The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-24
a BAD WEAPON.

The ground on which Vice President
Hoxie declines to confer with the Grand
Master Workman of the Knights of Labor is
that the Knights have already violated one
agreement made with the Missouri Pacific.
The road claims that year ago it. held
conference with the officials of the Knights,
at which the latter submitted their griev-
ances. After discussion scheme of settle
ment was drawn up and assented to by
both parties. The employees obligated
themselves to refrain from striking if the
road would do certain things. The road as
sented to the conditions. The road claims
that it has not violated any Of these condi-
tions, and that, therefore, the present strike
is virtually a reputation on the part of the
employees without cause of contract delib-
erately entered into. If the roads claim be
true, its refusal to trust the Knights a
second time is Unstable, for the presump-
ton is that men who will deliberately
violate an agreement once will do so twice.
With such men no self-respecting man will
continue to treat. We are assuming, Of
course that Vice President HoXie tells the
whole truth, and that the road officials have
scrupulously kept their part of the agree
ment If they have not then the structures
on the Knights apply with the same force to
them.
For the successful settlement of labor dis
putes by mutual agreement good faith on the
part of both the contracting parties is in
dispensable, and neither party must be under
obligations to third parties which conflict or
may conflict with the agreement between
them. If either party is under such an
obligation it must either divest itself of it or
refuse to enter into an agreement. 1t is Sc
rious question whether as long as the Knights
obligate themselves to enforce the boycott
when instructed to do so by their Assem-
blies they can be in a condition to enter
into agreements with employers for the set
Element of labor disputes 1t is charged that
the Missouri Pacific men have struck simply
to assist their brethren on the Texas q Pa
cfc. 1t is said they make no complaint
against the treatment they have received
from the officers of their road, but have
struck simply in the hope of compelling the
Missouri Pacific to bring about the res
toration of a discharged workman on
the Texas Pacific. These allegations may
not be true in this particular case, though
the railroad officials contend that they
are, but cases are likely to arise involving
condition of things similar to that alleged
in this case. Suppose AS workmen meet
A and mutually arrange the hours of work
and rate of compensation satisfactorily to
both. Suppose some time after, while the
agreement between them is in force, the
workmen of B, who has dealings with A,
strike for higher pay and refuses. to COM
ply with their demands. In the course
Of the controversy, suppose the knights
of Labor order a boycott of b to bring
him to terms. A buys of B. To boycott
B effectively it becomes necessary to boy
colt A, and AS employees are ordered by
the Knights to threaten him with a strike I'M
less he compels B to agree to the demand
of his employees or ceases to do business with
him. The first he cannot do because Binsists
on his undoubted right to manage his own
business; the second he cannot do either be-
cause his own business is so connected with
BIS that he must fall without the facilities
which B affords. AS employees are then in this
dilemma. Their obligations to A. by virtue
of an agreement make it incumbent upon
them to work as long as A. keeps his side
of the contract. A has not violated it, there
fore they are bound to continue at work. But
they are under obligation to the knights OF
Labor to assist their brethren in such way
as that organization may direct. 1t has Or
dered them to strike. They cannot keep
both agreements. The trouble is they nave
entered into contracts each incompatlble.wlt
the other 1t is easy TO see therefore, that SO
long as the Knights obligate themselves to
their organization to assist their brethren by
the boycott they are not in condition TO
settle labor disputes by mutual agreement
with employers because they may not be in a
position to keep their agreements when
made
The boycott is the one conspicuous weak
spot In the Knights of Labor programme.
Undoubtedly it can be made to do a good
deal OF mischief to the person or corporation
against whom it is directed, but its discharge
is attended with severe recoil, and that re-
coil increases in severity with the frequency
of the discharge 1t is easy to see that a
boycott, though avowedly intended to assist
the workngman, may be the means of
throwing thousands Of workingmen who are
getting satisfactory wages ont of employ
ment. Another serious weakness of the
boycott is thatits use tends to ALLEVIATE public
sympathy from the labor organizations, and
when public sympathy is withdrawn they
will be shorn Of most Of their power.
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II is now intimated that unless there is an