The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-25
STRIKES AND BOYOOTTS.

The international W~orkingmen's Con-
sells, declared as its deliberate convic-
ton that the strike and the boycott are
b most reliable and effective weapons
of labor to secure its rights. This might
be taken as the keynote of the V
ton. the whole spirit of which seemed
to be hostility to capital and a desire to
array class against class.
The Journal does not believe that the
declaration above referred to represents
the opinions any more than it does the
interests of labor and laboring men any
where, least of all in this country. There
is reason to believe that intelligent
w~orkingmen in the United States are
becoming convinced of the folly of re-
sorting to such measures as those above
indicated, saye in peculiar and excep-
tiOnal cases. Of the boycott it is hardly
necessary to speak. 1t is not only es-
sentially a violent and unjust method,
but it is essentially un-American and is
not likely ever to come into general
use or favor. American independence
resents the idea of being bulldozed or
dictated to in that. fashion, and expert
ence shows that attempts to boycott
either prove fat failures or else react to
the advantage and benefit Of the per-
son they are intended to injure. The
American sense of justice and fair play
will never cOuntenance any method that
sayors of revenge, or that aims to de-
stroy the business or business standing
of any individual or firm, simply because
they refuse to be dictated to or insist on
doing business in their own way. The
doctrine of personal rights and individ-
ual liberty is too well understood and too
highly appreciated in this country to
permit any method to become popular
or successful which aims at their de-
struction. The right of organized labor
to wage war upon those who choose to
stand aloof from it, or who insist upon
doing business in their own way, will
never be generally recognized in any
country of law and order.
The strike is less violent thar the
boycott in that it does not necessarily
aim at interference with the rights of
others. Nobody questions the right of
w~OrkinRmen to strike whenever they
please or for whatever cause they please.
Although in very many. if not most,
Instances strikes are of very doubtful
wisdom. they are not like boycotts, es-
sentially illegal in attempting to inter-
fere with the rights of others. The
moment they attempt to do that they
invite the condemnation of all fair
minded men and place themselves out
side of the pale of legal action. The
right of one hal to work is as unques-
tionable as that of another man not to
work, and the right of an employer to
hire whom he pleases and pay what
wages he pleases is as plain as that of a
laborer to work for whom he may pre-
fer or for what wages he may choose to
accept. These are automatic principles,
and must eventually be universally
recognized as such. They lie at the
foundation not only of civilized govern
ment. but of personal liberty.
The tendency among intelligent work
lDkIuCu 10 tOWdIuS al Ult Il dS u
means of settling controversies between
employers and employees. Particularly
is this true among workingmen who
have homes and families, and who wish
to lead a settled, quiet life. 1t is found
that strikes involve friction, ill feeling,
loss Of time, loss of money, and often
loss of employment. There may be some
workingmen who enjoy this sort of thing
and who are not greatly the worse for
it. but they are not the staid, sober, in
telligent ones who have families to sup
port and who are trying to get on in the
world. The walking delegates who
make a business of stirring up strife
and strikes, and the hOt-heads who are
always ready to back them up, do not
represent the best element of American
workingmen. Often they are able by
noise and numbers 70 carry their point
and force the conservative minority into
a course which their judgment cOn-
demns, but experience generally demon
strates the folly of being guided by
such blind leaders, and vindicates the
wisdom of those who favored milder
counsels and more reasonable methods.
Time is constantly vindi.ating the
superiority of reason over force as a
means of settling disputes, between CAPT.
tai and labor, and is bringing both sides
to recognize arbitration as the better
way.