Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-07-30

this Tribune writer through his mere
play Of practically obsolete phrases,
or his labyrinthine Ignorance of all
that is implied in the quotation from
the JOURNAL to which he takes ex-
ception. Where would such a doc
trine lead to?" What doctrine ?"
The right of the teachers to decline
work--not because Of reduction to
standard price" elsewhere, but on
account of a reduction from their own
rate Of ssoges, low enough in all con-
science2 That Interpretation leads to
utter and everlasting subjugation Of
the many to the service and profit Of
the few. 1t is from the, dungeon
doors of this fate that labor is strug-
Cling to emerge-dungeon doors held
tightly by blackless, oppressive en-
ployers, a subsidized press and the
military-the last under the lying
pretext of preserving law and or
der i The 1ribune's doctrine leads
to the employment of the peoples
necessities to enforcing the peoples
subjection-in short, with all its
affected horror Of debating" wages,
to the ultimate end Of capital fr,mg
the wages OF the people and forcing
submission thereto at the point of the
bayonet.
The rights of employer and employee
are both derived from the same great Con-
stitutional guarantee. Law recognizes no
distinction between the rich and poor,
great or humble, and when its majesty is
dethrone both become inexprcsslbly poor,
because dependent rpon rabble for e1-
istence.
Another platitude. When the ICON
stitutional guarantee" permits the use
Of the military to reduce wages, and
while law protects those with most
means of protection, We must be per-
mitted to contend that whatever the
ethical value of the statement last
quoted, its practical worth amounts
to nothing.
Let us for moment consider the legiti-
mate result of admitting the principle
taught in the teachers strike conundrum.
Suppose the commissioners of one district,
having the lawful right to do so, advance
the wlges of teachers % pr cent, and the
commissioners and taxpayers of all the
other districts should combine to force u
district; that an excited multitude should
gather and march with banners and bands
to the school houses, and, by species of
terrorism, frighten and drive or btihe the
the teachers froin their reaceable avoca-
tions and "bulldoze" the commissioners
into reduction of wages. What differ
ence would there be in this system Of
forcing a reduction ana the methods of
strikers in forcing an advance?
None. 1t will do just as well here
as elsewhere to say the JOURNAL has
never advocated or justified force as a
means of any description Of reform or
redress. 1t has urged upon working
men nothing more nor less than the
absolute necessity Of solid, permanent
unity of self-protective purpose in
their own ranks, or, as some one puts
it-"defence, not defiance" Black
legs should be won to responsibility
by legitimate arts; they should be
learned that in good fellowship there
lie respectability, and that in unity
there is strength; but fstill ptrverse,
there is nothing to do tut leave the
hogs in their wallow. Force pro-
vokes force. and he who takes up the
sword takes up the risk also of perish
ing by the sword. Hence, if the fol-
lowing be correct statement Of the
incursion made into West Virginia
we do net approve or endorse the
action of which complaint is made:
We have made no allusion TO the facts
in the particular case to which the jour
NAILS satire evidently aims, but endeav-
ored in calm, dispassiona,e manner, TO
discuss the principle involved. 1t is graf
flying TO know that the prudence and
good sense of the Georges Creek delega-
ton which came over into West Virginia
ON fruitless and dangerous enterprise,
kept them from provoking violence and
causing any demand for the civil or mill
tary power to preserve peace on the occa-
sion, more than to warn them. To in
wade another State in body and enter
the enclosed bounds of its citizens with
out consent, is aggravated trespass, TO say
the least of it, but when the object of that
visit is to interfere with employees peace
ably and lawfully at work, the offence as
sumes graver character, and we are glad
consequences no more serious resulted.
The lesson of unity Of feeling and
uniformity of action is mere than