The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-12-30
BoYootting--what it Means.
The, Baltimore Sun Of the goth furnishes
the following political meaning of the WORD
"Roycottinpn

z The Baltimore Sun Of the Goth furnishes
the following political meaning of the WORD
"Boycotting."
sThe word "Boycotting" has been ADDED
recently to the literature of Irish politics. Inc
operation of Boycotting, growing OUT VI 'ne
practice first and most sgnally put upon an
irish farmer OF that name very recently, Is
among the simplest yet surest means OF bring
ing pressure to bear ON landlords OF any that
has been devised. It can only be carried OUT
effectively by people acting in unison, anu
the secresy with which it is exercised makes IL
strong though impalpable force. The near
est approach to it in England was the system
of what was called "picketing, by members
of trades union when on strike, TO prevent
rats" or non union men, from engaging TO
work for employers at wages that the striking
trades-unionists had refused. In "picketlng
the non-unon men were Swallowed" that is
to say watched whatever they went by union
men detailed by committee for that purpose,
certain number of men taking turn and turn
about tor this purpose. These picketed work
men were first quietly approached and solicit
ed to Join the union, If they refused, sys-
TEN of espionage and personal annoyance, sup
plemented by threatening letters was enforced
that made there lives unbearabie. But the
English law made "picketing" an ofense, pun
lSllaUlc Nv dlo Vic dSs "a pm
citing being visible act the law could be
brought into action against offenders. "Boy-
cotting" is an improvement on this and an
amplfication of it, There is no overt act in
Boycotting for the law to take hold OF, and
the only law that will touch the case is that OF
Conspiracy" But to prove conspiracy the
persons who are conspiring must first be dis
covered. Such discovery in the case OF
Boycotting is almost literally impossible.
When it is determined by the local council to
the league to Boycott" landlord, all the
persons in his employ are secretly notified OF
the fact, and are warned that no one will be
permitted 10 work for him any longer. If the
crops have yet to be harvested they must re-
main untouched in the field under peril of the
vengeance of the league When this order ID
issued the landlords farm hands suddenly de-
sert him. Hired women, doing service in his
household, as suddenly disappear The local
tradesmen, to whom he has looked for many
of the necessaries of life decline to deal with
him. Ii he wants to sell any of his cattle or
any part of the products of his farm he can
find no buyers. If he has tenants they pay
him no rent. If he attempts to gather in his
unharvested crop or to market any OF his farm
products he does it at the peril of his life, and
is only SAFE as he was about his farm, when
guarded by detail of the constabulary. He is
in point of fact, as completely isolated and cut
off from assistance as if he were alone with
his family in the midst of the Great Desert.
He has no one to whom he can appeal for re-
lief, for in all his neighborhood there Is not
one that dares respond with helping hand.
He is under the ban of the league-but who
pronounced the ban he does not know. The
power that assals him is invisible, but it is as
subtle as the air and as certain as fate. Unless
conspiracy can be proved there is no law that
can deal with Boycotting. His farm hands
have abandoned him. They have the right to
do so unless they are working under con-
tract, His domestcs have Quilted his roof in Il
body. 1t is no persons business but their own
why they left it. The woman of the adjacent
village refuse at any price even to do the
washing of the family, as they refused Mrs
Boycott. Who can compel them to wash
when they have no mind to it? The local
tradesmen will neither sell goods to the Boy
cotted landlord nor buy his produce. No one
has the legal right to say they shall do other
wise. The shadow of the league is over them
all. and whether willingly or unwillingly,
whether in accord with.it or dreading its pow
er, they have to yield obedience to its man.
! dates"