Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-11

Boycott.
0 the Editor of the Dispatch :
j. ID. lMBODEN,
Z. S. Try. . Expert -

consequence, and as very many nave
made it the opportunity for enlighten-
ing the public, it occurred to me that,
with the DiSpdtch'S consent, would
be disposed to bring a small torch to
aid in the general illumination. am
not bOycotter, nor do feel in much
fear of being boycotted; but am a
nottingham, and as such | feel lively
interest in all that concerns the veal
and reputation Of working-people and
;hen my business interests are identi-
fed with those Of Richmond, and DO
not think that any citizen could feel a
more earnest concern about the good
name Of our city than | do. What
shall say will be said with frankncss
and freedom, but without a wish to
wound the sensibilities of any.
1t is a somewhat singular fact that
Of all who have taken part on the boy
colt question few seem to have a just
comprehension Of its relations to the
uncomfortable logic of passing events in
our country. And even at the meeting
of our citizens, which was gotten up
in the interest of Cancellation and har-
mOny. words were employed which do
not and cannot fall pleasantly on the
ears Of respectable workiDgmen, aud
the boycott was referred to as a sort of
iirebrand thrown into the bosom of
quiet community to be the reckless
cause Of much evil. The truth is. the
boycott is not a cause at ali. 1t is the
effect Of causes similar to those which
have existed from the earliest ages, and
which have been developing themselves
recently with uncomfortable rapidity
in the United States. From these
causes arose lhe Knights of Labor,
and fom these came the boycott to be
used as a measure Of selfprOtcctiOn
only in extreme cases. Who these
Knights Of Labor in Richmond are !
DO not know but should not be sur
prsed TO learn that the order takes in
some Of the most honorable men in
Richmond. Are men such as these to
be made the target for hard words and
still harder insinuations: ! think no..
For myself. | wish the Knights would
give up the boycott. They might still
DO each other, as well as the rest of the
community, much good, and at the
same time would lessen the amount Of
hard feeling in the community. | wish
also that all those who approach the
subject would do so in a gentle and con-
scryaliye spirit.
was glad to learn from the piece Of
Mr.. Royal that that gentleman is the
peculiar friend Of the wOIaingman. /
should never have suspected this. judg-
ing from some OF the facts OF his his
tory. But Mr.. Royals boycott IS not
as it appears to me, a success. Some
Of his suggestions are very unsup-
possible, and for this reason should be
avoided. Then his reference to the
Physicians Association shows that h.
is aware Of a boycott more grinding
than that Of the Knights Of Labor.
The reference to the physicians " skilled
science" too, argues purposed obli-
Won Of the years Of earnest attention
to his calling by which the working
man in his own line of business be-
comes an overmatch for all the legal
and medical gentlemen in Virginia.
am clad to say that there are few
pieces on the boycott question which |
have read with much satisfaction.
Foremost among these is the piece Of
DR.. Sprigg. The Doctor seems to COM
| prehend the question in its relations
with the Church. with society, with the
world; and he treats it with a Just ap-
probation which does honor both to his
head and heart. The piece Of Dr.. Ian.
drum, also, though not so much at
length, is equally to the purpose.
Some people are very much in the
habit Of supposing that whatever comes
from the representatives Of the pulpit
must be tincturcd with narrowness
and superstition but / think that
all may read the pieces Of these gentle.
men with profit, and am glad that
they have so well indicated the spirit
and motive with which we should ap-
proach all social questions. For We
may think, with what self.complacency
We like, Of the Importance of our own
relations to the social edilce, still the
fact remains that the several classes are
only so many links in the same chain (;
and the chain cannot be one Of unity
and strength unless the several links be
in healthy and harmonious relation with
enc another.
II is as a sort Of " looker-On here
in Vienra" that | write this piece, and
my motive is perhaps as harmless as
that Of the Duke in the " Measure for
Measure" have no ends of my own
to serve, and my sympathies are on all
sides Of this question. As a working
man, ! feel identified with working peo-
pie. AS a citizen, am alarmed at the
rapid march of uncomfortable contin-
gencies in our country; and it may
readily be seen that the present crisis
demands the exercise of our calnest
reason and our best conservatism when
we approach social questions or ques-
tons Of public policy on which differ
ent members Of the community stand
widely apart from one another, and yet
are perhaps equally DESTROYS to pro-
mote the public good.
j. X. KEININGHAM.
ashland, Va.