The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-04-28
How Long Can Ii Last?

q . 49,
orders and actions Of organized labor
for a brief season but how long can
it last?
How long will the people of New
York submit to eight hundred en-
ployes of a street car line, who
have no complaint as to wages or
hours of labor, not only stopping Il
great thorouehfare, but forcing other
thousands of satisfactorily paid en-
ployes to stop other lines, simply be-
comes the officers of the Third
Avenue Company choose not to dis
charge seven men whose services to
them are acceptable?
How long will the great indus
trial and business interest of the
country submit to the arbitrary COM
mand of their business affairs, going
even to the employment or discharge
of their most important and trusted
agents ? Already labor has suffered
a loss OF millions this year, by halt
ing capital that would have been
diffused into industrial enterprises.
and there are thousands of business
men in large industrial operations
who instead of enlarging their bust
ness and charging the channels OF
labor, are limiting their product and
preparing for retirement, simply be-
cause there is no longer any assur
ance that the most responsible posi-
tons can be filled by men where
capital and business are 20 be cared
for. How long will this suicidal folly
last =?
How long will the public and the
law submit to strikes ordered under
the flag Of the rights Of labor vio-
lently hindering other citizens from
acceptin labor at satisfactory wages?
Such violence is az anti-American as
it is lawless, and it is the hideous
spawn Of anarchy. Il strikes at the
dearest rights of the American citi-
zen and now long can 1t last in a
government founded on freedom and
law?
How long viii the peopls
submitto the anti American
boycott? 1t is utterly ~senseless,
generally impo;eat and always law
less. 1t is never ordered by coasid-
crate friends of labor il is generally
ordered by men who are adventurous
drones preying on the labor OF
Others and the bOycotte has never
benefited honest labor 10 the extent
of a farthing, while it has cost hon
est labor much Of public respect and
much in the general prosperity it
has paralyzed.
How long can labor progress in
lessening the hours of labor or in
creasing the wages of labor, when
the present policy of its organize
tons, and causeless and violent
strikes, are daily driving employers
out of business, compelling capital
to shun industrial investments, and
depressing every channel ofindustry
in the land? Tens Of thousands Of
buildings, including residences, fac
tories and every form of improve
ments, have been halted by the la
Dor disturbances, and the loss falls
solely upon labor How long a
il last?
There can be no revival of indus
try or business until labor distnr-
Dances are settled and when it is
considered that nine tenths of the
recent great labor troubles have
grown out of the merest shadows,
when there were no substantial
complaints about wages, hours of
labor or manner of payments there
not a grave responsibility resting
upon labor to END, rather than to in
flame, labor disputes? Every new
labor dispute and especially every
new dispute that involves other is
sues than that Of wages, must newt
ably lesson the measure of employ
ment for the year; and nov long
can labor disputes last when they
are weakening the resources and
power of organized labor each day :?
The freedom and law which are
the jewels of our free government
will assert the supremacy Of reason
and law in the end, and why should
not intelligence and justice rule the
organized power Of labor at once?
Among the inherent and inaliena-
bic rights OF every citizen, high or
low, rich or poor, are the rights to
be employed or TO refuse employ
ment 10 employ or to refuse to en-
ploy to work or to refuse to work /;
to have person and property sacred
liz respected, and to buy or sell with
whom they will. No law dare in
wade these rights, for they are fun
damenial rights, and 40 organ
~ization can be greater or stronger
than the law. How long can organi-
zed labor assert itself as above the
law2
Ne appeal to the organized labor
of the country to take its latitude
anew. 1t has drifted away from the
only safe mooriug Of equal and just
rights to all, ani it must plant itself
on the sure foundation oil law if it
would achieve enduring advantages.
Every wanton disturbance it creatas
must be solely at lis own cost: every
violation of the rights of person or
property must ALLEVIATE considerable
public opinion against it, ADD it can
be great and lasting only by being
clearly lawful and right. Blatant
demagOgues, mercenarv agitGtors,
adventurous politicians and beer
shop idlers who pose as labor rep
resentatives will declare for distur-
bance and excuse lawlessuess, but
the sincere friend of industry will
prefer to advise in the words oftruth
and sobeFness. Labor disturbance.
cannet last, and if labor shall end i,
by manly justice it will have the
victory.-Phiodelphia Times.