Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-13
TIN LAn or HrRLKEH.

got 70 the point where the strikers have
lnterfered with the property Of the rail.
way companies, aud rs some Of the strik-
ers have on that account been arrested by
federal marshals for damaging railroad
property brief statement Of what d
striker may lcgltmately do and what he
may not do without exposing himself to
the penalties Of the law, Is timely and
should be instructive. OF course 1t IS I'M
necessary 10 say that the Missouri Pacific
aud other roads have the same claim to
| protection against strikers or anybody
else that the Texas 4 Pacific has The
same rules OF law apply to both The
Texas v Pacific, being In the hands of re-
ceivcrs, Is Immediately under the protec-
| ton OF the United States authorities.
But the laws by virtue Of which federal
marshal nay arrest an offender against
the property Of that road give TO shcrffs
an equal power to arrest like Offenders
against the property Of the Missouri Pa
cic or the Santa Fc. The state IL ny
much obliged to protect the one as the
federal government IL TO protea the 9th
or. The reason why men who "killr en-
glnos and obstruct the work OF the Mis-
souri, Pacific are not arrested, while those
who do the same thing TO the Texas &
Pacific are arrested, may be sought for in
the fact that the county authorities
whose duty II Is TO protect property from
spOliatlon owe their election To the votes
OF men who would resent the arrest,
while the United States marshals are not
dependent upon popular approval for
their positions
WorSlngmcn, like all others, have the
right OF meeting together at all times TO
discuss nnd consider whatever they may
regard az material to their interests.
They have also the right TO argue and
discuss, aud TO try TO persuade each 9th.
or to any particular view, or the adoption
or rejection OF any particular measure,
lust as all mon have. They have also the
right to advocate any measure they please
TO through the medium OF the press, as
all Others have They have equal rights
with all other classes, and the majority
OF them are intelligent enough 30 know
this. The only difficulty arises from the
demagogues among them wanting more
rights than belong to other classes.
They have, of course, the right to de.
mand higher wages or better terms of
their employers, and the right TO quit
work, oil AZ once, or rs many as see 1T to
do so, II the employer refuses 10 comply
and they can refuse to return to their EN-.
ployment II he persists In rejecting their
demands They can do all this and not
be liable to the law for conspiracy or
damages. But II their employer definite.
ly refuses their demands, their rights, as
against him, end there. They cannot
ooerce or compel him, aud he cannot
coercc or compel them, and all acts and |
measures taken IN that direction render
them or him lawhreakors, as the ease may
De. II their demands are refused. they |
can do no more than depart in peace
The employer has the choice of granting
their demands or losing their services
That Is fair matter OF business. They
have the choice Of leaving him II his offers
do not suit them Every Intelligent
worklngman VIII admit thlsi and this be-
ing so, II the employer elects TO dispense
with the services OF the men Instead of
granting their demands, II is his right TO
do so, and In that case common sense
and common honesty require that the
matter should end there Every fair.
mlpded man will admit that an attempt 10
force The employer to take back the men
on their own terms, 10y direct or Indirect
means, Is an outrage on law aud social
order and all correct business principles
Aud just here Is where the pinch comes
In The strikers case, as the very essence
of u strike is eompulsloni compulsion Of
The minority TO quit work aud Join the
strikes compulslon OF outsiders to stay
away aud not an the places Of those hold. ,
Ing onti compulslon as between the
strikers themselves TO compel the wayer. /,
Ing to hold out aud II has reached the ,
point where compulsiou IL used 10 pre. q
vent butchers and bakers from selling to !
who are not In the strike, and /
NJ this with the ultimate purpose OF d
'ompalslon OF the employer TO eoncede a
heir demands. Take away this element
u the strike, aud you entirely cmasoulate
= Tho rejection of the proposition OF
he strikers by tho employer ends IL at !,
nee Indeed, Il canuot amount to a n
trise withouttnis element OF compolslon, d
or the very term implies determination Y
n the part OF the strikers TO hold out. y :,
nd there would be no holding out with. a,