Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-23
TWO or \ KIND.
Proposed Federal Law Against black
Listing ana HoS"ottinG.

washington IDSt.
Measures which directly affect the re-
lG,ions of labor and capital, aud especially
those intended to aiiay friction between
-hcsc great forces cs civilization are watched
Wi.h an interest commensurate with their
generally far-rcaChng purpose During thc
past hfteon or twenty years much OF The
legislation Of congress and the states has
been Of ,hil character. The hours of labor
have been materially reduced and the CON
attions under which work is performed in
factories miuCS, workshops and stores have
been greatly improved. The physical as
wCll as the moral health of Nagc-workers
has received ,he attention of lawmakers
and the courts. and the results are already
apparent in an increasing longevity and a
better understanding between employers
and employed, The correction of abuses has
not been confined 70 one side, al though most
of the Legislative victories in this connection
have been won by the labor interest ana
often at considerable cost to the opposing
interests.
One OF the abuses that has been greatly
repressed by the courts is the boycott. Il
is a foreign product, growing originally out
Of conditions nOn-cyistent in the United
States and has never found congenial
atmosphere in any part of this country
The courts have, in numerous instances,
stamped 1t as n conspiracy, and IL is now
rarely introduced in any conflicts. Black
listing is, If not twin brother, very near
kin to the boycott 4 bin introduced in the
house of representa- ives by Mr. LOrimer Of
Illinois proposes to put an end to this
practice so far ~ The federal authority
may ConstitutionalI% reach it, This measure
defines the act OF blGcllsting men who have
taken part in strikes as a conspiracy against
the United States. Ii eXcepts the case of
man who during a strike resorts to acts OF
violence. ana comedies the right of EN-
ployers of labor 70 agree wish each other not
90 employ sueb a man. But II makes a
clear and explicit assertion of the right of
every wage Garner to leave his work when
he pleases. alone or in the company of
others, and denies to the employers the
right to cOnspiEeg tCgether against him and
debar him from employment because of his
act.
There must necessarily be but a limited
field i'm which federal legislation can take
cognizance of trouble between employers
and their workmen. But the theory OF this
proposition is just. The strike is often the
worst possible means Of adjusting a
grievance. 1t is frequently the cause Of
incalculable loss and suffering TO those who
adopt It, and we are glad TO see that ii is
gradually being superseded by mutual con
cessions or arbitration But the right OF
man or woman to quit work when he or she
pleases must not be denied, and cOmbina-
ton of manufacturers, railroads or other
employers to prevent peaceful and orderly
striker from getting chance to earn his
living and support his family Is as opposed
to public policy as to common fairness,
We have no doubt that the extent to
which blacklisting Is practiced has been eN-
ageerated We deem II improbable THAI the
names OF large numbers OF orderly strikers
are on the blacklists of every railroad or
factory I'm the United States, But little
OF that sort OF thing goes long way, and
the country has no more hospitality for
1t than for the boycott Therefore, Mr.,