The New York herald., 1875-09-28
rhe Fan River Disturbances.

| gladly resume work at the reduced wages II
they were free TO act as individuals ; and, sec
ond, that the leading spirits of the labor as
sociations care less for the welfare of their
/ class than for their own dictatorial ascend
ancy We have not word to say in de-
fence or extenuation of the condi-
tions imposed by the mill owners. On
the contrary, we think they have made
an unnecessary and irritating display OF vex-
alton at the interruption of their business.
But having gained their point by the failure
of the strike they ought to have been salts
fed with the victory. Had they permitted
the operatives TO go to their work without ex-
acting from them anything beyond what
would have been demanded on the lst of
August much bad feeling would have been
avoided and the mill owners have been equally
secure There was no danger that new
strike would be organized for long period,
and they should have acted on the maxim
that sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof" When the operatives took their
vacation" at the beginning of August most
of them had small accumulation in the saw
ings bank, and they expected to bring the
mill owners to terms before their temporary
means of support were exhausted. 1t was
grave miscalculation as the event has proved.
The loss of two months wages and the con-
sumption of their previous savings have re-
duced them to such helplessness and
distress that many months must
elapse before they would be in a
condition to make another strike even if
bitter experience had not taught them wis
dom. The mill owners should, therefore,
have been satisfied to let them go to work at
the reduced wages without further mortifica-
ton of their pride.
OF the legal right of the mill owners to pur-
sue different course there can be no ques-
ton, and the law must protect them in doing
what the law allows. The operatives have
committed as great a blunder in resorting
to menance and force as they did
in taking their vacation They forfeit
public sympathy when they have
recourse to Illegal violence and attempt to
restrain people who are willing to work by
threats and violence. Those who did not
choose to work on the prescribed conditions
had a most unquestionable right to stand
out, and a right, equally unquestionable, to
prevent others by arguments and persuasion
But no law-abiding citizen can justify them
in passing that limit. They put themselves
outside the pale of indulgence when they
excite disturbances of the public peace
What right have they to throw stones and
damage the property of the mill owners
BY what title do they presume to control
the action of other citizens as free as them
selves, and tell them they shall not work on
such conditions as they choose to accept?
What is their warrant for threatening bodily
injury to persons who exercise the common
right of all free people to dispose of their
services in any manner they see fit? The
violent proceedings of yesterday are utterly
indefensible. 1t is the clear duty of the
public authorities to protect the property
of the mills and the freedom of willing
operatives against illegal violence and ter
rorism and the calling out of the militia
was a necessary consequence of the disor-
derly mobs.
We regret, more for the sake of the opera
tives than of any other class affected by these
disturbances, that those of them who did not
think fit to comply with the conditions did
not keep away from the mills yesterday
morning. Had they chosen to hold an or
derly public meeting to give expression to
their grievances, protest against the ty-
ranny of the mill owners and strengthen
one another in their purpose to refuse
employment on the prescribed conditions
OF nd har al
the respect even of those who might think
it mistaken. They had perfect right to
hold back all whom they could convince by
argument or influence by persuasion. They
have made a great mistake in stirring up
such scenes Of turbulence and lawlessness as
were enacted yesterday in Fall River Had
it not been for the exertions of the police and
the presence of the militia what proved
to be a day of tumultuous excitement would !
very likely have been day of riot and
bloodshed. The visit to the Mayor to solicit
pecuniary assistance was one of the most
singular features of the stormy events of the
day. The Mayor could have made no other
reply than he did, that he could give no
relief to persons who refused an opportu-
nifty TO earn honest wages. Why |
should the recusant operatives throw them
selves as burden upon the taxpayers and
degrade themselves into the condition of |
paupers when work was offered them at
rates which were double or treble any relief
that could be doled out to them by the pub
lie authorities? p? These applications for pub
lie charity in the very midst of /
riotous proceedings to prevent other
people from accepting work and supporting
themselves by regular industry give an air
of farce to this tragedy Such short-sighted
confession Of pauperism was a notification to
the mill owners that the strike was on its
Last legs and cnnld MT hold mt IA ,.rnn 90