Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-13
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which have been recognized as within the

which have been recognized as within the
| rights of the workers. OF these bills. deal
| ing with various phases of the subject, one
| passed the Senate providing for trial by
jury in contempt proceedings for violation
| Of the injunction. This bill failed in the
| House, it is alleged, for want of time.
| Within the past year the evil of these in
| functions has been more fully demonstrate
| ed. In the miners strike injuncttons were
| issued made returnable fully seven weeks
| after the writ was issued, evidently with
| the purpose of Gripping the efforts of the
miners officials and our fellow unionsts
| who co-operated with them in the hope
| that by the time the writ was made return
| able the strike would DE ended. Though
| the injunctions were frequently ignored
| and violated the companies the courts
| deemed it prudent to avoid arrcsting the
| men for contempt.
| While the bill which passed the Sem
| ate. if enacted into law, would obviate a
| great wrong (namely, by providing for a
! trial by jury, yet it is deemed entirely
| inadequate ard insufficient. We not only
| demand the right of trial by jury for any
| offense charged, but also that we as work
| err. and citizens shall not be restrained in
| the exercise of our lawful and natural
| rights. Courts do not and cannot issue
| injunctions restraining persons from com
| uniting crimes or msdemeanors and
| should not when there is another complete
| remedy at law.
| BOycOttS ana Court Declsf0nS.
| Recently one of the branches of the
| federal courts decided by majority vote
| that the boycott is illegal Whether the
| decision rendered is applicable to all cases
| or simply to the one Immediately under
| consideration has not yet fully transDired
1t is manifest that the workers should
nave the same right which other citizens
enjoy-the right which neither constitu-
| t1OnS grant NOR courts can deny-the right
| to stand by our friends, patronize our
| sympathizerS and co-ooerators and to
| withhold our patronage from those who
| are antagonistic to Us and our cause, and
| the further right to acquaint our people
| with our preferences. While there is no
| desire here to argue in favor of our rights.
| we should demand the change of any law
| which curbs the privilege and the right
| CT the workers to exercise their normal
and natural preferences. In the meantime
| we should proceed We have of old, and
| wherever a court shall issue an Injunction
| restraining any of our fellow workers from
| placing a concern hostile to laDor'S in
| terest on unfair list; enjoining the
| workers fro m issuing notices of this char
| acter. the further suggestion Is made that
| upon any letter circular issued upon
| a matter Of this character, after stating
the name of the unfair firm and the griev-
| ance complained of. the words: we have
| been enjoined by the courts from boycott
| ting this concern could be added with ad-
| vantage
| In connection with this subject 1t is well
| to bear in mind that this weapon of labor
! is most potent, and one which should
| be exercised with the greatest degree Of
| care and with an intense purpose to be
| absolutely just. An unjust or inconsider-
| ate boycott does more to inJure the cause
| of labor than a hundred victories achieved
| through its agency. Whenever an appli-
| Cd tio, has been submitted to headquarters
| an Investigation was instituted, and the
concern complained against given an op-
| portunity to state its version of the mat
| ;ers in dispute. In no case has concern
! been placed upon our I'VE Don't Patron
| iZe'' list until it has had an opportunity
| to be heard in it's own defense. In each
Eot the letters to employers upon these
| subjects 1t was accompanied by the Sug-
| gestion of an adjustment mutually honor
| able and advantageous, and rendering. If
! necessary, our good offices to accomplish
| that purpose.
Eject Omccrs by Referendum.
| Inasmuch as one of the aims of our or
| ganization is to place the largest degree of
responsibility upon all our workers. that is,
| to have our movement of the workers, for
| the workers, and by the workers in its full
| est sense, and since the initiative and ref
erendum, both in legislation and in the elc-
ton of officers has been successfully intro
| duced in a number of our largest and most
| extensive affiliated unions, the suggestion
| is made that the officers of the American
| Federation of Labor might be elected by
the referendum. l am not unmlndful OF
the many difficulties to be overcome, but
| it seems that measure can be devised by
| which, at least. beginning may be made
| to the more general Introduction of the sys-
| tenn. Perhaps some expense may be IN
| Volved in carrying out its provision but
| with experience obstacles now apparently
| unsurmountable will be easily overcome.
| Grievances to Be Considered.
There are a number of matters which
will require your careful attention; contro-
versies which have arisen during the year
| and which are simply referred to here The
respective claims of jurisdiction by the ma
| tional organizations of the Meat Cutters
| and Butchers agt. National Organization of
Clerks; the Machinists agt the Typograph-
| ical Unions; the Tailors agt. Garment
| Workers; the Sprinkler Filters Unions agt
/ the Steam Filters Unions; the Tile Layers
Union of Washington agt. the Tile Layers
I Unions of New York; the Musicians Union
agt the Fort Wayne central body: the
painters dispute; the application for
| charter from the Brotherhood of Paper
| Hangers; the application for charter from
the Uniform Police Association of Cleve-
land: the Steam Engineers of Boston agt.
| the National Engineers Union: the Chica-
go Central Body agt. Musicians Union. and
| a number of other cases which will be laid
| before this convention or before its COM
| mittee.
| In pursuance to your direction the head
| quarters Of the A. F. of L. were promptly
| transferred to Washington, D. c., where
| the work of our movement has been Wig
orously prosecuted. In. no way has lie To-
cation of headquarters in that city inter-
| fered with the full performance of duties on
| the industrial field While, onthe other hand.
! il has largely aided many of our affiliated
| organizations to promptly prevent hostile
| action on the part of Congress and depart
| ment officers. Many an injury to our fell
| low workers has been prevented by the op-
portunity presented of being at the seat Of
| government. The advantages of pressing
| congressional legislation and executive ac-
| ton have had little or no opportunity Tor
| demonstration, but it is confidently antici-