ade-
quate check upon the greed of the proprietary
classes: that such unions tend to promote
a desirable uniformity in the cost of pro. l
luction that they prevent irregularities, ex-
,e5ses and def ;iences in skilled labor of the
various kinds: that they enable the mechan- !
c5 of each city or State to profit by improve |
ments and discoveries made in any other city
n State tina! they ditfuse and widely utilize 9
.yerything which tends to make mechanical =
abor more eff ;ient; that they enable mem r
,ers of combinations to deserve and command t
he respect Of their ti!ow-citizens, and that
hey tend IN many ways to promote the well
are of those who pursue the mechanic arts, s.
M especially by begetting contentment and e
elf-respect. y
The error in the proposed enactment is that
is leveled at an abuse and not at the cause o.
40 abuse being one sufficiently guarded :
9ainst by general laws for the preservation
the peace. Trades unions or guilds are of
istorical antiquity and renown. the nurseries m
knowledge, the promoters of municipal
lterprises and the fosterers of civic liberty g.
hey have been much protected by laws "
I'd respected by rulers as other associations, p
Id for as good cause. Their members who pa
ARE the hen eft "a of association a ra boupd h,, ~
cir rules and regulations as long as they re- M
ain members. These members may adopt ne
one Of their rules that they will not work III
T less than certain wages, and they may n
thout improperly, and in pursuance OF
err rights, in concert cease to work, unless
Id what they consider to be fair and sutli-
mt wages. This concerted cessation is
own As strike, and even if attended with SO
peaceful and orderly demonstration, or
rade. 1t violates no right, di,turbs no pos
'slon and dis for no Interference Should
n demonstr atoms become disorderly or
tous. the disturbers Of the peace become VII
enable to restrictive and penal laws But mel
question of wages is one which they must the
tie with employers, following the universal - IL
which regulates demand and supply al
n the proposed enactment is visible a
nptom Of the timidity of capital and the 70
reasonable dread which the masters of 50
ductive industry often entertain for the bv
oring class. Labor and capital, the toler wo,
the owner. the seller and the buyer of not
Il and time. ought to be allies and friends ~
THE PnIInI1AI- PA0I TpAHE -