The Advocate and news., 1898-11-09
GoyERNMKNr nY TNJrNcrIoN.


deal of discussion in this country upon
the subject OF government by injunction,
which means interference by the courts
in public and private business by the use
Of writs of injunction. The tendency Of
capital seems to be towards consolida-
tlon in the form Of trusts for the pur-
pose of destroying competition and con-
trolling the price Of labor. The only
way that labor, which gives all the value
TO capital can protect its own vital in
terests and secure anywhere near fair
value for the toll it furnishes is to or
ganize and be guided by the wisdom,
prudence and judgment Of the members
Of its associations. The single laborer,
standing isolated and alone, cannot cope
with the combination Of capital which
seeks to control his services. Standing
alone he becomes mere tool and prac-
tically a slave. He is absolutely power
less to secure, or protect his rights. He
must accept whatever compensation Is
offered to him and submit to reductions
without a murmer even although his
wages may become so low that his fam
lily Is denied the bare necessaries Of life.
Hence labor organizations become an
absolute necessity. These combinations
Of capital are usually controlled by cor
porations and corporations are said to
have neither conscience nor souls, prob
ably because they are managed by hired
officials who have only one object in
view, viz, dividends for the stOckhold-
ers When the corporation determines
to lower the wages or lessen the hours
of work 1t does so by an arbitrary order
without consulting the labOrers. When
the corporation determines to quit busi-
ness, or go on strike, 1t does so by an
arbitrary order without consulting the
wishes or necessities Of the laborers and
1t even invites, urges and cOmpels other
corporations to join with it in curtailing
or stopping the business. II labor Or
ganizatlon determines that its members
are not receiving fair treatment, that the
wages are too small or that the hours Of
work are excessive for the wages paid, 1t
sends q committee to confer with the
officers Of the corporation and to ask
that the evils complained Of be remedied.
II the corporation will not heed the COM
plant the only thing that the laborers
can do is to quit work and go on strike.
Then the corporation rushes into court
and quickly proCures an arbitrary writ
of injunction to prevent these laborers
from asking other laborers to cooperate
with them and desist from work until
the wrongs complained Of are made right
This Is what Is styled government by in
junction. The injunction is always on
one side, that of the corporation. No one
ever heard of an injunction in favor Of
the laborers to prevent the corporation
from discharging them, or from putting
them on half time, or from cutting down
their wages. If law is passed fixing
a schedule of prices at which a corpora
tiOn shall furnish service to its patrons
the corporation procures an injunction
to prevent the enforcement of the law
Ou NlC bkOuuu IntaS lAC A@LCS hASN UO AAu1
furnish a reasonable income for the cor
poratiOn. But who ever heard Of an
injunction in favor of laboring men to
prevent the reduction of their wages be-
low a reasonable income for the work
they perform. If law is passed fixing
the rates at which the farmers products
shall be carried to market the transpor-
tatiOn companies will have 1t nullihed
by injunction on the ground that the
rates are insufficient to produce a rea-
sonable income for the corporation. But
no one ever heard Of an Injunction in
favor of the farmers to secure them
reasonable price for their products nor to
prevent their crops from being sold at