Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-04

pie began to hasten toward the hotel from
all quarters. The trustees of the estate
are now asking themselves whether they
have not been buncoed. They are quietly
investigating to ascertain whether the en-
terprising proprietor of the volcano house
did not have some kind of tip from the in
terror of the earth that Mauna Loa would
soon again be active. Meanwhile Hawaii
is enjoying the rare spectacle of the lava
flow and the eruption the host of the hotel
is reaping his rich harvest, Hlo is wonder
ing whether the molten lava will reach
that city, and the islands are covered with
smoke. 1t is assured that the present is an
exceptionally fine display, and judging the
matter from the standpoint of shrewd bust
ness the bargain of the hotel man was a
clever bit of work. 1t is probable that
hereafter the owners of the land will pin
their faith more strongly in the assumption
that Madam Pele, an ancient goddess of
the Hawaiians, who is believed to be per-
sonified in the volcanoes, has no intention
of relirquishing her role of fire deity, even
though Hawaii has passed into new hands.
The Superior Rights of the Neutral.
Cleveland's experience is precisely what
is to be expected in any community where
public encouragement is given to the insti-
tuition of strike of the positive and ag-
greSsive type means OF enforcing de-
mands for better wages or conditions. Such
a strike and the boycott are logical correl-
atives. In both men assert the right not
only to quit work themselves, but to pre-
vent others from taking their places. The
moment the public encourages in the strik-
a belief that they have sympathy in
this position the community incurs the
danger of suffering as Cleveland has suf-
fered during the past few weeks. There
would be no disorder If the offending cor
poration were to submit to the withdrawal
of its men and cease to operate its cars, for
then there would be no non-union men at
work and no demonstrations against them.
But the street railway company owes a
duty to the public as we'll as to the chi
plUyes. IL cannot surrender it's privilege of
operating its line at the behest of strikers.
1t runs the risk of violating its charter. 1t
deprlves the people of the right to enjoy
local transportation. So in whatever Oil
rection the strike tends the people are boy
cotted. If the company submits and ceases
to run it's cars the public is robbed of a
right. If the company persists in an at
tempt to run its cars, and the workers 1t
employs are mobbed, the public safety is
endangered II the strikers Inen attempt
TO boycott the road and all it's patrons the
heaviest sufferer is the public.
Thus, in any event, the chief burden falls
upon the shoulders of the people who are
innocent of any participation in the strug-
gle, who are merely seeking to conduct
their own affairs in a lawful manner and
who have the best of rights to an uninter-
rupted enjoyment of the prerogatives of
citizenship. The strikers from first to last
rely upon the weight of this burden to
eventually coerce the people into sympathy
for them. They demand an unfair adyan-
tage at the start of the controversy. They
first attempt to establish the doctrine that
If they do not want to work for a certain
employer no other men must be permitted
to work for him. Then they declare the
principle that no employer whom they de-
nounce Is entitled to any measure of pub
lie recognition and support. Were their
propositions admitted there would be moth
ing to prevent them from demanding and
securing in the same way all power, all
authority entirely outside of republican
forms and methods and all responsibility in
the community. The boycott is merely the
extreme statement of their case and the
community which submits to it confesses
itself incapable of self-government and I'M
worthy of sympathy.