Evening star., 1899-04-19
STRIKERS SENT TO JAIL
Judge Jackson Passes Sentence on Four at
Wheeling.
In Passing Sentence He Defines Legal
Rights Existing between En-
ployer and EApIoye.

Judge Jackson of the United States cir
cult court, sitting at Wheeling, w. Va.
sentenced four street car strikers to a term
of thirty days each in Jail and to pay a fine
of $50. The men were charged with OBJ
structing the operation of the road.
In passing sentence Judge Jackson said
1.-The court is here for the purpose of ad-
| ministering the law relating to this case
1t is not here for the purpose of administer
ing sympathy to either the street railway
company or to those who have been EN-
ployed by that company, known now as
Strikers who are insisting upon the COM
pany increasing the wages for their SER
vices.
This is a free country. In a free coun-
try like ours competition in every depart
ment of life is open to every citizen. He
who by diligent and continuous effort ac-
quires not only q competency, but a for
tune, has a perfect right to be protected in
it. On the other hand, laborer of the
country, who maintains and supports him
self and family by his daily toll, has an
equal right to be protected.
The trouble in this case seems to be that
there is an effort on the part of the en-
ployeS of this street railway company to
force the employer, the railway company,
to advance their wages without knowing
whether such action upon their part is
justified in any respect whatever
Employers Right to Fix Wages.
Every employer has right to look into
the question as to what he can afford to
give for services rendered to him, the mat
ter to be determined and decided by the
revenues derived from the business in
which he is engaged. No employe can de-
termine that, for the employer alone is pos
sessed of all the facts upon which he must
base his decision and action. In this case
it must be remembered by the employe that
the employer is just as much interested in
maintaining the operation of the road and
in obtaining revenues from it as the en-
ploye is interested in obtaining just and
fair compensation for his labor
Suppose reverse the situation upon
this occasion, and the employer determines
to reduce the wages of employees in the SER
vice of the company. The employer cannot
compel his employe to serve for a reduced
rate of wages. If he cannot. it is right
and proper that the employe, who seeks to
have MS wages and compensation increa Sed
should take such steps as to coerce the en-
ployer to comply with his request without
knowing whether or not the employer can
afford to do so?
Whenever there is not a sufficient re-
muneration upon the part of the employer
for the services of the employe, let the
employe leave the service of the employer
and seek other employment.
Community's Mistaken Sympathy.
II understand from the public press that
this community is in sympathy with what
are now known the strikers. Let me
! say now that this is a mistaken sympathy
upon their part. No community can de-
eide, such, between the rights of the
employer and the employe. They cannot be
familiar with the circumstances that have
influenced the employer to refuse to ac-
cede to the demands of the employe on this
occasion.
This misguided sympathy is often a
wrongful sympathy, and operates not only
to the prejudice of the parties to whom
the sympathy is expressed, but to the in
jury and detriment of the public at large
Labor will always command capital when
capital can afford to pay for it. Capital
will always command labor when it feels
that 1t is justified in doing So The effect
of this public sympathy is unfortunate.
'Whenever any community undertakes to
set uD for itself a standard and to enforce
that standard by mob violence, by COM
munistic orders, by efforts upon their
part which are conceived In a spirit of
anarchy, and which lead to and end in
anarchy, then the time has come when the
laws of the land must be enforced to con-
troll that spirit of anarchy.
Such is the duty of the court here to-
day. Ihe court is here to enforce law and
order. 1t is here to restrain mob vio-
lence, and to prevent interference with the
movements Of the mails of the United
States, and to protect the rights of citizens
of the United States as under the inter-
state commerce act"