The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-15
STRIKES.

Mr.. NoEDHorv says that when laborers
for wages make demands upon their en-
ployer with threat that il he refuses they
will leave him, they are said 10 strike '
Now, az for the right OF the laboTer to
strike" for higher wages or for fewer
hours of employment, or other thing OF that
nature, it is unquestionable. And it Is im-
material, too, whether he does this by him.
self alone, or joins with number OF his
co-laborers in the subiect.matter OF
his alleged grievances or wants
II liz his inalionable right to seek 10 better
his condition so far as he understands it.
II Is his only defense against an oppressive
employer. He has as much right to resist
an oppression as the citizens of Il govern
ment have to resist the encroachments OF
authority ON the part of an administration.
The tariff laws, for instance, are an iniquity
as now existing, The oppressed citizens oil
this republic have a perfect right to seek to
redress the evil, to refuse, if they choose
to wear any OF the goods made by
mills supporting such an inquiry
This refusal, like the. laborers' strike, may
bring all manner of loss and inconvenience
evon starvation, upon such OF Hs as may
participate in ii, yet to interfere with our
right thus to strike" would be to take
away our freedom. And any law that
might he made TO take away the right Of
the lnborer to strike" or that Of anyone
else to refuse to wear those homemade
good, would be not only oppressive but
tyrannical. But the right Of judgement in
this matter of fairness Of terms, pay
etc, that We assume to ourselves, W.
must allow to others undisturbed. The
man, therefore, that compels another to
Join him in the strike or TO refuse to pur'
chase from certain mills, is exercising q
force that is unjust and despotic, liza man
or sGt OF men have no right to force one to
work for him or them, what right has \
man or set of men to fore, him not TO work
Such action therefore, is not only oppres
sivc but logically absurd. Aud yet this is
Just what the tradcs-union of the north
have been doing. The other day 20
600 laborinG meg paraded the street,
OF New York. their purpose being
according to the official declaration, "tC
offer to monopoists and their tools such Q
sight as will make them think more pro
ioundly than they have ever thought be
fore, to add to tho chagrin of their enemies
and to inspire the meek among themselves
with courage" This parade alone cost
these laboring men just $4,000, or $3.50
apiece. How much their continued abb
soncc from duty has cost, there is no tell
ing, but itruns up into the millions, Be-
sides the pcCuniary loss they have learned
TO be idle, formed bad habits spent their
savings, and probably been replaced in their
situations by other men. Now, these
tradcs-union contained men who wcr,
members through force the families o
many of thom perhaps on the verge Of star
walton. In other words, they themselves
were monopolists, monopoli1ing the time
the money, the disposition of many u
these co-laborers, forcing these to act just
rs they acted, Death to one Sc, Of monop
olists, success TO another, down with
one king, long live the other
They complain Of combining an,
pooling railroads and organized
national banking corporations, and yet they
are pursuing the identical course they
complain of. Indeed worse one, for they
are not only combining against their en-.
ployers, but Coercing their own fellow.
members whom they abuse and maltrcat I
they remain out OF their unions and worl
nj old wages. All these combination
strikes end disastrously to the men TN
gagged IN them. liza workman Is not i'm hi
Judgment obtaining sufficient remuuera
ton for his work, let him discuss the situa
ton with his employer. II he car
not obtain an advance he Inns
perfect right leave the employment. ia
he has no right TO compel others to 90 opcl
ate and combine with him. Each ma
should bo the judge OF his own status an
not he forced to have contributions and NJ
necessary assessments levied against hin
after the JAY llUmrt style. The Chicag
Times recently said very appropriately
"Would it not he well, then, for these raw
ing tradcs'uuion, auti.monopolist STRIKER
to begin their reform ut home by allown
every man TO be his own Judge as /
whether or not he will work or be idlc-o
to whether his wife and children sha
starvc while he parades the street ina go
geous procession of 10000 men, or be con
Portable and happy while he is at WORN
even If it is for less than 81 day, or eve
less"
| -aH--a-.--
WHAT rHE GREAT NATIONS OWE.
1t is astonishing to contemplate the tr
mcn0ous tirurrs which the nprrcyatc