Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-08-18
LABOR UNIONS AND BOYCOTT.
TING.
An OdiOus, Social Tyranny.

Special Correspondence Memphis Avalanche.
RIOHw0ODs, LoNokE Co.. Ark,
August IA, 1882.
No portion of a community should
command more respect than those
whose daily toll provides the comforts
of life for themselves and families.
Whether laborers on the farms, or
mechanics and artisans in the work
shops, or operators in mills and facto-
ries, they all merit more consideration
and esteem than the world generally
accord them; for it is this industry
and intelligent skill which create the
wealth that constantly demands yet
more Injuries with its ever growing
dimensions and ever varying tastes.
Labor creates capital. Take away the
former, and the latter, with all its
incentives to progress and grand ell
terprise, perishes. Labor can live
without capital. for man must have
food and raiment. But capital cannot
live withoutlabor. Their dependence
is so mutual that | never read of q
meeting Of the laboring men of any
land without thinking that want and
oppression are the motive power con-
voking them.
But, like thousands of sincerely
good men, they often, too often, 60 to
extremes which their cooler thoughts
cannot justify, and which, if carried
out, would be vastly more injurious to
progress, civilization, and the good Of
society, than the evils complained Of.
| am led to these reflections by reading
the remarks made by some Of the
members Of the labor unions at their
meeting on the bluff at Memphis some
two weeks ago.
Mr.. John @. Hook seems to have
avowed the most ultra sentiments and
creeds. Let us see how they would.
work, if carried out in all their details.
1t is not necessary to criticise his UNI
disguised excuse "cf the assassination
Of inhuman landlords like Lord
Leitrim," because such revolving SEN
timents cannot meet with approval in
Memphis. They belong to a foreign
soil. But Mr.. Hook does vast wrong
to his Irish friends who are pouring
"a flood of labor upon our already
overstocked market" when he advo-
Gates labor unions which would
boycott" any one of these immigrant
Irish laborers unless they were willing
to join his unions" A poor fellow
might be hungry and almost naked,
the money which his sisters and
brothers sent him to pay his way from
Ireland to Memphis might be all
gone. With a wife and children on
his hands, and with a heart and frame
willing and able to work at almost
any price for the bread for which they
all so hunger, he is told by Mr.. Hook
that he will not be permitted to work
for the support of the loved ones
unless he will join some union. He
may be a good mechanic, artisan,
printer, laborer, and may be entirely
willing to go to work at wages that may
content him-wages far larger than he
ever got before, but Mr.. Hook says.
, mo; you shall not work at wages that
content you. These wages must
content us, and if they do not, you
must remain in idleness," which is
everywhere regarded as the nursery Of
vice and crime.
Mr.. Hook goes still further and tells
? these poor, suffering but industrious
and willing immigrants who, by the
the help Of kindred, have brought
their labor ito an already oyerstocked
: market" that il they dare to get work
. without the consent of the union
q if they dare to work for hungry or sick
wives and children; if they dare to
fulfill one of the commandments
six days shalt thou labor and do all
/ that thou hast to do" if they dare to
6 do any or all of these without the
unions" consent, they shall be treat
, ed as rats and "scabs," and not as
i men whose wives and little ones are
0 suffering Tor the comforts of lifel
A Can one imagine a greater or more
outrageous tyranny Let us carry Mr..
i Hooks theory still further. Let the
5 Memphis merchants form unions, too,
8 for what they may deem the best pro-
lection of their own interests, and run
q up the price Of food, fuel and clothing
one hundred per cent. Merchants
from st. Louis and Louisville hear Of
this and determine to bring groceries,
coal, dry goods, etc., to Memphis and
n sell them at present living rates. The
Memphis merchants hold meetings
= and say to these Louisville and St
d Louis interlopers: See herel we will
d not permit you to sell your goods al
d your prices. If you will not join oul
, union, and sell at our prices, you
. shall not sell at all. We will rat
and 'scab' you until you come to oul
q terms or leave. True, our mechanics
n artisans, printers, operatives and la.
- borers all entreat US to put food, tueI
and clothing at lower rates thar
we now sell at. But we have
70 gone into a merchants unior
10 to protect ourselves, just al
n laborers, mechanics, etc., have
done TO protect themselves. In thiI
- case protection means a higher price
for labor than many are wiling t
work for. In one case protection
d means a higher price for our groceries
dry goods, etc, in order to enable u
TO pay the higher prices OF labor, anC
we cannot let you Louisville and st
LOuia merchanta hrinn vour chaaV