Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-11-14
INDUSTRIAL SLAVERY.


ThortOn's Monitor of ST. Louis.
prints the following iron clad contract
used by the Hamilton Brown shoe com
pany of that city:
"All people entering our employ are
requested and compelled to sign this
agreement:
/. That l leave in the hands of said
firm the sum of $50, the same to be-
paid IN miscellaneous of 81 week from
my earnings until the $50 is paid.
2. Thai will not quit the employ of
said firm before giving two weeks no
tice in writing.
g. That 1 will not take part in any
strike, will not join am labor unions of
any description. aud will try and keep
all those whom may think or know to
be union wolkmen out of the employ of
said firm; and if 1 fail to live up to this
agreement will forfeit said money de-
posted. To all this L do most solemn
ly promise and VOW.
[Signed --"
Referring to the above, the Dedham
Mass Transcript says:
The old fashioned slave pens have
been torn down, and with them went
the care and responsibility attached To
ownership. The present method OF
simply controlling labor by political
strategy, and turning the laborer out
TO starve or freeze TO death when you
get through with him. is a great i'm
proyement, and some of the employers
have got the idea down fine, as the
iron clad contract of the Hamilton
Brown shoe company will show"
The Railroad Telegraph says:
The iron clad contract is illegal in
many states. Organized labor would
be wise to appeal to the courts.
when workman is denied ELL
plOyment because he refuses to sign
away his individual liberty, his union
should secure his affidavit and those OF
others, and place the matter ID cOurl
of justice
The above contract is Il greater biol
on our boosted civilization than wa.
slavery which Lincoln condemned anC
abolished.
The ludicrOus part of the Telegraph
co nment comes in when il says labu
would be wise to appeal TO the courts
In the first place labor is so oppressed
by capital that it is almost impossible,
To resist anything that capital may de
mand. In the second place the bencl
Is composed Of corporation lawJ ers ant
capitalists and under these circum
stances the labOrer realizes full wei
chat is is time and money spent in vail
To appeal to the courts" In times
past organized labor has tried this 50
called remedial course but almost in
yariably emerged from the imbrOglI,
of modern justice ~ disrupted an,
Dlundered people. 1t sounds nice AL,
| pleasant at first to advise the labOrer
to appeal to the courts but past exper
renee don't warrant the most gratlf,
ing results should the organization
plunge into such proceeding. VIVA
is really needed is purificatiou in tn
-ntlre body polite, and nothing shOr
If radical change in public affairs ant
public officials will save the masst
from hopeless degradation b, thi
W. do not mean a change from on
corrupt political machine to anOth-
which IS only different in name. but
change which will put into powe
statesmen instead of demag"gues an
salaried corporation lawyers. w
want public servants whose hearts al
with the American people and who ar
not biased TO any special class. Ou
judicial system is the most cOrrup
Vaccination that the nation is contend
ing with and so long as this exists it
folly for the labOrer to appeal to tn,
courts for the correction of sucn out
RACES as the Hamilton. Brown sho
company and other similar monopc
lies have inflicted.
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