Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-08-18

would Mr.. Hook think if the Mems
phis merchants should thus carry ont
his own creed2 Do not merchants.
clerks, porters, etc labor as well as
the members of Mr.. Hooks union,9
de says: Boycott everything aod
everybody who opposes you; do not
spend a nickel with parties opposed to
us, or who patronize our enemies after
they have been duly notified BY the
assembly" This is strange language
in Memphis. Is Mr.. Hook serious?
ls this method his matured idea of
liberty as understood and practiced in
the United States? Is this his idea of
progress and prosperity No country
of which history teaches has ever had
such wonderful prosperity as this
American Union Of ours. No nation.
In SO short a period, has ever achieved
such progress in whatever enlarges the
liberty, the intelligence and happiness
OF a people and presents them for the
admiration, the envy and emulation of
the world. In all the annals Of time
no homes have ever been so eagerly
sought as those to be found in the
land Of the free and the home Of the
brave"
And has all this progress been
achieved, all this grandeur and glory
won, through Mr.. Hooks proscriptiye
ideas and his %boycotting programmed
Did Mr.. Hook ever think that his
sword might become a boomerang?
Let us suppose he is a printer who
does excellent work at fair prices.
Such men generally, and should
always, prosper. But he has ayowed
opinions Odious 10 nine-tenths of the
community, in advising his unions"
to boycott all who oppose him and
them. Suppose the citizens of Mem
phis should resolve to have no deal
ings with him because of these
opinions2 Have they not as much
right to boycott him as he has to boy
colt them? Would it be just to treat
him sol If yes, then he cannot COM
plain of the lex talionis. If no, then
he is advising his fellow citizens to do
themselves and Memphis a great in
jury. If his theory were generally
adopted 10 Memphis, how long would
industrious, energetic men find en-
ployment in the city2 Who would
build, who would improve under such
social tyranny How Icing would Mr..
Hook himself remain; and how long
before a desert or a wilderness would
be seen where Memphis now stands?
Republicans impose high tariffs upon
hundreds of the real necessaries of
life, when imported from abroad; and
all Of us have to pay from twenty FIVE
to q hundred per cent more for
these uecessaries than we would have
to pay if we had a tariff under Demo-
cratic rule. Would Mr.. Hook have
Democrats boycott Republicans for
THAI Tha. is his proscriptive theory.
Unions, for the protection of mutual
interests, are as old as the Egyptians,
as illustrated in the ancient Masonic
and other orders; founded on the
benevOlence ofthe human heart, the
charitable wish to help struggling hu-
mainly; and in this present struggle
between labor and capital, the earnest
sympathies OF mankind are with the
former, as ten to one; but not on Mr..
Hook s theories. Every mar has the
natural and unqueStionable right to
name the price at which he will work,
and the prics he is willing to pay for
work; but, in this country, no mar
has the right to say what | shall cork
for or what Mr.. Hook shall oay for
work. That is not an element of
American freedom, the laborer is
worthy Of his hire" but it is upon the
basis Of terms he himself has made
with his employer, aud not upon the
Judgment eta "union% Mr.. Hooks
theories evidently did not prevail with
the great Master of our religion.
Christ tells the parable of the man
going out to hire laborers for working
in his vineyard, He hired some the
hrst hour, some the sixth, some the
eleventh hour Of the day, aud each of
them received q penny, Those who
had worked all day complained at this
seeming injustice; but the answer was.
u do thee no wrong. Didst thou not
agree with me for a penny? Is it not
lawful for me to do what l will with
mine ownP"
If this parable teaches any positive
truth, it is that the laboror has the
right to regulate the price of his own
labor. Ii the man who worked eleven
hours got no more for his work than
he who worked but one hour, it was
his own fault. He made his own con-
tract, as did the man who worked onlv
one hour. Unions have Il right TO saw
at what price their members will work
or not work; but not the right to saw
no others shall work for less. As long
as | am a member, | am bound by its
rules; but it | choose to withdraw and
work for lower rates, no earthly power
but brutal force can v my doing
so: The laws Of the land do not per-
NIT Mr.: Hook or any one else to pre-
vent a IRON carrying out bis contract
with b, no matter what may be the
terms. Whatsort OF agriculture would
we have if any disOrganiser could
go from farm TO farm aud ruin all the
crops by rafting and scabbing" labor
ers1 Perhaps Mr.. Hook would have
done better for the laborers in the
vineyard. Who gill say he would not
have improved on the plan COM
mended by the MasterS
RAMBLER,