Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1881-01-06
What "Boycotting' Means

The word Boycottius' has ocen auu'O
recently to the literature or lrlsn pon''C, ~
The operation Of BoycottinS, growing ous ~
49,, ,.arn,;, frat and most signally put upon
M irish farmer Of that name rcceuIiS, 70
',,,,,,r rho SIMPLEST yet surcst means OF
'.;,,r;,,,, rrrss,rc to bear on landlords OF any
80. L3s brrn devised. 1t can only DC car
.;nI ar c.f,rtiycly By Il people acting ID unl'
| ~ ,,,l tbo sccrrsy with which II IS cAer-
| ,.;.cl makes it a strong, though impalpaole
fnrrr The nearest approach 10 IL III EoS
i,rI WIS the system OF what was callcu
.,,i.,.n,;n. " BIZ members OF trades union,
.,.htn,, m a strike, to prevent rats" or non
'n;, ,,,n, from engaging 10 work for en-
liars q, wares that the striking trades
uuinuistS hal refused
| Tn ..pickctng" the non-unlon men were
:. sho5,w,,l - that is to say, watched whcr-
,vcr they went by union men detailed by 4
| committees fpr that purpose, certain number
| NJ men taking turn aud turn about Tor this
,nrnnsr The pickctcd workmcn were first
Quietly approached and solicited 10 join tho
union. Ii they refused system OF eSplon-
arc aud personal annoyance, supplemented by
threatening letters was enforced, that made
| their lives uubearable Sut the English law
made "picketng; all ohense punishable by
IimprisonmcuG, aud the act OF picketinS being
=, visible act the law could be brought into
action against ntfenGGrs.
.Bovcn,tus' Is 40 Improvement on this
and IN Identification Of II. There is no overt
met j., Boycot,ing for the law TO take hold Of,
aud the only Law that will touch the case Is
/ that of conspiracy" But to prove con-
spiracy the persons w!+> ere cOnsplrlnS must
| first be discovered. Such discovery III the
case OF Buycotljng is almost literally impos,
! <i1le. When it is determined By The local
authorities 10 Boycott" q landlord all the
persons III his employ are secretly notified OF
Inc fact. and are WARNED that 40 one Will DC
uc-ulittel 10 woik Tor him any longer. Ii the
crops have yet 10 be harvested they must re-
r:a;u untouched III the field under peril oil
The vengeance Of the league. Hhcn tn!S OF
Ter is issued the landlords farm hands sud
denly desert him. Hired women, doing ser
vice IN his household, as suddenly disappear.
| The local tradrSmeu, 10 whom ne mas !ooheu
| 'ur maur OF the ueCeSsarcS ot He, deCiine "
deal with him. II he wants 10 sell any OF
his cattle or any part Of the products OF his
farm he can ful no buyers. Il he have ten
ants they pay him no rcut. II he attempts
10 gather in his uuharycstrI crops or to mar
ket any Of his farm products he does It at tue
nccjI of his life, and is only safe as he
walks about his farm when guarded by de-
tail of the cDuStabulary. He ia, in point o!
fact. as completely isolated ard Gut oil from
assistance as il he we're alOue with his family
in the midst of the Great Desert. lie has no
one to whom he can appeal Tor relief, Tor IN
all his nuiahborhoGd there is no one hat dare
respond with helping hand. lie is unaeI
the ban OF the league, but who pronounced
the nau he does not know. The power that
aSSails him is invisible. but It IS rs subtle rs
the air aud as certain rs fate.
Unless 0nSpracy can be proved there Is
no law that can deal with EoyCottIug. HIS
farm hands have abandoned HIM. They have
the right 10 do so Ualcss they are working
under a contract. lis L0mesticS have quilted
his root in a body. Il is no PERSONS business
but their own why they left it. The women
Of the adjacent village refuse at any price
even to 10 the washing o. the family, rs they
refused Mrs. Boycott. Who can compc! them
20 wash when they have no mind to II? The
local traGcsmeu vi! neither sell goods 10 The
. hoycottcd landlord nor buy his produce. NJ
one has the legal right 10 say they shall DC
otherwise. The SHADOW Of the league IS over
them all. ana whether willing or unwilling
whether in accord with it OF dreadinT lis
power. they have IL yield obcdcncc to !t'
| Mandates. - E,iNiWGrG NUH.