The sun., 1901-08-23
RIGHTS VERSUS RIGHTS.

The declaration that the attempts cl
the owners Of steel mills to operate thcl
works with new men is Il hid for disorder
is a most pefnicous doctrine to advance.
The Mtrlinp News.
That has not been declared rs the
News attempts 10 make it appear. Nh.
right Of the mill owners To operate their
mills Is not questioned. The strikers ,ln
not question that. They conccdc the
right to operate the mills if il can be
done. consistent with I'LL the other rights
involved, and claim the right to prevent
their operation if that can be ,loue CON
sistent with all the other rights III
volved That Is the position which or
ganized labor. and its friends occupy
There is nothing pernicious i'll that doe
trine. 1t is. however. a prrnciolls doe
trine to advocate. to say that all Il
rights, Of the iaher dispute is upon the
sid" Of capital, and tl.t the mass of
humanity has no right to oppose and
prevent capltals cncroachmcntS upon hu-
man rights. That is what The Morning
News advocates whcn il denies. without
qualification. the right Of the STRIKER; Ia
prevent the operation of the steel mills 4
lawful methods.
We 10 not know that we can max il
plain to on contemporary, but we Stlg-
gcst that mankind has Il right to do
things tlat are not right aud that ought
not to bc dome. II is not decided that the
steel mill owners had Il right 10 fence III
their mill: Eethcr is it denied that they
had Il right to dig il tunnel connectin,.
the mill with wharf nor is il denied
that the mill owners had right to in
trodlice nonuniun wurkmcl linto t;np
mil lN way Of Il water route. Il whalf
and Il tunnel. Ii is denied. haw..yer, tha,
It was right to d. tElt thing under the
circumstances. Tie strikers had not dc.
stfoyca amy property; they had not COM
mitted ana assault upon. or unlawfully
prevented any noll-nien man worl iii.
II he 50 elected. and there was no nccr<
Sity fcr the measures adopted hy the mill
owners, except tho necessity which grew
out Of their inability 10 cope successfully
with the strikers III m open honorable
way. Flat truth was illustrated during
the recent strike i'll this city. possi!l,
tn" News remembers the rpSplc of the
ARMED a.llatenr detectives hy whom. il
was designed to protect certain works
IN thus city from imaginary assaults upon
thtm, and upon the imaginary non.nni III
mHchinistS who were Sltnposrd to h. M
work in these shops. There can b. no
denial of tie right Of Il mill owner 10
employ armed amateur detectives 10
guard his mill. ard his wOlkmrn, Int ii
is not right to dc that when the del g
Of IT falsely charges some one else with
an intention, and effort, to III Stroy the
mill md assault the woikmen. I'rpb
ably The News recalls the indignant pup
ul;'r sentiment nf that affair ii. this city.
aud also recalls that IN popular iuig
ms.iit. It was IN llnwarlantcd PROV ,cltinn
to violence. the evil CONSEQUENCES or
which were anls avelt"d by the prudence
Of tAn strikers,
The steel mill strike conditions arc
similar, except that tho provm.aton 10
violence is increased and intensified i
Thousand fold, The almost impossibi in
Of controlling =, great II crowd Of men Is
evident. The tl,warting Of their purtpSr
and desire hy !; trick, WIS snrc to excite
TO lik, efforts 10 regain lost advantages,
and in that lies the germs which Il, yrlopr
into fore" and violence. The initial a.
f"rt ~ the production If that condition
was madc hy the steel milI owners. III
make II was not righ,.
II Is not IrrncionS doctrine to ad-
vance ideas in oppmtio TO tile il ing
of things that ale not right, ana thc
doing of which lead 10 evil consequen cs.