The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-03-18

NceES, the words, Boycott and anti
i?uycott appears on every tongue as Il
sequence Of the antiboycul, leGiSia-
ton in 81. Paul and the inefficient
hnvrOi1S nUv trying to be enforced IN
Duluth. Now white we are all con
ct'rnti in 1he above f;icr>. l. think
they are Il very proper matter Tor DIS
c,.>Sinn through the columns of your
l.npcr n The present time.
KS rrcollrcl the agrarian ont :
Seventies. remember the word boy
colt h"ir*. used in connrcli"n with Il
person named Boycott and lhr CO.
rrsivr measures of thar period and
place. and from he opinion Of its
working as reported by The press. |
think it tn" logical sequence Of the
war or rnin policy inanSurat"d
against The POOR dovn;rodslsn labor
ing classes Of ireland. and which
flooded England with Il class Of har-
vest IaiOrrrs who reduced the aver
age earnings Of the English farming
lalorrr at his harvest timr by the
cheap labor Of. these travelling bun
needy class Of workers. just as the
Fa$: Indian farmer completes to-day
against hem now in the iInglisi.
market ard from which i,lc British as
we'll as american farm labortr has
suffered so long. IF the boycott was
born Of ignorance and was adopted
as temporary measure to correct a
greater evil and till experience frames
Il more reasonable and just measure
OF defense, for it is not the proper
weapon of an intelligent community,
in fact it violates all sense of Justice
as understood by our system Of free
government such as we are supposed
to enjoy. as it relies Oh brute force
by denying he free citizen to exist
as sucl, by destroying his means Of
support from his legal investment, by
stopping the sale Of his commodities,
and iniuring he trade facilities Of the
community to thar extent, for ] be-
1it'vc it is in III: interest of all that
all trade will be free and untram-
mr|rd by the restrictions OF any class
Of citizens whatever. OF course, being
Il union carpenter and Joiner by trade
am not authorized by the cnnstitu-
lion o; that order TO recognizes any
boycott, il not bcin" Interested in the
sale Of he buildings or fittings
wrought on hI Inc wage laborrr It.
sphere Of action stops when
tn" labor is paid for. amt
leaves the M!i!.lrr free t., reg
uIatr his trade with the ou,:.:dr public,
50 any action taken by any unioniSt
carpenter in any hnyroilS is his OWN
private affair and the union is not TO-
sronSihlr for his civic duties in that
discretionary power invested in him
alone. bur with that consti tut innal
power invested in him as an Individual
citizen, he will in all probability rec
ogniZe all lovcotts till the evils of the
system is superseded by more cor
rect and just measure. if the boycott
appeals to his sense of Justice. And
to that extent he will purchase where
he likes. change when and to where
retain the right to give his reason for
change when and where he likes in
spite of any boycott bill that may be
passed that may infringe on that
right. Has he not the right to refuse
to take White Rose -four or outside
-four, when it is pushed on him by
the retailer in the place Of Imperial or
other Duluth flour and state rea-
SONS for doing so.
Finally. would be willing to see 4
boycott bill passed and put in force
that would stop the boycotts on the
day. laborer as we'll as on the sale Of
commodities and from which organ
lied labor has suffered so much, and
although a unionist. ] am in favor Of
the proposed boycott bill. KNOWN"
that experience will eliminate any
weak feature that may be in the
text Of the measure, when it is pass
ed and put in force, knowing no force
is stronger than the weakest element
in it.
HUGH WAKEFIELD.
Duluth, March Is, 1899.