The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-30
The incorporation of Labor Unions.

Editor of The Times:
Sir-Massachusetts ever IN the lore
front Of progress possessing Tar anu a"tty
the best and most logical law relative TO
chartered corporations in North America,
which almost completely prevents the
issue of watered stock, and subserVes
many other useful purposes offers 4
shining example to the Virginia Legs
la ture That great State is now engaseu
in the laudable effort to incorporate lapor
unions 1t recognizes the fact that LABOR
has as much right to be protected pF
organi0at ton as has capital; indeed, the
congregation of labor is in one sense
actually the congregation of SO much
cap:tal, for the labor of tha miner or
workman is his capital. and it is in many
respects the very best capital IN the
world The recent example of the great
anthracite coal strike should teach a
timely lesson. The sympathy OF the
world, from start to finish. was with the
miners. as it should have been and the
able and resourceful leader, Mr.. John
Mitchell, would have been able to have
accomplished far more and would nave
ended the strike much sooner if his labor
union had been incorporated.
a labor union should not consist of an
IRRESPONSIBLE organization. If it does, it
greatly restraints and diminishes it's use
fulness and in fact gives 1t q power
which it does not deserve, and ought not
to have, and which is really wrong upon
principle.
While.it does not deserve them, it gives
some color to the wretched and sacri-
reeious diatribes of such men as PreSt-
Z dent Baer who measures and refuses to
weigh the coal to the miners, taking
openly almost four thousand pounds to
make a ton, and then complacently states
with great satisfaction that he is the
instrument. of Divine Providence specially
called upon to do this thing. He is per-
haps an agent, but very probably he has
mistaken the name of his principal The
public, in many strikes, is often the
worst sufferer and it undoubtedly has
certain rights and one of those rights
is to demand the Incorporation OF labor
unions in order to fix the responsibility.
The incorporation will not hurt the Ia
borer: en- the contra ~. it Will Immensely
aid him in accomplishing his object To
the writer it is a surprise that the incor-
poration of labor unions has not long
sinca been accomplished. I beg to suB-
gest to the Virginia Legislature, soon
70 convene the following act, or some
thing similar to It:
.An act to incorporate labor unions.
"Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly of Virginia, That it shall be lawful
to incorporate a congregation Of citizens.
commonly styled LABOR unions LIE sald
la bor unions shall consist of a president
and as many directors and members as
thew shalT deem proper. The object of
the union shall be Specifically set forth
in the charter of Incorporation, and each
labor union shall have distinctive name;
If shall have the right to sue and be
| sued; the right to a seal and to own real
estate In Virginia necessary for its CHAR
tered purposes, not less than five hundred
hundred nor more than ten thousand
dollars in value. and the right to make
all proper bylaws, rules and regulations
for its government and organization. and
| the charter shall be subject to repeal by
the General Assembly OF Virginia 10,
| cause.
This act shall be in force from It's
| passage
It would seem that some simple genera
act like this would accomplish a great
purpose.
Buckingham Co.. Va. Oct Is. 1902.