Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-04-23
THE FIRST Time ON RECORD
An international Boycott Ordered
by the X, of /,
A San Francisco Box Firm Snubs the
knights Committee and Discharges
Union Men---wim Feel the
Might of Labor.

PHILADELPHIA, April 13.-The first
international boycott in the history of
any labor organization in the world
was issued today. 1t comes from the
general executive board of the Knights
OF Labor, and is addressed to 1.-THE
members of the order of knights OF
Labor in Australia, New Zealand and
along tho Pacific coast of the United
States of America" A brief circular
accompanying the official notice urges
that the work of boycotting should be
done thoroughly and in earnest and
that unity of action will of necessity
be crowned with complete success.
The boycott and address read as fol-
lows:
Brothers, Greeting: For the first time in
the history of the order you are called
upon TO do some specific and energetic
work in the interest of our brothers who
have been very unjustly dealt with by the
box manufacturing firm of Cnrrick, Will
Jams y Wright, of San Francisco.
"A dispute having occurred between the
firm and their employees, members of l.. A.
9,gSS, ~ committee from the local assembly
waited upon the firm, but failed of arriv.
ing at n settlement of tho difficulty. BE-
fore resorting to any harsh means the ag-
grieved workmen invited the friendly in
~tervention of the executive committee of
the Fedef ated Trades of the Pacific coast
but that able and conservative body met
with no better success. Your general
as .embly then took charge of the case and
cndeavored to effect u settlement, but the
firm refused to reinstate any of their dis
oh "a rOaI ,,,nn ,0hn hnA haan die VatSaal for
no other reason that they were members
OF n union. Argument proved to be OF no
avail, and VIC next sought to sec what
virtue there was in "a direct appeal to the
customers of the firm, calling attention TO
the manner in which our brothers had
been treated. We accordingly addressed
the following firms, asking them To inter
est themselves in behalf of the men, but
have failed to receive n response TO our
respectful letters" Here follow the names
of thirteen firms. dealers in produce, fish
and fruit packing, bi-carbonate of soda,
soap, candy and farinaceous goods.
"ln view of these facts you are urged to
call upon all grocers in your different To-
caliiies and inquire If they handle the
canned goods or other merchandise of any
of the firms named. If you find such to be
the case report the same TO your local Or
ganization and to this Office. / will then
issue a sufficient number of circulars To
thoroughly advertise such dealers in your
neighborhood. Especial care is asked to
ascertain the customers of Code, Elicit *
Co manufacturers of canned goods, who
sell in Australia and along the Pacific
slope, and whose sales nre so extensive as
to keep the works of Carrick, Williams &
Wright in constant employment
REPORTS have reached this Office that
one of the firms which we have named
have all their goods packed by Chinese. /
have written for more definite information
on this subject and for proof of the asser-
ton. If such proves to be the case the
firm shall have all the benefit which shall
accrue from the widest publicity to the
fact
Nov, brothers, Carrick, Williams &
Wright have an undoubted legal right to
dispense with the services of any of their
workmen who may desire to associate for
the purposes of mental improvement or
social enjoyment. Those TO whom that
firm sells their wares are conceded the
right to the utmost indifference TO the just
complaint of their fellow men, and, in re-
fusIug to reply to our respectful communi-
cations, they violate no law except that
which prevails among gentlemen. 1t
would be unreasonable TO attempt TO give
that law too great a scope or to demand
for 1t an allegiance which is not due. But
there is one power which we possess, and
that power Is an effective one. We need
not buy the boxes manufactured, nor con-
sumo the goods packed in such boxes, nor
deal with grocers or storekeepers who
handle such goods. The order of the
Knights of Labor and its allied societies
constitute Il very material portion of the
consumers of goods, and unity of action
in this respect will of necessity be
crowned with success"
The order is signed by General Sec
rotary Treasurer John W. Hayes, and
bears the seal of the executive board
of Ihn nndnr