The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-15

TO threaten to quit. or actually "a quit
in order 10 procure or induce the
defendant companies 10 violate the iaw.
would constitute acts in furthersnce Of
the conspiracy. He admits that man has
the inas ienable right TO bestow his labor
whore he will and to withhold his labor
as he viii, bus subject to the provision
that when the Withholding Of his labor il
for the purpose Of inducing. procuring or
compelling his employer to commit an
unlawful act such Withholding Is itself
unlawful. Herein he finds the difference
between strike and boycott. The
original strike on the Ann Arbor road he
regards IS lawful, because for the lawful
purpose Of selling the labor of those en-
gagged in i: for the best price and on the
best terms. But. SO far ~ appears. the
employees Of the Lake Shore are not dis
satisfied. What they propose to do 10
TO deprive the Lake Shore company
Of the benefit accruing from thei. la
Dor unless that company viii consent
TO do criminal and unlawful injury to
the complainant. Neither law nor morals
can give man the right to labor or with
hold his labor for such purpose.
Judge Taft agrees with Judge Kicks that
the court of equity should not undertake
to compel q man to work against his will.
acting under rule Il would not be to COM
pei employees to remain in service against
their will. but to keep them from a wrong
full influence. The operation Of the rule il
unlawful ana might do irreparabIe injury.
and every step in its enforcement may be
enjoined, with the single exception Of re-
quiring enforced service from unwilling
employees.
Col. Walker concludes by saying that
the questions of legal right covered by the
decisions Of Judges Kicks. Taft. Speer and
Billings present nothing new. We quote:
1t has always been the legal obligation OF en-
ploycs to perform fully their contract Of service.
whether by the year, month or day. ana Of en-
psoyeys to pay compensation for the term agreed
upon; employees are legally responsible 70 EN-.
ployers for the results OF their negligent acts
and wilfNi omissions, and employers are in turn
responsible to them for the furnishing of safe
and sufficient machinery and working room;
cpso nfS huOySCk ~ tue IUte tuSt one y OWL pup
erfy Tor rights) must be 90 used that others be
not unnecessarily injured; and both are within
the law which condemns eonspirac.es ana CON-
binstions to oppress.
The only extension or enlargement perceptible
In the recent cases 10 in the use OF the msuda-
tory injunction for the enforcement: OF we'll
known rights and obligations
This use OF the writ Of Injunction will afford
SPECIFY and eAectuai solvent for many evils
which hitherto have been permitted to run their
course. II may at times operate In favor OF the
laboring ciasses a. well - against them. for the
lockout must be subject to like rules with the
strike. 1t will often prevent the necessity OF
military Intervention to suppress excuses aud
disorders. The law forbids boards of directors
OF railroad company from wantonly interfer-
ing with the rights OF connecting lines: this
principle Is now extended 10 employees and their
organizations; . corporation can oct only
through agents. and none of thu agents or en-
ployes are above the law.