Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-23

0bl1gations OF uiS 81.
apprentice practical knowledge Of his
business. and to tho journeyman the
benefit Of the term Of his ewn appren-
ticeship; to make such regulations as
viii Do of advantage to the trade and
elevate the moral and social standard OF
the craft. and to give its dead decent
burial. We require that man shall
serve an apprenticeship of five years be-
fore he can become . member OF our
Union. This is q protection to the
EMPLOYER, ss it guarantees to him
good workmen. OF course APP
Q prentices receive very small salaries
during their apprenticeship, many Of
whom are supported by their parents
while they are learning their trade.
But when they become journeymen we
claim that they should receive sufficient
wages to support themselves and fami-
lies. The lawyer claims that, after
years of hard study and considerable
expenditure of money, he has a right
to charge good fees. The doctor makes
the same claim, and | willingly admit
the business of their claims; but |
think it is rather " cheeky" for doc
tor or lawyer to be bowling about
trades unions being exorbitant in the
prices they charge for their work and
the means they use to protect them
selves against unfair men. They have
their organizations and they are just as
severe on those who violate their rules
as the union printers.
Our members take solemn obliga-
ton to obey our rules, and when an
employer employs union men it is ex-
pected that he will allow his office to
be governed by the rules and regula-
tions laid down for the government of
union offices. Should it be clearly and
Enthusiastically demonstrated that he
discharged an employee for carrying
out these rules he would then get into
a controversy with the Union. 1t
would be construed as an attack
on the Union, which. if allowed to
90 unrebuked, would lead to a
complete dissolution Of the organi-
cation. BY such action the employer
would be virtually offering a reward
to those who would violate their obi.
cations to the Union by failing to obey
its rules. We claim, then, that the
only way in which the insult can be re-
moved and our member can be sus-
tanned in his loyalty to the Union is to
demand that he shall be relnstated. 1t
is from this little mole-hill that The
Nation has endeayored to build a
mountain. If the employer refuses to re-
instate the offended member, our men,
bers working in his Office are in honor
bound to stop work until the matter
can be adjusted.
The Nation cites case in which the
workingmen not only stopped work,
but surrounded the mill and threatened
bodily harm to the men who took their
places, and destroyed the property OF
those who patronized the mill. That
such thing ever occurred is certainly
very doubtful, coming from such a
source. OF course all good citizens
condemn such action, and would say
that neither trades unions nor the
Knights of Labor encourage or will
sanction such conduct on the part Of its
members or attempt to shield them
from the full force of the law. After
having been boycotted by our employers
by refusing to grant us what we con-
strue to be our just rights, we claim the
privilege OF Withdrawing our patronage
from them and their patrons and nothing
more. Certainly man cannot be ex
pected to spend his money with those
who show their want of friendship fol-
him by patronizing his enemies.
I'VE omit a paragraph here. Thu
Nation supported Cleveland and ha'
always opposed protective tariff
Editor Dispdtch.l
Grover Cleveland was elected Presi
dent of the United States through the
instrumentality Of a boycott. Just be
fore the last presidential election New
York Typographical Union issued
boycott against James G. Blaine be-
cause the principal organ Of his party
the New York Tribune, employed non
union men. This boycott was pub
lished in nearly all the Democratic pa
pers and sent out in circular form by
the thousands by the National Demo
cratic Committee. To say nothing o
its influence on workiDgmen Throughout
the country, it changed two THOUSAND
votes in this Typographical Union alone
which was more than Clevelaud'S ma
iority in the State of New York.
Your New York correspondent give
an intelligent view of the labor troubles
and hope all Of your readers who rea'
The Nations attack on organized labo
also read your New York letter. HI
gives YOU the cause and the remedy
and trust a disinterested public vii
weigh we'll what he saws. 1t is tim
our people were looking at this ques
ton dispassionately. Abuse and slande
only tend to unite the workingmen NOR
closely and make them more firm i
their determination to battle for wha
they believe to be their just rights. Yor
cannot settle this question by admittin
that they are only contendiDg for wha
is right and just and then denouncin
them as conspirators. lfthey are RICH
somebody else is wrong, and if it
your purpose to bring about settle
ment Of the trouble you will root on
the evil that is the cause Of it.
| don't know who the gentleman
who seems so anxious to parade befOr
the public a SANDER against the wors
ingmen. but | would advise him t
quote from a more reliable and NOR
respectable source.
Pardon me for occupying so much
your space. EXCELSIOR.
JOO-WeiI Advertised.
huntsville, March 10, lSSG.