The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-12
FACTS WORTH CONSIDERING.

Organ'ZatlOn rs despOusni ulochcIg ]
Of the inalienable rights guaranteed
to the citizen. The labor unions have |
made immense headway by persua-
sion and proving the advantages OF
organization. But when they go fur
Their and put the curse OF excommu-
nication upon all nonunionists, they
become usurpers-who would compel
ireemen TO obey their behests. Starv-
ing men into doing what they do not
want TO do, is as cruel as it is unjust
and is in keeping with that spirit OF
intolerance and persecution which re-
Sorted to the lash, the th"mb screws
and all the instruments of torture TO
force men to join religious orglniza-
tins to which they were conscien-
tiQusly opposed The right to can a
living by honest work is s-cred and
inalienable A mans labor is his
own and he can dispose Of it at any
price he plesses without let or him
drance. Theirs were in the United
States 100000 persons engaged, in
the year 1880, in gainful occupationsi
that is, in earning living by labor OF
some sort. There is now probably
not less than 100000. OF
these 100000 are classed, from the
nature OF their occupation, being man
ayers or overseers, as employers
rather than employed. But there
were l, 100000 working in factories,
600, 900 occupied on railways, and IA
100000 oil farmers, mechanics, arti-
sans and general workers Of every de
tcription. Thus the number Of lab Dr.
ers proper in this country was, six
years ago, 10000 and is now prob
ably over 1900 600. There are,
thur Store, not less than 1880, 0OC
working people, at the least, who are
not members Of the Knights OF Labor
The labor unions demand tina. none
but union men shall be employed il
an open war upon thoIe who have
conscientious scruples that prohibit
them from joining societies, organiza
tions or combinations of any sort. Ar
Irish laborer appeals to the unions fol
permission to work. He says: ~
sympathizs with your organizations
but my church has recently full
minated bull prohibiting me from
Joining your unions, and now ! an
forced TO either renounce my religion
to get work or stSrve." Some men
for reasons satisfactory to themselves
are opposed to organizations. Bu
they are forced to ItultitJ
their honest convictions or b'
branded as unclean, aud sutie
for no crime save that OF enter
tanning an honest opinion. Before
boycotting 16,5OO,00o working people
who are not members OF the unions
the labor organizations should con
slider the injustice they are doing
large majority Of the laboring classes
The same undeniable right which in
sists that a laborer may join a unior
II he wishes, protects the man oppose
to organizations. This is land {
liberty, and the laborer has the rigf
TO work when he is willing - do S
, and his family is crying for brea'
Chief Arthur of the Locomotiv
: Brotherhood, in his recent speech
Hartford, Conn, said: mo man~ hi
: the right to say TO another, Tho
!, shalt or Thou shalt not and in Il
violation of this principle is where Il
:. trouble lies among the workingmo
:, to-day, We have no business to 81
|, that an employer shall employ or sh
!. not employ this man. A man has Il
=. right to belong to any organizatio
, provided il is not contrary to u
- law. We say no man has Il
a, right to say to another man that
~ must not belong 10 an organizatio
20 And, too, we have no right to go
70 the companies and say: "You mt
h. not employ that man." We opp1
,o this way OF doing things on princip
90 Unless a man is n rascal you have
be right ss superintendent or master n
IN cham, to prevent him from getti
an employment elsewhere because
nd does not suit you, f,r he might g
ma somebody else"