Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-21
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Please publish the following article
from The Nation and charge to
Yours respectfully,
II n "
CompulaorY Hiring.


There are various plans on foot, some
in the Legislature and some outside, for
the settlement Of disputes between
workingmen and their employers by
means of arbitration. But no scheme
of this kind, however carefully consid-
cred, can be successful unless it is
based on a clear understanding Of what
the rights Of the parties who submit to
arbitration are. That is to say, there
can be no sound, lasting, and healthy
settlement Of the labor question which
is not preceded by plain definition of
the position of the parties whom it af-
fects. Thus far nothing of the kind
seems to have been reached. Appa-
rently very large body Of the work.
ingmen all over the country seem to be
possessed with the idea that they have
a right to be hired by any employer
whom they select for that purpose, at
rate of wages to be fixed by themselves
or by the trades unions to which they
belong. 1t may be said that this is an
exaggeration-that all that the trades
unions claim, at most, is the right of
men to continue in the service of men
who have already employed them. But
this is a distinction without difference.
In the field of morals right to be en-
ploy ed by any man you please flows
logically from the right to be employed
10y particular man who does not want
your services. The right, if it exists,
runs with the laborer. If A has
right to insist that B shall give him
work at 81 day heaviDg coal when
b does not want him to heaye coal for
him on any terms whatever, A has a
right also to impose himself ono, d, or
e as a coal-heayer.
In most of the strikes which occur
nowadays this point is clearly brought
out. The laborers Of the Steam-Heat-
ing Company, for instance, call on the
company to make certain changes in its
mode of doing business, as a condition
Of their continuing to work for it. The
company refuses, and the laborers con-
sequently leave its service. All is
right thus far. Each side has exercised
it's liberty as a citizen. But the labor
ers do not 60 away and let the Steam
Heating Company alone. They sur
round its premises in an angry way, as
if the company were in possession of
something which belonged to them, and
they threaten those whom it takes in
their places with serious bodily harm.
The v insist that they have right to
continue in the company's employment
for an indefinite period, on terms fixed
by themselves, and without regard to
their behavior. They do not concede
to the company any right whatever Of
Withdrawing from the relation or dis
pensing with their services, nor will
they allow it to mention any fixed term
of Office for them. They are so sure
of the justice Of this arrangement, too.
that they propose to assault anybody
that interferes with it, and to damage
the property Of anybody who deals
with the company aud refuses to be q
party TO the quarrel.
Now, arbitration on basis of this
sort is impossible. 1t cannot succeed
in any organized shape unless it is
avowedly conducted between free
sgents-that is, unless the parties to 1t
bave perfectly equal rights; unless the
Knights Of Labor, for instance, openly
acknowledge, and agree to live up to
The acknowledgement, that the employer
has the same right to dismiss that the
employee has TO leave. and that the
laborcr has no more right to bit or kick
ihe capitalist, or damage his property
for not giving him work. than the capt.
talist has to bic or kick the laberer for