Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-10-01
The Rights of Labor and the Laws of tho
Railway Master Mechanic.

Tho laws of this country arc the
fairest, the most reasonable aud the
most just laws that history records.
The principles which they embOdy
are those which have been recognized
as fair and just by all civilized nations
In all ages, by the best and ablest men
In those nations, aud also by the great
religious leaders and organizations OF
the world. The liberty of the indi-
vidual and the welfare Of the state are
two chief interests of all just laws and
all good government. These two In.
forests are cared for IN this country
more carefully aud intelligently than
they have been or arc In any
other. This Ia proved by the fact that
10 get an anarchist we have to import
him ready made. The sunshine OF
our laws and customs Is too genial for
their breeding here. II Is also proved
by the fact that hundreds Of thOus-
ands, yes millions Of men, since we be-
came a nation, have under our laws
developed their lives from a low be-
ginning In ignorance, poverty and OBJ
security into intelligence, usefulness and
prosperity. It 10 not under bad laws
thst such things can be done.
1t is only reasonable, therefore. that
labor organisations should be urged
not only to obey the laws Of the land,
to teach their adherents that to obey
these laws is their first and most i'm
p0rlant duty. The weakness of these
organizations has been, and is today,
that they claim-not In words. per-
hsps, but in acts--that the organiza-
ton Of wage workers into unions
gives them certain "rights" not before
possessed. The leaders of labor unions
can engage in no better work than To
teach their followers that whatever
claim of "rights" cannot be enforced
under the law is not right, and must
he abandoned. If this had been done
by labor union leaders, the twelve
men who were recently shot 70 death
at Homestead would be alive today,
and the red smear of murder would
not appear OF SO many. pages of the
history of labor unions.
One Of the facts which organized
labor would do we'll TO understand is
that under the laws OF this country a
man may work for whom he pleases
and for any price that may be
agreed on between him and his EN-
plUyer. and that tie employer may at
any time cease to employ him and hire
some one else in his place. Employees
aud employers have precisely equal
rights in these matters. Another fact
equally important is that the law will
punish the man who, by physical force
prevents another from working. To
do SO Ia q lawless act, aud that II is
done by ar for the benefit of orga nized
labor makes no difference. The law
does not take cognizamce Of organized
labor any more than II does Of red
haired or temperance, or Catholic or
Protestant labor. Aud not only the
law of the land, hut also the sentiment
OF righl-thnking people everywhere
makes It an evil aud an ineXcusable
act TO prevent the man who needs
work and wants 10 work from doing
so. How much sympathy for labor is
there in the sentiment which beats y
man black and blue when he apple:
for the work The wages Of which III.
hungry family needs-because he does
not belong 10 a union? What sort al
charity would that he which wOnh
refuse help 10 starving child unless
it was enrolled in some Sunday school
mission class.
Still another point to he learned by
com bihatiOns Vt labor is that they eau
not claim from the law the same re-
c0gnilion which it gives 10 employers
until they become equally responsible
hefurc the law. As it is now the EN-.
ployer can he compelled to make good
any violations of contract with his
employees. But il his employees, acting
through labor union, sign a contract
today and break ii, greatly to his Pc
cunisry injury tomorrow. he has nc
redress. This has recently happened
at Pittsburg, where several hundred
employees, after signing an agreement
TO work, broke their agreement with
out any lawful reason, leaving the
works idle. In such case the en-.
ployer has no remedy. The labor
union insists on being "recognized,'
and uses all lawful and even many
unlawful means To secure recognition
and vet has nothing of that RESPONSE
biliiy before the law upon which, only,
eau one business concern recognize
another. When the law c0npels labor
unions to become pecuniarily respon-
sible for their actions, some phases oil
the labor question will be settled
Employers will prefer 10 deal with o
responsible organization rather than
with individuals.
"How is it with y0u?" asked the
editor OF the subscriber who was ly-
| ing in arrears. "All Looks bright be-
| fire Ine' pasDed the subscriber. Il