Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-08-17
The Tyranny of Labor. "


from demagogues about the tyran-
ny of Capital. 1t is high time for
the pubic TO realize the tyranny
which Labor is establishing in this
country.
The new despotism is that of the
union or organized labor" A small
percentage of the men employed in
any industry form an association,
nOminally for mutual improvement
and benefit. This union proceeds to
lay down rules for the regulation
not only of its own mem bers, but of
all other laborers and of employers.
1t decides what the rate of wages
and the number of hours ought to
be, and serves notice upon all con-
cerned of its decision. 1t establishes
a code of rules to regulate the CON
duct of it's members and their rela
ton with their employers, and il per
mits no violation of this code. II
determines what shall constitute Fl
deity, industry and proper subordi-
nation on the part OF an employee,
and it will allow no member to be
discharged for unfaithfulness, lazi-
ness or insubordination unless the
union holds him to be guilty. It as
serts monopoly of the labor market,
and viii allow no man who does not
belong to the uuion to do a Job Of
work if the union has thrown 1t no.
1t resorts to boycotting, abuse. VIC
lence and even murder in order to as
sert its power.
The slave holders of The South in
arti-brllum days enforced his rule
through an oyerseer. The place of
the Overseer in this new form of serv-
itude is taken by "the walking dele
gate" The walking delegate is a
man who receives four or five dollars
a day for doing nothing except make
trouble between the employer and
his employees. As lie must make
some pretext of earning his pay, he
never means to allow a long time to
elapse without making some trouble.
The Herald of this morning gives
this picture of the walking delegate,
rs drawn by the Secretary of the
Board of such delegates, yesterday:
They are only common, everyday
workingmen, and their careers have
consisted in handling their tools of
trade. Each delegate is boss of his
Own, men until meeting night, and
then all hands ars liable to lump on
him and make him very tired. Be-
tween meetings his word is law. He
can order any man under him to
strike at any time, and the latter
must obey without question. The
walking delegate goes around from
building to building in course of con
struction, and if his eagle eye sees
anything going wrong - non union
men at work for instance - or boy
cotted'material he applies the thumb
screws at once.
The intolerable nature of this tyr
amy has never been made SO clear
as this summer The case of the
Grand Central Hotel on Broadway is
typical oDe which deserves careful
attention. lilly Haynes, a Boston
hotel keeper some time ago, leased
the Grand Central aud came to this
city to expend 100000 in the work
of renovation, of which fully three
fourths was to go for labor. He
made terms with his men which were
mutually satisfactory. Work, how
ever had hardly been begun when
the walking delegate appeared and
demanded that the men should work
only eight hours day, instead of
nine. Dir. Haynes seeded Aweek
later the walking delegate came
around again and said that some of
the carpenters were working for S3.-
25 per day and that they must be
paid So so. This demand also was
yielded to. A few days later the
delegate informed Mr.. Haynes that
he had two stair builders from Bos
ton, and that, although these men
were union men, they could not work
unless they had their union tickets
changed. and paid the fee for work
ing in this city. This trouble was
settled by the return of the offenders
to Boston.
The next instant is told as follows:
While the men were at work the
walking delegates entered the build
ing and walked about through it at
their pleasure, taking down the
workingmen's names and asking if
they belonged to the union. One of
the carpenters replied: "None of
your business" The next day the
delegate met the men when they
came to work, aud told them strike
had been ordered. Some of the men