The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-19

upon inserstate trs6ic = tte boycott.
would b illegal. We quote:
twill Be practically impossible thereafter for
body Of men 70 combine 70 hsnSsr and delay
the work Of the transportation c3apany with
out becoming obnoxious TO the Srovisions OF
these laws; and . combination or agreement OF
railroad officials or other repcesen tives of cap
ftal, With the same effect. viii be Equally under
the ban Of these penal ststutss /.
The reasoning Of Judge Spec. il that the
interstate commerce oct sas Resigned to
protect the public; that % fa;,as the pub
lie 10 concerned it is Of no practical conse-
quencs when traffic il interrupted whether
Il b BY . strike or . boyctys. Judge
Spesr holds that railroad emrSoyes under
existing Laws have no mora right to
combine and strike in such r!anner - to
force an interruption Of railsoad traffic
than railroad officials or representatives
have to combine for the sar:Y purpose.
The judge puts his eonclus:;sn ic these
words: !:
While. therefore, any sngineez..m as any
time exercise his right - IN individual TO leave
the service of the receiver. he rsfy not DO 20
In such manner - TO injure thss property or
Impede its proper management es;2hs receiver.
Judge Speer holds that the paramount
consideration in disputes between railway
companies and their employes:is that the
trains shall be kept in motions Both the
interstate commerce act and ~ antitrust
Law forbid combinations to impede the
movement Of persons and propssty. and oil
these Federal court decisions s;Sree In con.
strung them to apply to emptSyes - well
- employers. {;
This governmental right 10 regulate
through state and Federal ceprts the r.
istions between railroad corp kasions and
their employees rests upon ttA public or
quasi-public character Of the S5vice which
railroad companies undertake 30 perform
in return for the privileged conferred
upon them, such - the; right to
take the lands OF private property
for Q public purpose. The trailroad Is
q pubic highway, and any interference
with the complete freedom ofetraf3c on .
public highway 10 illegal. whetaaer Il Is per-
petrated by railroad corpor Zion which
refuses to take freight from connecting
line or by labor organization.w whose head
issues orders to prevent railrpad corpora
ton from taking this freigls:. The law
holds capital invested in this public high
way to rigid public responsibility for the
interruption of its public ust, and It also
holds employees to strict respchsibility for
such interruption.
In principle all these decisio&s agree that
neither labor nor capital can somhine TO
interfere with free traffic on bubble high.
way which q railroad is, and itldge Speer
evidently holds that the Who'll tsals refusal
Of railroad operatives to cischtrge public
duties BY . concerted and simultaneous
resignation from the service Ii the com.
pany 10 - Illegal - boycott. III it, pur-
pose and effect 10 the interruption Of free
trafac. Every man may lcavetais employ
ment. but caphot combine tos abuse this
freedom to the public injuir. This 10
nothing but the application the COM
mon law principles that 50 interfer-
sncs with trade can be- permitted
and that every man EXERCISING his
own rights and privileges must
injrrs no one else. No man i. obliged to
enter the service OF . commoIf carrier. but
while he 10 in that service hej must aid it
to discharge its legal obligations and he
cannot leave It In such Q way s. to prevent
the discharge Of Its legal Obligations to
maintain public trafnc free fr$m Interrupt
ton. The Law protects both sorkingmen
and employers. and its purposeiis to protect
the public from any wrong Wrought BY
either employe or employer. In the fol-
lowing extract from Judge Spetr's decision
tits pointed out that the SAME law which
forbids conspiracy BY workeSs TO restrict
freedom Of traffic to the injrl-y OF public
veal. equally restricts conf nations by
employers which have the sal Q result:
Organised labor. when injustice aas been done
or threatened TO It, membsrshi{. will ind Its
useful and valuable miss ION In presenting to
the courts Of the country . strors. and resoluts
protest and petition for redress issinst unlaw.
fui trusts and combinations Gh:h would do
unlawful wrong 70 It Its membership need
not doubt that their counsel will - heard. nor
that speedy and exact Justice vii Be admins.
tered wherever the courts have Jurisdiction. Il
will follow, therefore. that in alS such contro-
versiss IL will be competent, - vi have done In
this case for the courts to presesrs the present
rights OF the operatives. to spare en- hardship,
and at the same time to spare the ublic the uu.
merited hardship which it has. suffered from
such conflicts In the past