The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-31
THE RIGHT or LABOR.
Great Mass of the Members OF the Labor
Unions Reputabie Workmen.

Unions Reputable Workmen.
Last Wednesday Recorder Smith sen
fenced Charles Reilly to imprisonment for
life. Reilly was O striking 'longshoreman,
and in June Of last year ne dubbed to death
James Kelly, q non-union man, who had
applied for work IN an establishment where
"A strike was going on. The jury were 50 FAR
lenient TO the murderer that they let him OF
with conviction Of murder IN the second
degree. though, as Recorder Smith said IN
passing sentence they would have been
justified in bringing him in guilty OF the
first degree of the crime and booming him
to death.
On Wednesday,. also, Stephen White, a
truck driver. who had been out Of work for
six weeks and whose sick wife and baby
were suffering for the necessities OF life,
applied for employment at brick-yard
where a strike was IN progress. AT the cor
ner of Avenue c and east Fourteenth street,
not far from the yard he was hit on the
head With a bFick thrown by striker, and
yesterday he died in consequence.
Ii appears. then. that the Jury were mer-
clfui but that the strikers showed no mercy.
The Jury spared the life of the numbering
STRIKER. bat the strikers promptly killed the
poor Iaen who tried 10 earn their living.
They thus proclaimed that 1t 10 an otense
punishable with death by mob law for any
man TO take a job which union man throws
up. If they will not accept the price offer
ed themselves nobody else shall take It, no
matter how willing he is to work for the
wages or how great may be his need OF the
employment. "a,
The great mass Of the members OF the
labor unions are reputable workingmen.
They are orderly and conscientious men,
humane and civilized. They are not Co
manche Indians. thugs and pirates. They
have been brought up IN the Christian re-
ligion, and they have been taught to obey the
Commandments. Yet great strikes ordered
by the unions never take place without the
occurrence of these outrageous assaults.
Instead 81 being met fairly the competition
of labor is attacked with physical violence
in order that 1t may be frightened OIL. The
rules OF the unions are enforced against
those who never gave in their submission to
them and not merely IN the cases OF the
members of the unions. il the unions re-
fuse the terms offered as they have the
right 10 do. they also set out TO prevent all
outsiders from accepting them; and savage
men among their membership 90 so far as
10 use personal violence, and even COM
NIT murder 10 accomplish their end.
That will never do in civilized society. 10
IL a method which belongs TO saYGRery and
not to civilization. Unless the unions
themselves rise up and prevent such out,
RACES on personal liberty thew are bound
to 90 to pieces. They cannot exist as per-
manent organizations Of labor, If they are are
not orderly. peaceful, rational and useful
10 labor. If they are cruel despotlsm'
dangerous 10 laborers, their end is near,
They will be blown TO atoms by explosive
forces working from inside, and crushed pY
outside forces fighting for selt-pfeserVaIlon'
The right of every man to labor ana 20
selI bis labor AZ his own price. cannot be
interfered with. 1t IS inherent and lnalenT
able.-Hew York Sun.