The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-05-04

he, he and his family will he ruined. 1t
is the annihilstion o! in ii,ijual free
dom and forhids man t, follow his
conscientious convictions In the dis.
charge Of his own duty
or course we do not mean that ti's Is
always It's intention. But it is a two.
edged sword. Itis tremendous wesp
on for wrong as we'll as for right, and
there ia no security that it will not he
used by the worst of men for the worst
of purposes. THUS hody of men or
der Mrs. Cray to turn away her employ.
es il they will not Join a cert,in asso.
citation She refuses TO coerce them in
any wav. Thereupon the men. foled in
their effort to deprive her OF the control
of her own business, try to ruin her by
preventing Others from dealing with b
This is a crime against freedom, an out.
rage upon the American principle, and
it will be resented and redressed by the
spontaneous act on of the honest public
until the American love of liberty is ex-
tinct. The boycott, as experience in
Ireland and elsewhere shows, Is a pro.
ceeding which necessarily tends TO dis
order 1t prof.sses to be a pesc 'ful
remedy for grievances, and to act w.t.
ont violence. BIT this view is net sus.
tanned either nv the facts IN regard to
Mrs. Gray in New York, or in the great
disturbance in the Southwest. The state.
ments OF Mr.. Powderly, indeed, and the
earnest and evidently effective appeal of
Mr.. Brown to the rioters at East st.
Louis sfer the unwarranted shooting the
other day, show that the purpose of tue
Knight, or Labor in imposing a boycot
is to do no violence. Mr.. Brown forced
the rim gleader of the riytars to acknowl.
edge that he was not member Of the
fraternity, and his appeal did much to
RESTRAIN the fury of the mob. But it is
mot enough that no violence is done
The question for Mr.. Powderly and Mr.
Brown, and for all in whose name they
speak and act, is this: knowing that an
excited throng of men upon strike and
enforcing boycott ia an inflam mable
mass which spark will kindle into a
consuming fire, has everything been
done bv their leaders TO avoid a catss-
trophe2
Have the workmen been ordered, for
instance, in the Southwest to keep away
from the railroads, to put tbems elves
out of the reach of temptation, and TO
keep within their undeniable right not
to work except upon terms satisfactory
to themselves, and their equally unde.
niable right 10 make common cause with
others whom they bold 10 be Justly ag.
erieved 2 If not, then the leaders are to
blame, because the real strength of the
movement Of organized labor lies in
public sympathy, and in community
where every man votes, and where the
courts are always open, and where legal
redress for wrong is accessible, there is
no public sympathy for disorder and
violence and manifest injustice. We are
not saying that the hovcotters are tie
only offenders. Public condemnation
ought t., fall upon combinations OF capi.
tai against the public welfare quite as
much as upon those of labor. A pool
.of great corporations to raise the p.ice
of any necessary articIe-bread, or coal,
or salt, or suear-ls crime ag>iast So
c'etv as beinous as the combination Of
some workin ng-men to prevent other men
from working. The power OF Organized
and consolidated capital is one OF the
most threatening perils of modern So
ciety. The arbitrary will, whether of an
individual or of an association. of o
railroad corporation or of labor union.
which IS 80 situated that it can enforce
its DEGREES. is simple tyranny. and Justly
alarms all Thoughtful men. 1t is there.
fore a fact CT the highest sign:fc, ce
and encouragement that the leaders Of
The most extensive and powerful labor
organization in the country declare that
their methods are absolutely peaceful
and that they condemn violence and in
justice. They will command general
sympathy If in any emei gency they add
wise and timely warning to avoi the
paths that lead to violence and injustice,
and if they punish peremptorily and
adequately all offenders Corporate
combinations Of capital, on the other
hand, are not tempted to hreak the law.
Their offence is corrupting legislatures
and courts. Their offence may he plain
ly much more dangerous to society than
the open violation of law The stii
kers upon the Broadway Railroad NAV
have been hasty or in The wrong. We
do not say that they we're. But we cer-
'ainly say that their offence was venisl
compared with that Sharpe and bis con.
federates. Harpers Weeky.