Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-17

The freedom of labor, which 10 the prin
ciple the Lake Shore railroad is upholdiug
against its striking switchmen, j. sensibly
discussed by the New York Tribune in the
following editorial: ''Thesttake of railroad
workers at chicago has been renewed,
under circumstances which entitle it to
especial attention. In Missy respects this
contest resembles the ill%ined and ILL
fated struggle upon which the workers OF
the Third Avenue Street Railway entered
weeks ago under most misguidine leader
ship. Their demand was for the discharge
of q small number of free workers who
were not willing to join an organization.
The only demand of the striking switch
tenders OF the Lake Shore Railway Com.
pany is for the discharge of six switch.
tenders who decline to belong to the union.
These men have been for many years faith
full servants OF the company. 1t is by no
one alleged that they are dishonest, or in
competent, or in any way unworthy. Their
sole offense is that they prefer to be free.
and do not wish to surrender any part OF
their freedom by joining a trades union.
The demand for their discharge is
therefore a declaration of war against
all free laborers. It is an attempt
by an insignificant minority of work
ers, who have pleased to organise in
this country, to prescribe and ostracise the
great majority oil workers who have not
chosen to organize themselves. Let it be
noticed, next, that the laborers of the
country look naturally to the employers,
and to the employers only. to defend the
rights and freedom of labor in this matter. |
If the Lake Shore Railroad Company does
not wish to do this, and is not willing to
face some sacrifice and some loss in order |
to resist this unjust and tyrannical demand, |
the freedom of all labor suffers, and the
rights of all free laborers are assailed.
Thus it is seen that, in fact as well as in
the true interests Of free labor and
Of employers are identical. The workers
Who nave chosen not to organize themselves
have preferred to rely upon their personal
efficiency as workers: and their value to en-
to insure for them a satisfactory
The employers, also, with few ex-
'eptions, prefer to pay according to the indi-
7idual merit of the workers. The trades
steps between the individual worker
Who prefers his freedom, and the employer
Who prefers a free worker, and attempts to
to both. It is not too much to say
hat the union attempts, by force and law
ess violence in this Chicago case, to estab.
ish a tyranny over both. It is not i'm.
that other railroad companies
nay conclude that it is their duty, and for
heir interest, either at this time or at no
date, to make common cause with
ZACH other against this attempted dicta-
ion. The right Of the employer to prefer
he free, untrammelled and individually re-
worker is as clear as the right of
my workers to organize themselves for
heir own defense. II the workers may Or
the employers may also agree.
are thousands, unhappily many
thousands of unemployed but will
ing and competent workers in this country
Who would gladly take the places OF those
Who have been employed sswitch-tenders,
md who within q short time would be quite
rs competent for that work as the men who
low perform it. Therefore it is that the
ew who are organized almost invariably
esort to violence the instant a strike be-
,ins in order to prevent the many who are
lnorganized from taking their places and
their work. The workers ought
o remember that, if they combine on their
the railway companies have precisely
he same right to combine also, and the re-
ult of that combination would be to ex-
Jude from employment, in the service of
he roads which unite therein, those work
rs who have preferred to organize them
Nor would the workers have any
light whatever to complain, if the employ
rs prefer the help OF free laborers."