Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-27


as circumstances deny me the privilege OF
addressing your meeting orally venture
10 present in writing my views on the TWO
TOPICS propounded in your letter.
AS / understand the controversy re,
tween the Central Railroad Company and
its employees my judgment and my feelings
are with the employees. They do not as
sumo 10 say whom the company shall en-
ploy or whom the company shall discharge.
They do not arrogate control OF tine mah-
agement of the company. Their precise
contention is that the company mas no
right TO dismiss men from Its ser
beers of labor organization; and
that if men be dismissed for this
cause alone their fellow-workmen may
strike that IL, quit the employment OF
the company. Now the right OF labor TO
organlze-that is. to combine for It's own
protection and its own benefits settled
principle in the Jurisprudence oil New
York: and the right of labor TO strike =
that is. to quit employment, whether rom
individual impulse or by CONCERTS equal
ly well established in the law OF the state.
Assuming, then. that the company Is PRIV.
legged TO discharge its employees at lts
pleasure. these employs have an equal
right. at their yolitioh. TO leave the en-
ployment of the company.
but do not concede that the company
has authority so TO punish It's employees LOT
the exercise of All indisputable prerogatiye
of American citiZenshlp-namely, the right
OF association. The right Of labor TO organ
ize for self-protection is recognized ana
guaranteed by the law. but OF what aVaii
would be that right If its assertion De a
legal justification for the deprivation OF
labor OF the means or subsistence! NO
u = ,,,f r,ppa Oh. ripbfa of
another-the immemorial maxim OF the
Law peing that each must 50 exercise his
own right as not to violate the right OF
others.
RAILROADS ARE NOT PRIVATE PROPERTY
"But railroad company Is not allowed
by the law to exert its powers with An ex-
elusive reference to its own corporate ln-
terests. and so is not invested with the alb
solute and arbitrary authority OF private
employer-the authority, for instance, to
dismiss its servants without cause and re-
gard TO consequences. In very recent
case the supreme tribunal Of the nation
declared that railroad is q public high
way, established primarily for the con-
venience of the people and to subserve
public ends: and the State, upon the con-
cession of the corporate franchise To
company, reserves the night TO reclaim
IL whenever IL bC B'A'Nt 49,
from its objects or abused TO the public
injury. II results, therefore, that IN dis
charging its employees because OF their
connection with labor organization the
Central Railroad Company usurps power
TO which II has neither legal nor moral
rieht-not moral right because the act IS
intrinscally cruel and unjust; not legal
right because the act violates the rights OF
others and involves consequences OF por-
tenous public evil. On the other hand.
in resenting the discharge OF their asso-
ciates by q strike the employees OF the
company not only assert right which the
law comedies 10 them, but resist preten-
sion which, if valid, would be fatal TO the
interests of labor; for without organiZa-
ton labor is the helpless slave OF capital.
and there can be no organization II the
mere fact of organization be Justlnea-
ton for the prescription OF labor.
THE VERY CASE FOR ADMIRATION.
II proceed upon the assumption OF the
truth of the allegation that the company
had discharged its employees for no other
cause than their connection with the
Knights of Labor. But the officers OF the
company deny the allegation, and affirm
that the discharge was for personal unit
ness and misconduct. Here IS an issue OF
fact which is not concluded by the state
ment of either party to the controversy,
and which neither party can arrogate TO
decide for itself.
This, then, is plain case for arbltra-
tion-that benefcent method OF adjust
ment and pacifcation TO which even the
mighty Powers of the earth are subordI-
mating their sovereign wills. and to which
certainly the Third Vice-President of q
railroad company may submit without
sacrifice of dignity or self-respect. The
employees eagerly offer to arbitrate the
question and bind themselves in advance
to abide the decision. But the company
refuses, and 50 challenges responsibility
for all the frightful consequences contin.
gent on the prosecution OF the strike.
THE MORAL GUILT Is UPON THE COMPANY.
LET it not be forgotten in the progress
of the impending struggle between labor
and capital that il the physical cause OF
the public inconvenience and loss be the
strike of the employees the moral guilt and
responsibility are upon the company for
compelling the strike by an invasion of the
rights of labor and refusal TO refer the
dispute to the arbitrament OF an impartial
tribunal.
Upon another subject suggested by
your letter of invitation my convictions
and my feelings are still more clearly and
III WIN tHc ocHNi-
ments of your meeting. | mean the en-
listment of banded and armed mercena.
ries under the command of private de.
tectives on the side of corporations IN
their conflicts with employees.
THE pretext for such an extraordinary
measure is the protection of the corporate
property: but surely the power of this
great State is adequate to the preservation
of the public order and security.
HIREIISo AssAssrNs DENOUNCED.
AT ell events, in this particular in
stance ii was not pretended either that the
strikers had invaded property or person.
or that the police or militia in Albany had
BETRAYED reluctance or inability TO cope
with the situation. On the contrary, the
facts are undisputed that the moment the
men went out Mr.. Pinkerton and his myrmi
dons appeared on the scene. and that the
police OF Albany declared their competency
to repel any trespass on person or pro
perty. The Executive of the State, too
denied any necessity for the presence
of the military. do not impute to thu
railroad officials purpose without provo
cation TO precipitate their ruffians upon a
defenseless and harmless throng of specta
tors but the fact remains that the rnffian.
in their hire did shoot into the crowd with
out occasion, and did 80 shed innocent
blood. And it is enough TO condemn
the system that 1t authorizes unoficis
and irresponsible persons to usurp thu
most delicate and difhcult function OF the
State. and exposes the lives Of citizens t.
the murderous assaults Of hireling assas-
sins, stimulated toviolence by panic or BY
the suggestion OF employers to strike ter
ror by an appalling exhibition Of force. 4
the railroad company may enlist srmet
men to defend Its property, the employee
may enlist armed men TO defend their per
sons, and thus private war be irausurated
ss snS IL sSo q S society," ddsd s
and the citizens exposed to the hsssrd q
indiscriminste daughter.
Thanking you for the honor Of youl
invitation, and EegEettinR my inability &