The San Francisco call., 1899-05-09
GENERAL MERRIaM ON UNIONS.


HE acts of lawlessness in the Coeur dAlene
mines are about to be vigorously and properly
punished. They have long been indulged in
under OF miners union, which seems to have
been controlled by few violent and law -deying
The civil authorities have either closed their eyes to
the situation have winked at it without making any
attempt to protect the lawful rights of persons and
property. The district being now under martial law
and the violent and guilty being in custody, the
whole country will applaud the Federal and State
authorities civil and military in their determination
to eradicate the aw-breaking element and teach it
lesson which will admonish any who attempt to ini-
tate its policy.
The situation there however has seemed to inspire
General Merriam to utter unjustihabe generaliza-
ton. He is quoted denouncing labor unions as
criminal and declaring that they should be forbidden
by law and membership in them be made statutory
crime
This outline of policy toward labor unions will
not receive the Endorsement of the American people
and will opposition to certain general public
policies recently originated and still under discussion
The labor unions which have originated violence and
defiance of the law are few in number compared to
the total list of such unions in this country The
gradually defining the rights of labor combina-
tons and are removing by judicial decision the nvo-
n
men in any line Of labor to form voluntary union,
protect scale of wages for its members, provide a
treasury and pay sick and funeral benefits cooperate
in the purchase Of domestic supplies and in all orderly
ways promote by organization the interests OF ind-
vidual members is ndisputabe, and its exercise may
be salutary. When a union exercises further powers
and claims the right to prevent the employment Of
any who will not join it it is claiming right
which it can enforce only by unlawful acts.
Because these unlawful acts may issue from labor
union is reason for denouncing the act and fact OF
union a crime.
General Merriams proposition is another added to
many recent evidences that the country should not
look professional soldiers for civil policy All
governments in the last analysis on force but
the need for its exercise is lessened in proportion as
the people are left free
To assume off hand that all labor unions are Grim
inal would at once produce disturbance which would
disorder the industries of the country and probably
protest in such form as would greatly embar-
the Government. The principle of the policy rec
commended by Merriam would be far reaching There
is scarcely an organization union OF men combined
upon any purpose that may not fall under his sweep
ing declaration Political parties are organizations
combinations and unions OF men which are recognized
by law and in their operation arise cases that are
udicable. That parties commit crimes in precisely
the same sense in which labor unions commit them
is unquestioned The officers elected to administer
government pecuate and destroy the public property
and therein offend against the whole body OF the peo
pie Because Democratic School Board and a Re
publican Treasurer in San Francisco and Popust
deputy clerk in Sacramento or a Treasurer of the
party elsewhere were guilty of embezzlement or
waste, therefore shall the combination of men in
political parties be denounced by the law and for
bidden as crime?
What is needed in Idaho and elsewhere is rigid
enforcement of the civil law and the prompt punish
of those who break it If it is in the power OF the
State authorities in Idaho to enforce the law now it
has always been in their power to do So When the
miners committed murder with Springfield rifles
which they had stolen from State armory they were
guilty OF two offenses of the highest order, and the
State had ample power to punish them. The nlmu-
nifty they enjoyed by reason OF this nacton of the
officers OF the law encouraged the greater crimes COM
mited since. The remedy is not in adding to the list
OF statutory crimes, but in Furnishing the commission
of those ofenses already defined by the law