New-York tribune., 1902-08-13
NINE WORK ERS-OWN NERS
A REPLY TO SENATOR HANNA'S PLEA
FOR ARBITRATION.


FOR ARBITRATION,
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In Senator Hanna's address at Chautauqua
last Saturday he Is quoted follows:
Organized labor IS an imported article !! came me
World. from conditions which do not and cannot
exist in America 1t was organized there under
conditions which made labor antagonistic to CAPT
iahorer Organized labor is an institution that has
come to stay. 1t is an institution that Is promoted
and whose hope IS mutual benefit IN ITS early days
way 70 settle labor dif!cuties was to strike but it
is my theory thar it is becoming reg9gnlzed that
These organizations nabor unionsl. so far
am familiar with them carry beneficial , teatures- res
es @u'oal assistance TO the members ana 'neF '7'n
Referring to the controversies between labor
unions and their employers he said:
The Civic Federation is trying to establish con;
dition of absolute confidence between employer and
employe.
This end is TO be accomplished by arbitration.
It is true that labor organizations have some
beneficial features: it is always beneficial for men
engaged in similar occupations 10 meet and discuss
the various questions and problems which they are
interested in solving their mutual benefit and ad-
vancement From the time OF the early colonial
ton Of country have been accustomed IN
almost every little hamlet, to organize various as
sociations-clubs. lodges unions-from which they
have undoubtedly derived much benefit In the
eyes OF the law there is no difference between
labor, whether il be by brain or muscle-brain and
muscle are only names applied different parts OF
The so-caled capitalist possesses accurru-
lated labor. which is entitled TO receive under our
theory Of government, the same protection given to
the unaccuraulated labor OF the individual. The
capitalist. in taking OF his property. exercises
both brain and muscle. does the laborer In per-
forming his daily work. The laborer OF to-day
may be the capitalist Of tomorrow. No line should
be drawn between capital and labor; each must
recognize and obey the laws Of our government or
II will fail Our laws simply the rules OF con-
duct between men established by the representa-
tives whether executive. legislative or judicial
chosen by the people. Of the people and for the
people. Man has the inalenable right under our
laws labor. for that is his greatest pleasure in
life. and whatever deprives him of that right
whether it be unjust laws panics. depressions
unionism. must and will be rereded.
We have to-day a great body Of in the
anthracite coal deprived OF their right labor
not by unjust laws. If so. let the people repeal
them: rot by panic depression-but by few pro-
fessional labor agitators and handful OF follow
ers Their chief contentious that the miners
should not be permitted work more than eight
hours in day. and that the union created by the
professional agitators must be recognized. which
latter contention that the owners OF the coal
mines must conduct their bdsness-f they con-
duct II alI-under the rules. regulations and con-
ditions dictated daily by these labor agtators. II
means that the owner OF the coal mine may oper-
ate his plant only when the leader Of the labor
union saws he may whether II be three. FIVE or
eight hours day. not at all. II means that the
owner must not repair his property keep from
destruction unless the leader OF the labor union
says he may. It means that the owner must not
hire discharge unless it meets with the
approval of the labor agitator. And aoove all II
to the labor agitator that no man Shall De
given opportunity to work in the mine unless ne
agrees 10 contribute a certain percentage OF his
earnings to the support in luxury OF these various
and numerous so-calIed labor leaders
The coal mining industry Of this country is a
great one; it gives daily employment to hundreds
of thousands CT men, It has characteristics peculiar
to itself. The mines must be constantly ventilated
repaired free from water. and so thew are kept
In OPERATION day ard night me miners s are for nor
certain amount Of coal mined The Industrious, IN
more in his days work than the sluggard The
NINE is open constantly 10 hln ne can mofk one or
advent OF unionisn. having for its first comInanG,
thine employe have opportunity to Work EXCEPT
between the hours OF a m ana p m @ ana @ un'eP G
such conditions rs we may impose from Iine 10
time. new theory OF tSspotsLn M W oFII s,lf f%s & rt
stood neither will stand Tor II =,
Tbs new COMMANDMENT has beer enforced In
~ I'd Mons in maTy Instances, TO employer and
ernpIoye a ike / know Of nay own personal knoWl-
edge OF number OF coat mines IN slch ~ Rh.!cSS
y uhch were successfully operated for UPWARD Of
tive nty-fve years until the advent Of the United
Nine Workers organzation and ~hGh t 'He 3 foTc S0
'he mines could lot he operated under the dictates
fore ruined and closed and abandoned, ana Ihe
nli' ers-a large proj ortioE of whom we're s;tsn-d
with their work-who owned rot only thslr own
EoInes but other houses. which they rented to
her less Industrious or frusal c3mTades., were were
,ornpolied seek employment elsewhere, dId IN,
as well their employers lost thelr SAVINGS oi a.
most lifetime. These not demagos!c theories
tut facts easily proved by investigation ana exam
ination. =, - = -. - z..-.,o1s
tas the nalienabe right 20 sell II IN me hslest
market he obtain-the same as me iarmsri or
nlerc hant. manufacturer or othef proLuC.F mas
he right 10 sell his commodity In the hGh 81 lia!-
lat I IL o
a person or corporation who desires 10 puTchase
such the relation Wh en- IS there ny created IS Coz
tractual. minds have met or nas!s m9tuaLIy
satisfactory; it docs rot follow hat the creation or
th.s contractual ationshp gives me proprleiaty
dictate to HIM how he shall conduct his buslnts ss'
Tor the right vrfen ! decide to leave mis- employ
rnent to violence and force 10 prevent him from
which ] have refused. IT has never been ID mat
arbitration board shall decide other his en-
pioyer shall tain his services upon own terms.
nor is a union composed of number or indl-
yiduals justified in demanding that arbitration
hoard shall fix tn. and conditions of en-
aIoyrnent y hen such rule is enforced we shall
not have free government of the people by the
,eoplp and the people. but we shall have con-
1ition which will oppress the Industrious and am
bilious man down 10 the standard of the slugSard