New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-27
FREEDOM FOR EMPLOYERS.

II is a pleasure to be able 10 cOihhlehu '''
renort of the State Board Of Arbitration, III re-
card 70 the lockout of clothing cutters at koch-
ester. as embracing fresh and valuable suS-
gestions to the Legislature. 1t happens too often
that these official reports are destitute OF pfac-
ticol usefulness But the one in question deals
with the issue presented in an unusual manner
H. is first shown that the cutters, numbering
about $50 who were discharged by twenty-ohe
firms and corporations in Rochester, were OF
ganized in a local Assembly OF tho knights OF
Labor. and that the manufacture reachcu
$4,000. 600 in annual value OF ready MADE
clothing produced distributed about 93,oOO'Ooo
in annual wages, and supported about 2o'ooo
persons, or nearly - per cent Of the inhaoitah's
of the city The report then states the OPINION
| of the Board As follows:
Tho Board opinion that the measure OF coercion
OF employers by employees, poprar9y Known Us 'o ivy
colt as It, workings developed in ths case uocs
not conduce harmony between the parties ana Is no'
calculated to improve the present or any other system
| Of production on the contrary, II would seem that
sooner or later the consequences must be TIC disruption
Of business relations and destruction OF INDUSTRIES
The board GOES on to show that it is clearly
the right Of any workers who see lit to combine
| for their mutual protection and advantage, ~
/ fix n price upon their labor and to refuse their
services whenever the price they fix may not
| be paid. No one contends that the employees
! have not the same right to associate themselves
| for mutual defence advantage that the en-
! plOyers have Nor is il for the pubic interest
| that associations of workers when conducted
with due regard to the rights OF others should
| be discouraged or prevented. But the Board
proceeds to say
/ clr
the failure of negotiations for satisfactory sale OF
| the use of their skill and labor to other persons
who desire snc usc TO engage In nm attempt at the
avowed destruction Of the business OF those DINER per
SONS because they refuse to arccde to the terms oI
conditions demanded Of and not agreeable 70 them
ard then make traffic q TIE resistance. Is suggested
that IN so far the laws Of the state fail 10 protect
employers and employees alke in the prcrocativc Of
equal rights TO buy or sell the use Of skill and labor
| they are deficient and at fault
The distinction here drawn is one TO which
attention has often been called in public DIS
cussion of the controversy between employers
and employed, and particularly IN discussion
Of the various kinds of boycott to which labor
organizations have so often reSoned. Ncycrthe-
! less il is satisfactory to find that the state
board Of Arbitration holds the correct idea as
respects the right Of employers a well as en-
rloyed 10 a free decision regarding the terms Of
employment proposed. If it be permitted TO the
cmpoycS 10 break down the business OF employ
ors unless ;hey assent 10 any terms that may
be demanded. nothing can be more certain than
that the industry in which such tyranny Is tol-
Grated will be prcstratcd or driven 20 other parts
Of the county The laws Of the state Of New
York aim to hold an equal balance between en-
ploycls and employed, aFordinc 10 all equal
freedom and equal protection. But there would
be no such equality Of rights or Of protection
if the State should defend the employees N thcir
right to work or not a. they may please but
should fail TO defend the employers in their
right 70 employ or not aS they may please.
The most serious objection which has been
made to the Knights Of Labor and other trades
organizations is that these bodies almost always
resort 10 cOcrciye measures Of some sort in any
controversy between the employers and the
workers in order to force the employers TO pay
whatever wages may be demanded. The use of
the boycott in this country has been justly con-
dcmncd as contrary to the spirit of American
freedom, and contrary to that equality of rights
which it is the Object Of the laws in this country
to maintain. The State Board is obviously right
in the recommendation that, If the laws Of New
York do not afford equal and adequate plotcc-
ton 10 employers and employees alike, they
should be amended without delay.