The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-04-17

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TIE OnsIeek.
Our spring season is now half
gone md there is not yet green
leaf Or blossom to be seen. The
Inost We can say is that the buds
have begun to swell.
But We see no cause for discour-
agement or hopelcssness in the sit
uation. On the contrary we have
come TO regard late spring, in this
latitude, as the harbinger of fruit
mi season. tits the security against
the blighting frost, and many other
drawbacks which serve to stint the
growth Of vegetation in its in
fancy
The ground is now thoroughly
saturated and softened with the
abundant rains of the past few
weeks With the warm sunshine
which we may now anticipate, the
grass and roots Of every description
will spring into rapid growth and
the backward season" will soon APP
pear to have out run all it has lost
by delay.
It Is great gain to start with
abundant rains in the beginning of
the season. Vegetation seldom re-
covers from the i'll effects of drouth
In the spring time. The earth is
now ready to yield most abundant
harvest of every good thing unless,
beyond the spring times there is
some worse blight than backward
season awaiting us. From the pres
ent outlook we are disposed to con
graduate ourselves that every pros
pect is pleasing.
Nor are the farmers of this county
suffering much inconvenience by the
delay of vegetation. The fall sea
son was favorable for grass and
stock was pastured until Christmas
There is generally an abundance of
rough food remaining, and stock is
looking we'll. Indeed, grain and
hay are cheaper. now than in the
fall, and altogether there is nothing
IN the situation to complain Of
A Free Country and Free
Fight.
Any number of employees in the
same line Of labor have a right to
combine, organize and agree that
they will not work except upon
certain specific terms and condi-
tions.
And they do so combine and
agree.
Any number of capitalists con-
Quoting the same line of business
have a right to combine, organize
and agree upon a maximum rate of
wages beyond which they will not
pay.
And they do 50 combine and
agree.
This is free country.
When organized labor has fixed its
terms and organized capital has fix
ed its terms, and they disagree, labor
has right to strike.
This is a free country.
When labor has "struck" it has a
right to use all civil means within
its power to prevent capital from Sc
curing substitutes outside the Or
ganization at less rate of wages.
For example, it has right to per-
sudde other men not to work; and
il they fail to persuade, then to use
any other civil means, plans, schemes,
or diplomacy to defeat capital in OBJ
tanning other employees.
On the other hand capital has an
equal right to employ anybody and
everybody that may serve it's purpose
temporarily or permanently, and to
refuse to employ anybody and every
body it does not choose to employ
1t has q right to use all civil means
TO run its business in accordance
with it's own notions and in pursu-
ancc Of it's own policy.
This is a free country.
As long as the means used by
either party to such a contest is civil
and legitimate, there is no tribunal
in this country that has any right
to interfere, OF to furnish con-
science for either party, or to deter
mine whether it is good policy for
5 the one or the other to do differently
from what he is doing, or to compel
the striker to work or the capitalist
to pay.
But when either party steps be-
yond its legitimate province-when
it resorts to force or any other I'M
lawful means, then it is the province
Of the strong arm of the law to reach
out and suppress the offending party,
and it ought to do SO without mine
Ing matters.
Now this, we believe, is fair
statement Of the rights of the par
ties directly at issue in such a con-
test.
But the time has come when there
is strong disposition on the part
Of that other entity, the public, to
assert that it has right to be re-
garded as party to such contest,
and to have it's rights defined.
Certainly, this public is an inter
ested party-not merely as specta-
tor, but as property holder, as a