The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-29
BoycOttlng.

attention whatever to the report pub
lished as to the action of the labor
unions in their determination to boy
cott the paper, until other papers had
alluded to it. This was done in ex-
tense by the Gazette, aid yesterday
we republished the articles.
The reading public of Austin and of
the state does not need to be informed
of the merits of the original cause OF
on the part of the
union printers who were dish 'ssc d
from the Office. 1t understands |
well that the union was receiv-
ing forty-fve cents per thousand
and would not work for less;
and at the same time the union
employees of THE STATESMAN knew
that the enterprise was loosing money
on the operations Of the business.
Sympathy with generous employer
never once suggested that part OF
the burden be removed by the substi-
tuition of an equitable rate of COM
pensation for composition. We or
gained a force of non-union men
fully as competent in every way, So
Der good men, men with families, quiet
orderly citizens, entitled in every way
to the confidence and respect OF the
communicated they were willing
to work for 3711 cents per thou
sand. At this rate our hands
make from twenty to twenty-five
dollars every week, and they are salts
fed, as indeed why shouldn't they be
so? What other mechanical pursuit
gives better return for labor? We
are willing to pay that, do not grum-
BILE at it, but we were unable to pay
the former. Nor can it be said, in any
sense, that we have an inferior typog-
raphy. Indeed, the general excellence
of THE STATEsMAN's Typography Is
freely admitted on all sides. Even a
non-printing public can see its present
superiority to that which the paper
had before the substitution.
What, then, Is required by the labor
unions? Is it intended that THE
STATESMAN be forced to employ in
ferior workmanship at greater price?
Indeed, we never did, and never will,
believe that any body of intelligent
laborers can be found in all broad
America who would take a position
as untenable as this, so unfair and so
impolitic In every way. The semi
communism which would place the
labor Of the country in an attitude as
false as this cannot be true friend to
the Iaboring manhood of the country.
No such sentiment ever did, or
ever can prevail to any considerable.
extent in this country. hepeople are
too intelligent. The masses are too
well-informed. They cannot be led
thus blindly to side with injustice and
tyranny. The attempt to force the
STATESMAN to continue the forty-fve
cents rate would have been bad
enough, would have been arrant in
justice, indeed, shad the paper been
making money from its operations,
but when 1t was steadily losing, as its
bankers knew, and when its own
ers were straining every nerve
to keep 1t up as public good,
and at their own expense, the attempt
to force them to continue even to the
verge Of ruin, was most unfair, unwise
and reprehensible from the standpoint
of any honest or fair observation
whatever.
Then, after this disagreement be-
tween the publishers and their en-
ployes, On the score of compensation
alone, and the printers quit, as they
had perfect and undeniable right to
do, the attempt to prevent the other
men from working at the price agreed
upon, and with which they wers sat-
isfied, YVES not only wrong in morals,
but wrong in policy and unlawful.
We have nothing further to say of
the spirit which flooded Texas,
and every state In the union
with base, lying circulars, which
could not assist the dis
possessed union men and
could only be intended to injure US,
for no other purpose than that of re-
venge and bulldozing. We have
never felt moments uneasiness as to
the ultimate result. We were con-
tent to await the fair verdict which
always follows the sober second
thought, and more especially in the
conservative southern states. We
were well assured as to what that YER
dict would be. We are not disappoin-
ted at it; and it may be read in our
advertising columns, in our subscrip-
ton lists, and upon our cash-book and
ledger, daily. The verdict Is satisfac-
tory to US, richly SO, and we only
recall the matter now in courteous
Difference to those papers like the
Gazette, which feel justly and gen.
erously indignant at the persistency
of the hopeless effort to beat us by
unfair means, and not that the posi-
ton Of the STATESMAN demands or
needs the least defense, Illustration or
apology. We are impregnable behind
our lines of defense. These are JUS
tice, reason aud common fairness, and
those who would assal us must give
us a fearful advantage to begin with.
The people of Austin, and those of |
the state, are also intelligent and fair
minded, and loathe and despise the
modes which have been used to force |
us to pay price for labor which is
unjust, onsrous and burdensome, and |
which it was impossible to do without |
ultimate bankruptcy and the destruc-
ton of the enterprise.
Will 1t Represent?