The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-05-01
HONEST ADVICE TO LABOR.
Chief Arthur of the Locomotive Broth her

Chief Arthur of the Locomotive Brother
hood Oh the Rights OF Labor and Capital
4rthe,'s Ha.ttott 4dd,.>x to ms Brothtrhood
Let the men come together and discuss
their grievances ard then come to
an understanding. Let the employer
give the men under him to understand
that he is Interested in their welfare and
not that he considers them mere sense
less machines. Acting under this policy
whenever during the p list twelve years,
we have been met by the officers of the
roads there has been no strike. Every
strike by us has been caused by the blunt
refusal on the part of the roads to recog
nize u. Now, who is to blame for the
strikes we have had" Since the troubles
on the Grand Trunk and Boston and
Maine Roads, where we were positively
refused recoguitiou, even for the purpose
of amicably adjusting the difficulties.
every difference has been adjusted by our
brotherhood. Daring the excitement of
the past few months we have had seven
different cases and in every case the pol
icy of the brotherhood has settled them
all. AS far as | know the locomotive en-
glueers and the railroad companies are
on excellent terms.
No man has the right to say to an
other, Thou shalt" or Thou shalt not
and in the violation Of this principle is
where the trouble lies among the work
ingmen today. We have no business to
say that an employer shall employ or
shall not employ tins man. y man has
the right to belong to any organization,
provided it is not contrary 10 the law.
We say no man has tho right to say to
another man that he must not belong to
an organization. And, too, We have no
right to 90 to the companies and say:
You must not employ that man. We
oppose this way of doing things on PIN
clple. Mess a man is rascal you have
no right as superintendent or master me-
cbanic to prevent him from getting en-
ployment elsewhere because he does not
suit you. for he might suit somebody
tlSt. lie great IIouUIc 10 lueIe udS
been too great a chaSm between capital
and Labor and we should strive to bring
them closer together. There should be
no antagonism. There is no occasion for
it, and though want every laboring
man to hold up his head and look his
employer SQuarely i'll the face | want him
to remember that capital, as well as labor,
mas rights which we must respect We
Il III, -, I
Sential to the prosperity of the country.
There should be no clashiug between
them-there need be none.
When a man is looking up as the leader
of a labor organization, Just so soon as
he begins to dabble III politics then it is
time for you to request him to resign
and put another man in his place. They
care for themselves far more than they
do for those whom tLey represent. What
did say about the eight-hour law was
this: 'lt the masses want eight hours
for legal days work give it to them for
a fair trial, but fear there are large
number of IN n who will not potit by it,.
Many of those sometimes called working
men do not make good use of their time.
| believe IN working. Since was twelve
years old I have worked. And to that
question have never given any consider
alton further than to say: Make the
best use you can of the time God gives
sou, and if you want an additional two
hours for the purpose of improving your
mind then hope the lawgivers of the
land VIII give it to you, and that will APP
preciate it and not loiter it away as many
men do. am obliged to acknowledge"
Ny advice is. be sober. be frugal, be in
d3StriOuS and practice a little Self-0euial
for the benefit of those who are Deepen
dent upon your daily earnings. Above
all keep out of whisky shops, shun dens
of iniamy and the gaming table and
spend your time with your wife