Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-26
PERNICIOUS BOYCOTT.
POINTED HINTS TO SOME LABOR ASSO-
CATIONS.
The Boycott Must be Expunged From Their Codes II
They Wish to Gain the Respect Of American
Citizens-A Sensible Article From Sec
rotary Manning'S Paper.

ALBANY, n. y, SeptehlDcT II
4rgus has the following: 1t is to be deep
" regretted that the boycott has not yet
been ~expunged from the code of labor asso-
Citations, Notwithstanding the many cyl
dences of public aversion to it. 1t Is the
most unreasonable of lallacies, the most
uniustifable of methods in connection
with the cause of labor, and it is difficult
to imagine how intelligent men can submit
70 the outrageous extremes to which 1t Is
carried. That an individual or an assOcl-
alton has Il perfect right to refuse to deal
with IN obnoxious firm may be conceded.
That is n personal matter. But when IN
association claims the right to coerce all
others into an attitude of hostility against
the objects Gifts dislike, it is quite anOth-
or thing. The fundamental principle OF
American institutions is violated. The
boycott is carried to such extremes that in
some instances the original offender Is lost
sight of, and the fury Of organized labor Is
directed against a person or firm who Is in
noccnt of all knowledge of the cause OF the
trouble, but happens to have dealt in boy
cotted goods. Suppose 4 mai has a quar-
rel with another, and refuses to hold any
converse or communication with hlm.
That is his business, and no one will queS-
ton his privilege. Ifthe aggrieyed man,
however, notifies his friends and acqualnt-
ances that he will not speak to any one of
them who will recognize the person with
whom he has fallen out, the chances are
that he will be left to himself, cut by all
his acquaintance and regarded as 4 crank
OF the first water. Yet this is the
very principle Of the boycott.
What right has any body of men to die
tate to others what goods they must not
deal in and what firms they must not pat
ronizc? The iniquity of such a claim has
been recognized by the law, and there is a
statute which makes bycOtting u legal Of
tense. According to this statute Il num-
Der of bycotterS in New York were Convic-
ted and punished. The judge, jury,
and district attorney merely carried out
the law. They had no direct hand IN
the framing of it, nor were they influenced
by any personal motives OF hostility
against the men who violated the law.
They acted in accordance with their duty,
which they were sworn to fulfill.
Yet we find Judge jury and
district attorney denounced at
some labor meetings as tyrantS and foes OF
labor. Is not this the climax of the ridi-
culOus? 1t may he that the men now in
state prison were not aware OF the penalty
attached by law 10 their OilenSe, and that
mercy should be extended to them in con-
sequence, although the law does not take
into account ignorance of it. But while
many people would be inclined to favor
clemency towards the imprisoned boycott
tiers, on their promise not to repeat the
offense: the friends Of these men are adopt
ing very strange means to secure that
clemency by denOuncing the officials who
only perfor ned their duty, and manifest
ing in every way their desire to perpetuate
the system of the boycott.
They loudly proclaim their intention OF
removing the ban against the boycott from
the statute books by entering the political
field, and exacting pledges from candidates
to vote for the repeal of the measure.
Such course is foolish and fruitlesS. The
boycott, as practiced by some OF the labor
organizations, is an otlenSe against the
liberties and manhood OF the American
people, n species of tyranny they will not
submit to. 1t is but another form Of the
coercivc strike, with its attendant horrors
OF riot, murder, arson, and destruction of
property, a decided step toward anarchy.
The law is Omnipotcnt i'll this country,
and we cannot tolerate any self-constituted
body directing us what we must do and
whom we must drive out of business. The
sooner the labor organizations understand
this American view of the subject and re-
linuuiSh their mOnstrous claims to cOerce
every one into taking sides with them
against, frequently, an innocent party, the
sooner they will attain the sympathy and
respect of all law abiding citizens.