The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-21
THE TIMES POSITION VERSUS a
BOYCOTT.

The Evening Star, of this city, mas not
mot the issue which it fixed upon Inc
Times with that directness ana frank
NESS with which we had been disposeu
To credit II. Ii first charged that In the
15osition The Times had taken in respect
10 The United Press, the Western Asso-
ciated Press and The Times employees
The Times was engaged in a boycott. We
nj once stated all the facts connected
with the matter, suppOsing That would
end all discussion of 1t. The star re-
turned 10 the attack however and SAID
that our statement did not relieve US
from the charge. We then asked the
Star to define what il meant, ana tell US
whether il was the Western Associated
Press that ii thought we were boycottinS
or our own employees. 1t replied, our own
employees We asked 1t then to state the
grounds on which it supposed our course
10 cur own employees amounted 10 BOY
colt of them; or. rather We said we couId
not discuss such an allegation until we
knew upon what grounds it could possibly
be made. and that article which was
substantially request that those grounds
should be stated if the charge was ad-
hered to. remained from Friday, December
14th. 10 Wednesday, the 18th. without an
answer. On Wednesday, the 18th, now
ever the Star had the following:
The Times earnestly protests against
the charge of engaging in boycotung Our
morning contemporary would CONFER
great favor upon the working people on
Richmond If ii will point out wherein the
difference lies between its course toward
the Associated Press and those having
dealings with II and that pursued by
the Pullman strikers toward the rallroads
harding the Pullman cars.
This would seem to be an abandonment
OF it's former position that The Times
boycott Is of its own employees only, and
a new charge that it is boycotting both
its employees and the Western Associated
Press. but the Star has not yet stated the
grounds on which 1t thinks The Times
boycott of either or both rests. In view,
then, o: our persistent request that the
Star will state the grounds upon which
1t supposes our alleged boycott TO rest, and
its neglect 10 state them, it cannot be
surprised If our opinion of Its
frankness undergoes very decided
change, nor can it be surprised IL we
entirely ignore it's charges in this behalf
in the future. But we will tell the star
wherein our course towards the Asso-
ciaied Press and cur own employees diff
fers from that of the Pullman strikers
toward the railroads handling the Pull
man cars.
The Times Is a part OF the United
Press Association and that association
is engaged In a death grapple with the
Western Associated Press for which one
Is TO control the news of the southern
States The Times refuses TO aid its
competitor in that struggle: il gives all
the aid II can to its own association. and
II forbids its employees to aid its compeu-
tor. This prohibition on its employees is
no more than a demand that they shall
choose between the service of The Times
and its competitor. The Times has no
disposition to abridge their right OF choice
~ any manner whatever. IL leaves them
entirely unembarrassed 10 take service
with the one they prefer TO serve but
II Insists that they must serve one or the
other. IL denies their right TO serve both
at the same time. That is all The Times
does towards either the Associated Press
or it's employees. We do not understand
the Star TO limit the expression pullman
strikers" TO the employees OF the Pullman
Palace Car Company We understand IL
TO refer 10 all the strikers who engaged
In last summers proceedings
Now, we have no objection whatever
to the Pullman employees stopping work
for the Pullman Company when Z suited
them TO stop work. and we have no OBJ
lection 10 We employees OF the railroads
quitting work when II suited them to
quit work. What we object 10 was the
strikers attempting by force TO interfere
with the railroads running their trains
with other hands that they employed In
the place OF the strikers. There Is the
point OF difference between what The
Times Is doing and what the strikers at
Chicago did. The Times refuses TO have
anything 10 do with the Western Asso-
ciated Press. which is the same thing as
for Puilman's employees TO strike or re-
fuse longer to work for Pullman. and as
for the employees of the railroads TO re-
fuse 10 work longer for the railroads. Up
10 that point the action Of the strikers
and the action OF The Times Is Identical.
f,ut The Times leaves the Western Asso-
clated Press to employ other agencies. and
al ~ the service from them that Il