The herald., 1896-08-17
Otis and Labor

Editor Herald: AS one who earns his
bread by the sweat of his brow, and as
one who has at heart the interests OF the
class to which he belongs, the criticisms
contained of late in The Herald relative
to the character of H. G. Otis of the
Times and of his attitude toward or
ganized labor have been Of deep interest
to me.
The Importance of the discussion, to
my mind, Hinges entirely upon the pre-
posterous attitude of Otis in his reported
political aspirations. In his present ca
pacity of private citizen, merely iden-
titled with a virulent and discredited
newspaper, he is harmless and insignih-
cant; but as one selected from the body
of our citizenship as the recipient of ma
tional or even state or local distinction,
this odious individual becomes public
offense. AS the case stands now, Otis
may continue to sneak behind contempt
uous innuendos or seek shelter in cow
ardly personal or professional assaults
without harm, since the limited home
circulation of his paper reaches only
those who, here at home, know his favor
ite methods and receive them only for
what they are worth. Whatever he may
now say Is rightly set down to the ac-
count Of vituperation and calumny. an1
whomsoever may be assaulted by him is
thereby rather helped than hindered in
the community. But the prestige which
political favor would lend to man Of
Otis stamp would render his discredit-
able methods apparently preferable to
the decency required of citizenship in
general. and would place premium up
on intolerant autocracy and hatred of
working men and women in particular.
The essential things for which this man
stands in this community are denuncia
tion of aspiring and selfrespecting la
Dor, and for personal and professional
abuse.
But the monstrous insult to the we'll
behaved and self-respecting citizenship
of this city which the political prefer
ment of H. G. Otis would imply is re-
Election upon Southern California, In
which all clean citizens, and especially
all wage-earners, are deeply Interested.
In the name of their wives and families.
in the name Of their employers, in the
name of decency and in fear of right
eous judgment. it is their solemn duty
to raise the hand of vigorous protest
against such public insult and to do eI.-
erything in their power to prevent it.
And this protest becomes all the more
imperative because Of the thoroughly
known position Of the man, both as TO
methods and motives. AS citizens, all
self-respecting men should unite to pre-
vent the selection for favor of one in
their midst who Is known to stand for
indecency and intolerance, and who
would, If favored reflect only disfaVor
and humiliation upon us all. Exalted to y
place of distinction, Otis would only us.
his official position, as he does his pres
Cnt obscurity, to vilify his opponents
bully all that he could, and arrogate 20
himself dictation in local politics. OF
course, his reign would be brief. for his
transsressons would soon reveal his in
efficiency and insolent character; but
by that time he would have been given
opportunity to cover the fair name of the
state with opprobrium and of this city
with disgrace. The evil that he might do
is incalculable, particularly as his nom
nation would imply that he is represen-
tatfYc of the best class Of our citizens.
In particular there Is. perhaps, no
class of the community SO deeply inter-
ested III the just obscurity Of FL G. Otis
as my own. The laboring man has been
the especial object of vituperation at
his hands for many years. His deeply
arrogant nature rebels at anything like
dictation, or which indicates personal
freedom upon the part of any one as
sociated with him. His whole course as
an employer of labor has been thai of an
intolerant tyrant, degrading his help to
Serfdom and dependence, paying small
salaries and debating to it the course
which ii s~ould pursue in its private
capacity. AS an employer of labor he
has been at war with organized labor
for many years and has used the col
Cmns of his paper, coupled with a pen
dipped in venom, to heap odium upon
such organizations. He has ascribed
TO such organizations only base motives,
has found in them only means for the
promotion of anarchistic views, and has
denied the right of their existence as at
present constituted. In his unjust crit
icisms he has denounced labor councils
as only hot beds Of dissension, and their
members as plotters against the peace
and good order of society He has dealt
with them as an employer of labor in an
unfair and dishonorable manner not
hesitating to violate obligations I'M erred