The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-29


protect the roads from the sudden crea-
ton of situation that makes it impos-
sibIe for them to execute their obligations
to the public as continuous common car
riers.
A sudden general strike Of employees, or
the sudden abandonment OF their posts by
a considerable body of employees does Gre
ate situation which makes 1t practically
impossible for the railroads to execute
their legal obligations to safely and without
interruption carry passengers and freight
This is the argument upon which the po-
sition of the judges rests. and it is q singu-
lar fact that both the lawyers and many
of the leaders of the workingmen sustain
this reasonable contention. for under
it not only is the railroad employe
held to the obligation of giving due
notice before quitting the service OF the
road, but the corporation itself is put
under like obligations in relation to the
workman. There is really nothing de-
structive of freeman's rights in this con-
tention of these judges; they do not deny
the right of a worker to stop work when
he pleases, but they simply say that in
stopping work he is not free to destroy
the property Of others or to rob the
general public of facilities that are in
dispensabIe not only to its comfort. but its
general safety and welfare.
An individual has q right to stop work
when he sees fit, but whole body OF work
men have no right to suddenly stop work.
when by 30 doing they stop all the wheels
of public life and business. In New
York city there is large body Of paid fire.
men. 1t would be no great hardship if an
ind ividual fireman suddenly threw up his
job, but suppose any considerable body OF
these trained fremen suddenly and with
out warning refused to work. The
consequences to great city would be very
serious. So with persons in charge Of the
gas and water works of a great city; sud-
den refusal to work and desertion of their
posts would be fraught with disastrous
public consequences and would be griev-
Gus public wrong.
The contention of these judges rests on
the sound principle that while every man
is free in al individual sense he has no
right to use his freedom against the COM
mon veal, the comfort, convenience and
safety of society. No man, because he is
free to do what he likes with his own, has
any right to use his freedom to rob others
of their freedom. their property, their time
or their labor. When a man enters . ser
vice of general public necessity he has .
right to leave that service for another,
but he has no right to suddenly
leave service of general public necessity,
like a railway, for the express purpose of
coercing society by the suffering he is able
to infict into yielding to any demand he
may make. A brakeman, a switchman or
an engineer occupies peculiar position,
and when he accepts it he has no business
to abuse it by suddenly leaving it for the
express purpose of placing society under
the duress of general distress to grant his
demands. Here is a case in point, cited by
the New York Tribune:
At Q railroad station in Ohio 800 men are en-.
ployed in working up material which comes
over Michigan railroad. On their labor de-
ponds the livelihood OF 800 families IL they are
deprived Of opportunity to earn wages. suffer
ing and possibly starvation may come to hum
dreds OF women and children. A railroad worker
in Michigan, II he cons pires with others to pre-.
vent the shipment Of the necessary materials to
these 300 workers In Ohio. infiicts upon them
wrong which be has no right to indict for his
personal gain. He is free to quit work. But he
is not free to Quit under such circumstances
that hundreds of wives and children will DO de-
prived OF their Subsistence.
If the United States supreme court sus-
tains the reasonable contention Of Judges
Taft and Kicks it will put an end to the
sudden strike or the boycott to enforce the
claims of the employe. and many of the
labor leaders are pleased at this prospect.
Powderly. of the Knights of Labor, who
is . socialist, rejoices over the situation.
1t will teach the Brotherhood men, he
says, that "trades unionism can give them
no protection, and that their only hope is
to join the socialists and populists in
bringing railroads into control Of the gov.
eminent" Alexander Jonas, the leader
of the socialist labor party in New York,
feels the same way and says that the action
of the judges twill break down the old pure
and simple trades unionism, and will force
the unions to independent political ac-
ton" DR.. l.. r. Tuckerman. of Cleveland.
leader in the organizations there, openly
defends the ruling of the judges, and con-
cludes that it "will teach the railroad men
that the only redress they have Is to nut
the railroads Of this country under the
control of the government, where they
belong"
Railroad strikes have been disastrous
affairs to the strikers generally, and it
would be a good thing for labor if they
were stopped altogether. Gen. Wager
Swayne. famous New York lawyer. saws
that the difficulties would be- overcome
largely by requiring employment in such
quasi-public service 10 be made on time
contracts. This would serve to protect
both men and the corporations and public.
No one could then be compelled to work a
minute against his will but action for
damages would lie against either party in
case the contract were broken.''
Ii is subject for public congra,ulation
that these points raised by the Federal
judges are sure to be passed upon by the
United States supreme court before many
months. 1t is not pleasant thing 70 con.
template this possibility OF the whole
business of the country being disastrouslv
interrupted TO the discomfort and danger
of the travelling public because of a large
railway strike and boycott ordered over a
petty difference in WAGES hstyasn s,,,.r