The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-17
Tho Law US to their Relations Laid
Down Yesterday
IN THE CHARGE TO THE GRAND JURY
ny Judge briggs, In tho Common
Pleas Court at st. Clairsvilie-Tho
Right Of Labor TO Combine, md
Where Il Ends-An Interesting Con.
s%truction of tho Law over tho River.

Win q largo numDcr oil ca9oa 10 investi.
gate. About l75 witnesses havo boon
subpGnaed, ovor ono.third Of which arc
Martins Ferry pcoplc, and tho greater
part Of these ure on tho numerous casos
Of lawlessness in Martins Forty tho
past four months. Tho charge OF Judge
briggs to tho jury was u lengthy ono,
and ho called their attention pnrticu.
larry to tho troubles in Martins Ferry.
He said:
I would be recrcaut to my duty II |
omitted to call your attention especially
to the cases which grow out oftho labor
troubles in tho city OF Martins Ferry.
It may DO conceded that employees
have tho right to organize into or Join u
labor union, which should take joint
action "a to their terms OF employment.
1t Is q benefit to them and to the public
that workingmen should unite in their
common interest aud for n lawful pur.
pose. They have labor to sell. II thcy
stand together, they are often able, all
Of them, to command better prices for
their labor than when dealing singly
with rich employees. because tho neces-
mites OF n single employo may compel
him to accept any terms offered him.
The accumulation OF q fund for the sup-
port OF those who feel that the wages
offered are below market prices is ono OF
the legitimate objects oil such an organ
~ization. Tho workingmcn have a right
to appoint officers who shall advise
them rs to tho course 10 be taken by
them in their relation with their en-.
ployes. They may also unite with
other unions. The officers whom they
appoint, or any other person to whom
they choose TO listen. may advise them
as to the proper COURSE to be taken in
regard to their employment, and ii they
choose 10 repose such authority in any
one, he may order them, on pain OF ex-
pulsion from their union, peaceably to
leave the employ OF their employer be-
cause any OF the terms OF their employ
ment are not satisfactory.
But on the other hand, every man, be
he capitalist, merchant. employer, or
professional man, Is entitled TO invest
his capital to carry on his busine,s, DO.
stow hi, labor or exercise his calling, II
within the law, according to his pleas.
ure. Generally speaking, il in the OK.
ercise OF such right by one, another
suffers loss, he has no remedy. Tho
employer has the right to- employ
whom he pleases il he can mako q satis-
factory agreement with the employed,
and the laborer has tho right to work
for whom he please,, and this right, OF
course, extends as well to the n%on.union
as to the union.
To interfere with the employer, or
tho employe. by force OF violence, be
he union or n%on-union. is q crime. All
crimes in this state are statutory. We
have no common law crimes, bu. only
such as are defined by statute. It is
not q crime for one or more persons to
peaceably, by persuasion and reason,
to induce another to quit his employ
mens. But it is q crime for one or moro
persons to threaten another in n
menacing manner. 4 mere threat is
not o crime, but it must be followed
either by q menace, an assault or an
assault aud battery to constitute q
crime.
II two or moro persons assemble to-
gether to do an unlawful act with force
and violence and make any preparation
or movement therefor, such persons
would be guilty of riot.
Or il two or more persons being u.s.
sembled do an unlawful act with force
and violence, these facts would consti.
tute a riot, but in such case there must
have been concerted action.
Or il one or More persons agree with
each other to do an unlawful act BY
force and violence, and make any prep.
aration or movements therefor, such
persons would BIO guilty of riot.
Now examine all the evidence and if
you find that anyone has assaulted an.
other. or has Threatened another in a
menacing manner, or il two or more
persons have assembled together to do
an unlawful act by force or violence,
or being assembled. done an unlawful
act with force and violence, or agree
with each other to do an unlawful act
by force and violence and make any
preparation or movement therefor, all
such persons should be indicted.
It ia highly important to the citizons
OF this county and its material interest
and fair mamc, that person and proper.
ty should BIO protected. and that every
person should have the right to sell his
labor to whom he pleases. and that
everv person should have the right to
employ any person with whom he can
make a satisfactory contract. Tho con.
verse OF this protection and right on
part OF laborer and employer, would
lead to anarchy and would be subver.
sive OF all law, and would substitute tho
law OF force for tho laws OF state.
This is 4 country Of law, and that law
8 sufficient to protect all in thoir legal
rights. and it is intended to redress all
wrongs BY peaceful methods. A resort
to force and violence to obtain redress
for real or fancied wrongs, cannot be
tolerated in a civilized community.
Almost every person sympathizes with
the workingmen in their peaceful and
lawful contest to better their condition
by compelling tho employers to pay
them better wages, but all order-loving
and peaceful citizens, who love their
country and respect hnr lava, and who
recognize them as their rule OF conduct,
and who have and fncl an interest in
tho matoria! prosperity OF our great
country, cannot but deplore tho fact
that force and violence arc used, or
attempted to DO used, by tho oxCitablc
and vicious to prevent citizens from on
joying their equal rights before tho law.
The use OF force by those w%orkingmon
who arc ondeavoring to secure better
wages, but returds tho accomplishment
Of tho ends sought by them, and results
in the withdrawal by many OF their
active sympathy, and thus is lost to tho
cause OF labor this powerful moral forcc
always potent in n country Of free in
situations.