The Indianapolis journal., 1893-07-30
SENATOR DAVID b. HILL.

He Talks to Hop Growers, but IL q Great
Dodger of the Silver Question.
UTICA. N. Y. July Ex-senator David B.
Hill delivered an address to-day at Sylvan
Beach. before tho Hop-growers' Associa-
tion. His subject was Personal Liberty"
and in part he spoke thus:
I'm the realm of labor and in the domain
of industry, the principle involved In per-
sonsl liberty cannot be too frequently as
serted. The fact cannot be too strongly
emph aslzed that every mans labor Is
his own, and that he can do with
it as he plesses. He has a personal
right to name his own wages, his own
hours. his own duties. ana all the other
terms under which he Is willing to Do em.
ployed, and if they are satisfactory TO the
one who hires an agreement is reached aud
there 10 an end oil tbs controversy between
them. The contract Is . personal matter
with which no other workingman or en-
ployer has right TO interfere. 1t is bar
gain between two competent contracting
parties and it is nobody's business but tneir
own. They are free from the restrictions
of Any other employer or emOioye aud
are not gu nbject to the control or dlctatlon
of any association or organization to which
they do not belong, and to which they do
not owe any allegiance. These considera-
tions of the relative n ghts of individuals en-.
gagged In labor pursuits. about which there
ought not to be any dispute among we'll
informed men, d. not conflict with OblIga-
tions which workinRmen assume when
they voluntarily join labor or
gaDizatiOns. except In the matter
of person al honor. which may be involved
and which Hay require submission TO the
conclusions Of a majority. The legal rights
of such individuals unquestionabiy remain
the same. irrespective of the question OF
such membership. They always must be
deemed TO reserve the abstract legal right
of repudiRtiDg such mem bership whenever
they go prefer. their Withdrawal only Oc-
casiOniDG such MINOR fOrfeltures as reason
able by.laws might int1ict. They cannot
be compelled to act against their Will.
Their personal rights cannot be jeopar-
died.
I'm that view / fail to appreciate the
anxiety OF q certain learned jurist OF
another State who. III n recent address,
seemed to apprehend serious danger TO the
occasIoned by the manifestations of power
and alleged defiance of authority on the
part OF certain labor organizations In the
the ,sis citadel oou0t,v of personal more Liberty y
danger of being undermined by the
ill-cOnsidercd opinions OF sOmo OF its
judges straining doubtful points. and in
vOking qui bbles in favor of corporate pow
er. and creating legal fictions to cripple the
great odds TO assert it's dignity, :han from
all the arbitrary demonstrations that were
ever made by workin1men."
Speaking OF the tendencies OF times"
MIR. Hill said: The mercantile exchanges
in our great cities are clamoring for relief
from laws which restrict their business in
accordance with old.fashioned plans and
notions: and they are seeking tOhave their
contracts rendered as free as the air We
breathe. The whole cOnntyy ia at last
awak kening to the improperly of making our
money metals matter of merchandise by
the government itself and are hoping tn at
q patriotic Congress soon to convene will
faithfully respond with pr0mptitude to the
demands Of public sentiment In that re-
gard. 1t ls not to he inferred that all the
efforts TO which | refer to relieve business
from existing legal and other restraints are
to he regarded as commendabe, or can be
accepted without serious question. Those
W no demand that money shall be tree. til a &
usrry laws shall be abolished, and the
charge for the use of money shall be mat
ter OF contract between the borrower and
the lender, can hardly expect n ready 40.
q uiescence in their prOposition"