The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-12
OSTRACISM

The boycott is no new thing. 1t was
favorite method among the Athenians of the
pre-Macedonian era. 1t means ito put a
person outside the pale Of the society, high
and low. amid which he lives aud on which
he depends; socially to outlaw him, to have
no dealings of any kind with him." But
this is punishment so severe as only to
have been melted out by law, and as a pun
ishment for real or imagined treason or
other serious crime. To use such weapon
upon pretences trivial and upon every
imagined occasion has been reserved for the
people of the United States. That the Irish
used it is we'll known, but the Irish occasion
was deep rooted national struggle, infinitely
great and infinitely hopeless compared with
even the worst cases of oppression in this
country, and not comparable at all with the
great number that have been applied by
trades organizations and even some employ
ers this spring
There is no sense in asking if the American
people will permit this thing as a permanent
institution. To accept it would put every
man at the mercy of any halfdozen individ-
uals who might choose to combine against
Dlln ICNOlti o1bOCAu VI
Venice. 1t would put many woTkingmen at
the mercy of any employer who would
choose to make their situations depend upon
the adoption of his ideas, and 1t is a despot-
ism that to be admitted as a part of our
social habit would be more intense than that
of a Russian suspect under police surveil-
lance, for at least in that case one would
know what was required of him.
American workingmen were not the first
to use this means of running or coercing an
antagonist. Various corporations and en-
ployers first resorted to it either to coerce
labor or to ruin a competition, but Amer
lean workingmen have carried it to that ex-
IRENE as to have virtually exposed its in.
famous injustice and tyranny, and bring il
into such disrepute that It is evident will
destroy its influence in the future. 1t has
not been used to redress a wrong once
where il has been used to revenge 9
spite a dozen times. Men suddenly find
themselves involved in ''war" with theil
employers because there may have been 9
few people in an establishment whose opin
ions did not exactly correspond with thos'
VINO set the Opinions OF laDor OrganlzatlOn
And men have suddenly found themselve
thrown out of employment for exercising
their American privilege of belonging to thi
or that organization. This does not conside
tangible business questions that arise be
tween employer and employed, for il is no
business question, but a mental and mora
tyranny that would place the liberty ant
safety Of every man at the mercy Of any per
son or faction that could exert force suni
Gent to exert an ostracism.
The decision of Judge Pickett. OF New
Haven, Conn.,, delivers an opinion "that al
confederacies whatsoeyerto prejudice thir'
party are highly criminal under the common
law as administered in this State. Tn
Court, therefore, ENDS that the threat It
boycott as qualified in the complaint is
threat to do an illegal act well calculated +
intimidate, and that the same is suficientl
stated and set forth in the first count of tn
espplailh The Ceprt tmiher lads tia