The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-15
Logical Conclusions Deducted Fro


Logical Conclusions Deducted From
1t.
To the Editor
Inc logical conclusion flowing from the
recent strike was a resort to the doctrine
OF self defense is the application of the
ballot to remedy the wrongs which caused
H. and to know whether or not this is
'he correct conclusion, the major and
minor premise must be found from the
Iacts and circumstances which have hap
pened and TRANSFERRED
Inc doctrine of self defense embraces
the right to repel force by force. and if
the adverse force is not apparent but Sc
cret, such as a conspiracy of managers and
idi-roaoS TO assist and protect the cause
OF causes which provoked the strike that
uoctrhe extends to the punishment of the
person Oh corporation which personifies
that cause and directed it, and that means
me destruction or abrogation of the means
Ut 'hstrumentalities which that personified
cause wellded-namely, the destruction of
the Pullman corporation.
II 1t is true that the courts combined by
subservient judges and grand iuries to
prohibit and punish men from exercising
the right to quit work and to peaceably
induce others to do the same. then the
strihefs nave no remedy or redress but to
resor5 to self defense and self preserva
ton.
III 1t is true that the railroads and other
olporate influences secretly otherwise
assisted and conspired with the Pullman
company for the same purpose and to nro
cure the action Of the courts in the unlaW-
lul act in subverting the rights of the
strlkers to quit and persuade others to
90 the same, then these agencies are ac
complies of depriving the men of their
rlsht and as the men cannot appeal to the
courts 10 sustain their institutional right
10 strike, it logically follows that the5,
must resort to self defense
If these two facts are true and if is as
sumed that such cannot now be doubted
then the rule of self defense should have
peen applied to the removal of the cause
winch produced this resistance and subyer-
SION OF TINS right which means the removal
VI destruction of the Pullman CORPORATION
py any means within the power of the
men, because to obtain logical remedy
me cause which required the remedy
should be abrogated in which case the
allies OF this cause. will then disentegrate
ana VIII not become independent cause
Tor Tear of the same remedy
Inc rule of law and of right applicable
10 the condition of labor and capital which
then and now exists is that both have the
poses, and that labor has the right to work
or quit work whenever the laborer. indi-
Vluually or collectively, desires to do so
The principle is self evident that a man
mas the right to work quit work when
ever ne pleaSes and if he has violated any
contract in quitting work when he should
not have done so, he is only amenable to
the civil law in an action for damages for
lhe preach OF his contract. This right is
guaranteed to every man by the constitu-
tlonal provision of the inviolability of con-
tracts, and it makes no difference if the
quitting work stops the interstate com
merce law or the law for the transporta-
tlon OF mails, or any other law. 1t is a
constitutional right, and no law can inter
fere with it,
The same rule applies when a man be-
longs to an organization, because the or
ganization, or, as it We're, the aggregation
is only the individual voice of each member
consolidated. This, then, is the doctrine of
force to maintain right and prevent the
subversion of that right when there ex-
lists no legal means to protect and enforce
it. If right is ignored by the constitu-
ted authorities erected to protect that
rlght, there is no remedy but self-defense
and self-preservation which is identically
the principle that caused the American
revolution. The men cid not carry their
cause to the logical conclusion because of
the alleged public sentiment which was
well known to have come from the same
quarters which caused the corporate infiu-
ences to produce the strike, and on the
other hand, had this matter been driven to
its logical conclusion and acted upon, the
men would have had little to fear from
this corporate influence for some years to
come.
THE REMEDY.
The remedy now is, to send trusty and
intellectual men to the legislatures to enact
laws regulating and limiting the powers of
corporations The immediate and effective
remedy is a law for compulsory arbitration
and law requiring skilled labor for skilled
work. The first should be framed to come
within the constitutional principles govern
ing the redress of wrongs, and controlling
the judiciary, and the language should be
SO juridically precise that the court cannot
render it's operation abortive, because the
judiciary is generally controlled by the
moneyed power.
The law requiring certain skilled qualif-
cations to perform skilled labor, and an
examination by board directly from the
people comes within the right to regulate
the safety for travel, is now done with
respect to engineers and locomotive boilers
By having a skilled standard for each
class, conductors, engineers, brakemen,
firemen and switchmen, and a voice in
making that standard and the board
which directs the execution of the law the
men can have a voice in or control the
source of supply from whence the railroads
and it is not known that they ever struck
for an unjust cause. The men who are in
the business at the time of the enactment
of the law would not be disturbed be-
cause this would infringe on the doctrine
of vested rights. The places of those who
would strike could not be filled without an
examination of the qualifications required
and this would take considerable time In
deed, if such law were properly framed
the place of striker could not be filled
without having had the same knowledge
and experience of the particular road which
the striker had, and this would limit the
filling of such places by promotion and
apprenticeship. For instance, if the law
prescribed that an engineer to be compe-
tent to run on a certain division must
not only know how to handle an engine
but must konw the topography of that
division, and all the branches, switches
stations, crossings and time tables, etc,
then when that engineer struck, it would
be very difficult to fill his place The
same principle applies to all the classes,
and the principle which governs the enact
ment of such law is that for the to
protect themselves they must limit
troll the source or means by which their
places may be supplied. This would limit
the railroads power to substitute in case
of strike, and the men would have but
two points to watch, namely, the loyalty