Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-29

the scab as a hero, but in the calmer mo.
ment when he sought the opportunity OF
a quiet gathering of his friends at the
Colonial club In Cambridge to cover the
whole subject he gave the accustomed
labor talker great opportunity to retort
The opportunity was embraced, and
George e. Mcneil was the talker. Mr.
Mcneil had even the president OF Har-
ward at a disadvantage on the points of
detail, If not indeed on the main Issues.
President Eliot had criticised the labor
union for limiting the number of appren-
tices. Mr.. Mcneil could say that the ap-
prentice system had gone out of existence
and that unlimited numbers of appren-
tices would be the open door to the en-
ployment of many cheap men under the
guse of learners.
President Eliot denounced the uniform
wage. Mr.. Mcneil pointed out that the
unions only fixed a minimum wage, and II
the wages were uniform 1t was because
the employers made them all at the mini
mum.
President Eliot found violence an inev-
liable accompaniment of the strike Mr..
Mcneil declared that violence was re-
strained by the unions rather than em-
ployed to aid their cause.
The end of the joint debate Is not yet,
and all sorts of men can express all sorts
of opinion. The hope is, and 1t is not un-
reasonable. that out of this much agita-
ton the fair end may be reached.
Mr.. Hills says that organized labor
is so dangerous that last year 1t got
"thirty bills passed at Albany giving
union men special privileges over non
union men, all of which will probably
be declared unconstitutional
Mr.. Henry Sterling, chairman of the
joint committee for securing direct leg
islation in Massachusetts, says, Last
winter Q900-0D the Massachusetts leg
islature rejected, almost without dis
cussion, over thirty labor bills, but
passed, almost without opposition, over
sixty laws granting new special privi-
leges to different corporations" The
report of the trades union joint COM
mittee Of 1901-02 says:
For thre. successive years the unions
in Massachusetts have urged the legisla-
ture to submit to the people constitu-
tional amendment embodying the initia-
tive, thus giving the voters an opportu-
nifty to say whether or not they desired to
take direct part in making the laws. The
specific measure asked for was known to
the Legislature of 1902 as senate 10. 1t
provided that II 80. 900 citizens should petit
ton for a particular amendment to the
constitution such amendment should be
submitted to vote OF. the people at two
successive elections, and If 1t received a
majority vote at each election It should
become a part of the constitution
This measure was simple and conserva-
tive, but effective 1t would enable the
people to clearly express their will on
matters of public concern something
which Is now impossible. 1t would de-
stroy the monopoly the legislators hold
of the business of making laws, which is
the source from which all other monopo-
ba of
the people rather than the claims of spe-
cial privilege the strongest force in gov
ernmental affairs.
Now, the mention of the referendum
and initiative, democracy, even repub-
lcanism, and all such words really
scapes Herbert Spencer, as he is an old
man and very hypochondrac. He
never recovered from seeing the Eng
lsh appropriate few pounds sterling,
which quickly grew to f10,000,000, for
public education. He found that it
violated his "law of equal freedom"
and embodied his 1.-THE Coming Slav-
cry" The Skiltons also and many Of
the ladies of the historic church do not
and cannot know the difference be-
tween the referendum and initiative
and the French guillotine, and they
would feel nervous If their pastor men-
toned such words in church or in their
presence. He ought not to do it.
But DR.. Hills once said for publica-
ton, 81 will gladly do all l can for the
initiative and referendum" [See by
the People," published by the Direct
Legislation Record, Newark, N. J.l
Speaking of nobly doing any sort of
dirty work for its own sake and the
glory of the Baers, here's some good.
clean work which yields no wages and
needs long hours for its accomplish
ment and is for the glory of all hu-
manity and which DR.. Hills once prom
lsed to do all he could of. Why isn't
he doing it? ELLA ORMSBY.
New Salem, Mass.