Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04
Roycotffug-Whaf tsIt?
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
No man of Christian feelings can pos
sibly object if labor'ng.men see tit to
take such legal action as will compel
capitalists to pay them reasonable
prices for their labor. On the other
hand, no Christian man can approve Of
any body Of men taking matters in their
own hands, and by force destroying the
property Of any one who declines to
pay such laboring-men what they may
think their services are worth. Just
as soon as any body Of men may use
force to compel capitalists or any one
else to accept Of their terms, then
such body of men put themselves
outside of what is right, and con-
sequently their action should be
frowned down by every man who
desires to see Christianity and right pre-
vail over mob law and injustice. To
the powerful protection" of goods
manufactured in this country with
4" free trade " as to the importation Of
foreign labor may be traced in part our
labor troubles. The whole policy of
sc-called protection since the war
has been TO make /" the rich richer aud
the poor poorer" With the heavy
protection given the rich manufacturers
Of our own country, (Which was no.
thing more than taxing the peo-
pie, not for the benefit Of the
Government, but for the sole en-
riching of such manufacturers it is
not to be wondered at that the great
bulk of the laboring people of our
country are in the condition they are,
especially when we remember that
while every such manufacturer clam
ored for a high duty on goods manu-
featured in Europe, he was equally
clamorous for the privilege of import
ing " duty free" just as many laborers
from such country as ne wanted in
order to beat down American laborers
who wanted something more than half
food and half clothing for themselves
and their families. Our precious Ito
the rich Republican tariff since the
war and grants made Of land to rail-
roads have done great harm, not
only to laborers generally, but
to the farming people of the
United States. The latter do much
voting to send men to Congress,
but any man who is posted knows that
rich corporations and rich manufac-
turers don't find much difficulty
Through their well-paid lobbyists in
getting suth representatives to vote as
they may wish, and then perfect
hurrah is soon shouted through the
columns Of the press that such votes
were cast solely for the benefit Of
1.-The dear people" | think a fool
ought to know that there is not rich
manufacturer of goods made in the
United States, and whose goods are
highly protected" but does not
preach TO the men he employs that
it is to their interest to vote
with a party who goes for high "pro-
tectiye" tariff on such goods. To be
honest, very much fear that in times
past very many OF such manufacturers
plainly conveyed the idea to their hands
that if they did not vote as they wanted
they would be discharged. With high
protection (which was nothing but
species Of " boycotting" goods made in
Europe) and " free trade" in import
ing labor to compete with our American
labor, and the fayors shown railroad
kings, who can wonder that all over
the country there prevails such a
state of things as to bring pain
to every good man: Just think
of the killing and persecution Of Chinese
which has taken place in short time
past. For the honor Of our country
men am forced to think that such kill
ing was done by aliens, some of the
very sort probably imported (" duty
free," to take the place Of American la
Dor. Who can wonder that the double
game played by the so-called "protec-
tive tariff" has tended to bring on the
country the state Of things which now
exists? To "boycott" the products Of
England and Europe so as to tax the
people for the benefit of rich manufac-
turers. and then to import labor fee
of duty from the countries named
to compete with American labor, was
as pretty game to make - the rich
richer and the poor poorer " as the wit
of man could have brought about. 1t
begins now to look as if all sorts Of Ia
Dor, home and imported" begin to
see through the thing, and, understand
ing as they do that there is nothing to
be expected Of Congress, they are
taking matters little more in their
own hands. Now, my hope is that
every son Of labor who may unite with
other laborers will do all be can to
prevent two things-any force or intimi-
dation to carry his point and wrong boy
cottipg. Boy cottiDg means, as | under
stand its origin, such action on the
part of those knowing the facts as to
overthrow a wrong in city or county
by legal means. That is to say, Mr..
A. is a manager for a rich landowner,
and by his bad treatment his laborers
refuse longer to work for him, and by
stating the facts to those who may
come 10 take their places they cause
the new corners also TO decline to work
for him, and thus A. is "boycotted."
No force is to be used, and no damage is
to be done A. OF the owner of the land.
If either is done, then no good man
could approve Of that style Of boy
cotting." Now if the laborers Of A. had
made unjust charges or demanded un-
reasonable wages and the fact became
known beyond question: to the labor
ers who had gone to it to take the
places Of those who had struck, and II
the former willingly accepted the places
of those who had quit work aud st the
same wages, then | should say that the
strikers had failed TO .sboycott A.
If right. justice, and equity we're on
AS SIDE, then be ought not to have been