The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-04

, winch arc not in strict conformity TO the con.
sutution Of the state Of Pennsylvania and TO the
constitution OF the United States. And the char.
ter which was provided by the act OF 1880 ex.
prcssly provided that they should have authority
TO establish constitution and adopt bylaws and
| rules not inconsistent with law.
But even this system Of legislation was not
| satisfactory, and so on the 10Th of june 1891
| p. l.. 30o), the Legislature passed the following
| act:
| at shall be lawful for employees, acting either
| as individuals or collectively, or as the members
OF any club assembly, association or organization,
| to refuse TO work or labor fos any person, per.
sons, corporation or corporations, whenever in his,
| her or their opinion the wages paid INSULT.
cient, his, her their treatment is offensive
or unjust, or whenever the continued labor or
work by him, her or them would be contrary to
the constitution, rules, regulations, bylaws rcso.
luton or resolutions, of any club, assembly, as.
sociation, organization or meeting Of which he,
she or they may he member may have at
tended, and as such individuals or members or as
having attended any meeting, 1t shall be lawful
for him, her or them to devise and adopt ways
and means to make such, rules, regulations, by.
laws, resolution resolutions effective, without
subiccting them to indictment for conspiracy at
common law or under the criminal laws of this
commonwealth: Provided, Frst-That this act
shall not be held TO apply to the member or
members of any club, assembly, association, or.
regulations, bylaws, resolution resolutions OF
which are not in conformity with the constitu.
tion Of the United States and TO the constitution
Of this commonwealth: Provided, Second-That
nothing herein contained shall prevent the prose.
cution and punishment, under any law, other
than that of conspiracy, of any person or per-
sons who SHALL by the Use of force, threats or
menace OF harm to person or property. hinder or
attempt to hinder, any person persons who
may desire to labor work for any employer
from so doing for such wages and upon such
terms and conditions as lie, she or they may
deem proper And provided, Third-That moth
ing herein contained shall prevent the prosecu-
tions and punishment of any person conspring to
commit felony. All laws or parts of laws Of
assembly inconsistent herewith are hereby re-
pealed."
WHAT THIS ACT DID.
This Act not only freed striking employees from
indictment for conspiracy at common law or un.
der the criminal laws OF the commonwealth for
the simple act Of refusing to work. but pro-
rided that it should not prevent the prosecution
and punishment, under any law other than con.
spracy, Of persons who should by the use of
force, threat or menace Of harm to person or
property, hinder or attempt TO hinder any per.
son or persons who may desire to work or labor
for any employer from so doing for such wages
and upon such terms and conditions he, she
or they may deem proper. And this act re-
pealed all laws or parts OF laws Of assembly in.
consistent herewith.
These are all the statutes passed by our legis.
lature in reference to the rights Of the laboring
classes to strike, and changing the old common
law remedies by indictment for conspiracy for
the acts which therein specified. But it will
be noticed that theSe acts only apply to those
associations whose bylaws, rules and regulations
and resolutions are not contrary to the constitu.
tion OF the United States or the constitution of
10 state nj pnnnsvvlnia. so that il any union
organization passes resolution or combines
to do an act which is contrary to the rights
guaranteed by the constitution OF the United
States, then such union and organization, so far
as such resolution or act is concerned, can not
plead the protection of the statute, but are liable
for indictment at common law, as il the Act OF
assembly had never been passed.
These laws We're only passed to protect the
laborng class in their rights, not i'll their
wrong.dong; and, therefore, when any union,
over and above the right to refuse to labor
themselves, set themselves up to destroy the
rights of others, not their employers. they are
entirely outside OF the protection OF any of these
statutes, and the old common law relating to un-
lawful combinations AMI conspiracies, is in full
force as to any such unlawful combinations.
Now, what are the conditions with which we
are confronted in this city at the present time?
In the latter part of last September, the Scran.
ton Railway company, for reasons which they
have not publicly disclosed, but which were per-
sonal to two employees OF that company, dis.
charged them. Thercupon Il notice was served
upon the railway company that unless those men
were rcnstated within Il specified time general
strike of all the employees OF the company would |
be ordered. The men were not reinstatcd and the
strike was ordered. This strike still continues. |
AS result of that strike, it is currently re.
ported that the miners union and various other |
of the trades unions of the city passed resolu- |
tons synipathi2ing with the strikers and order. |
ing their members, some upon penalty OF hne, |
not to patroniZc the street cars OF the railway |
company in any manner; and the strikers and
those sympathizing with them instituted a
scheme of terrorizing all persons who should ride
upon the cars, by breaking windows, by placing |
dynamite upon the track and exploding the same, |
TO the injury of the cars and the great terror
and peril OF any persons upon the cars, and by
insulting and abusing persons who found II ncces- |
sary or convenient to use the cars in going to |
and from their homes and places OF business; and
the matter has come to such pass as that timid |
females are absolutely afraid OF their lives in rid.
ing upon the cars, and even men are nervous |
about the same, and all classes are subject to |
more or less insult and intimidation for doing |
that which they have perfect constitutional
right to do and which the law will protect them
in doing.
PEOPLE BoYCOTTED.
But above and beyond all that, this system Of
carried to such an extent as that Come passengers,
by their necessities, by their health, |
and by their convenience to make use of the
street cars have been boycotted in their business
not by the striking employees alone but by rari.
Gus sympathzing unions, with whom they had
never had the least particle OF difficulty or diff.
ference.
Such a state of things in free community is
ntolerable. 1t is unlawful, 1t is unjust. 1t
is something which stirs the blood in the heart
1f every liberty loving FREQ American citizen.
And what is the legal remedy for the insults
upon innocent passengers? The law affords re.
lrcss.
In the case of the commonwealth vs. Silyers
m C. G. 4SD, case arising in Philadelphia,
lc defendant, who a member OF a cabinet
makers union, fingered about the place, hootcd
It the men who took The vacant positions, and
allied them ''scabs" lie was bound over TO
Keep the peace, and Judge Finletcr uses the
ollowng language:
." recognize the right OF the workngman TO
ry to better his condition recognize the right
If strikers to abstain, from working until they
get The wages which they think are due them,
mt ! also recognize the right of every otler
american citizen to wcrk for Just as much as he
llcases and no association Of workmcn has a
light 10 interfere with those who do not believe
IS their union does. II seems to Inc that all
nions are governed by foreigners, who bring TO
his country none OF the spirit that should ac-
uate the American citizen. They insist in main
aiming all their individual rights, and ignore
he natural rights Of every other citizen, The r.,
ult has been that, in all labor that requires Skill
he American citizen has been driven out, and
here are in this community large establishments
II which many worknien are employed, none OF
whom can speak English, II this continues, it
will not be very long before there will not be an
American citizen who understands skilled labor
cannot exactly understand why such system
4 conduct is persisted in by these people, Every