Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-07-21
WON BY THE TRUST
Supreme Court Decision on an
Important Question.
LUMBER COMBINE DECLARED SOLID.

And in Certain limits All Other Coali-
tions. Both of Capital and Labor, De-
cided To BE the Proper Thing In This
Age of observation-disclosures Left
for the Future to Determine-General
Rule Laid Down
ST. PAUL, July 2l.-The' fight which has
been going on for a year past between lum-
bermen and the Northwestern Lumber
mems association has ended in complete
victory for the latte. The decision in eff
fec gives the association power to raise or
lower prizes at will, and to crush individ-
ual competition. 4 year ago the Bohn
Manufacturing company, of st. Paul, got
tired Of what it termed the "cxactions'' of
the association, and began selling lumber
as it pleased Secretary Hollis, of the asso-
citation, notified the members, according to
the bylaws, that the Bohn company had
violated the rules by selling directly to
contractors and consumers in towns whe e
members of the association were doing
business, and had afterwards failed to pay
over to he association 10 per cent. of these
sales as required by the rules.
Lays Down a General Rule.
In the district court Judge Cornish de-
cided in favor of the Bohn company. The
supreme court has reversed that decision,
holding that any man unless undcc con-
tract obligation, or unless his employment
charges him with some public duty, has a
right to refuse to work for or deal with
any man or class of men he sees fit and
this right which one man may exercise
singlv any number of men may exercise
Jointly. The sending ont of the notices re-
ferred 10 by Hollis i held not actionable
and as affordinC no ground for an injunc-
ton.
An Age of Associations"
In his opinion Judge Mitchell reviews
the history of the case and then says that
it presents one phase of n subject which is
likely to be one of the most important
and difficult which will confront the
courts during the next quarter of a cent
ury. This is the age of associations and
labor unions continues the court "Con-
fined to their proper limits they are not
only lawful but laudable; carried beyond
these limits they are liable to become
dangerous agencies for wrong and OPP
preston.
\ Tough Problem to Solve.
Beyond what limits these combinations
cannot go without interfering with the
legal rights of others is the problem which
the courts will doubtless be frequently
called to pass upon. But whatever doubts
! or difficulties may arise in other cases
( presenting other phases of the general
! subject involved here, it seems to US that
| there can be none on the facts of the pres
! ent case.
The Principle of the Decision.
! There was NO element of fraud. coert ion
/ or intimidation either toward plaintiff or
| members of the association. Itwas entire
/ " optional with the plaintiff whether it
! would pay or not. If it valued the trade
! of the members Of the association higher
/ than that of the non-dealers at the same
/ points it would probably conclude to pay:
! otherwise not. 1t cannot be claimed that
/ the act of making :his demand was action
! able. much less that it constituted d
! ground for an injunction
Hence this matter NAV be laid entirely
| ut of view Nor was there any coercion
/ brought to bear on the members of the
| association. 1t was matter Of their OWE
free choice whether they preferred to dca
with plaintiff or remain in the associa
! tipr -