The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-04-14
rHE boycott IS A CONSPIRACY.

THE BOYCOTT is A CONSPIRACY.
The decision of the United States Cir
cult Court Monday in relation to the re-
fusal of certain engineers on the Lake
Shore road to handle Ann ArbOr freight
will command general public attention
Briefly summarized, says the New York
Press, it is that if the members of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
combine in a refusal to haul freight their
action constitutes q criminal conspiracy
This decision was rendered by both
Judge Kicks and Judge Taft 1t cannot
be considered absolutely final, for the
Brotherhood has appealed the case.
Combinations of labor for mutual ben
eft and protection have been productive
of great good. They have had an i'm
portant effect in the maintenance of wa
ges, in shortening the hours of labor and
in promoting the general welfare of the
working man. So far as they are en-
ployed for these laudable purposes labor
organizations have had and will continue
to have the cordial support of the pub
lie. The American people honor indus
try and esteem the man who tolls. 1t is
one of the proudest glories of the Amer
lean Republic that its wage eaTneTs are
the most intelligent, prosperous and in
NDOnIChb IN bAO hOAlhs OhNASA bAAS
shield of protection, American ingenuity
and industry have reached a stage of de
velOpment hitherto unknown in history.
In European countries the laborer is q
serf. Here he is a sovereign. The Con-
stitution of the United States has put
into his hands the mightiest instrument
in existence for the redressing of wrongs.
The ballot is an unfailing remedy, if it
is used Alright, for governmental and in
dustrial abuses. 1t is hundredfold
more effective than strikes or boycotts.
The American people are DESTROYS that
every workingman should have his
rights. But the public, conscious that
the labOrer through his possession of the
ballot has the power to shape the laws
under which he lives, will not tolerate
uniustifiable attempts on the part of la
Dor organizations to gain their ends by
force The denial by the strikers Of the
right of others to do the work they them
selves refuse to do, and the practice of
abandoning trains on main tracks or sid
ings between terminal stations, thus i'm
periling life and endangering property in
transit, are justly condemned by public
opinion as indefensible invasions of both
private and public rights.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive EDgi-
neers under the leadership of Chief Engi-
neer Arthur has won an honorable repu-
tation as fair and conservative organi-
ization of labor Chief Arthur recently
declared that the rule that railway en-
ployees should not quit work without
giving due notice would work no injus-
tice if the railway companies were also
forbidden to discharge their men without
due notice. This statement of the case
is one that appeals forcibly to the Ameri-
can love of fair play and equal rights.
Combinations of wOrkingmen for mutual
benefit will continue to exist. The pres
ent litigation will, it is hoped, result in
defining clearly the legal limits of the
power of such organizations. This is a
point which the general public and or
ganized labor should be equally anxious
TO see established.