The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-05
Misses and Children S
Nov. what is the theory on which. in
q la.I lilaciaS A.inlnnl.n c iIIsti iinl . hon I'd

| NOV. what Is the theory on Wnlcl, III
| labor unions, violence is justified? / heard
| the theory ngeniously stated at the re.
| cont meeting of the Economic Club of
Boston. The laborer who has worked in
months only. has acquired an equitable
right in that factory which is not dis
charged by the weekly payment of his
wages. lie has made II part, of the
reputation of that factory and the repu-
| taticn of its product fle has created a
part of the good will of that factory. This
claim Is substantial. and 1t Is not dis
| He Joins his fellows in declaring that for
tirn they d" not propose to continue
to work in that factory OH the conditions
| sees man taking his place. Now. that
man is possessing himself of that eaut-
able claim or the factory of the right in
| equity which the former laborer has ac-
quirol ana which he ought not to lose by
going ol; Il sr"ike. The incoming man is
| q thief and robbcr. and he can be
dealt with as one deals with a burglar
breaker, is a burglar, and If ever Vio-
| lonca is justified between man and man,
violence is iustliable between the union
| man WHO has gone on Al strike and the
| scab who takes his place.
| The argument is plausible, but has a
| fatal weak spot. 1t claims right IN the
factory or business which depends on
continuous operation. and also claims the
right to discontinue the business or shut
| up the factory.
Gus one. and one that combats all Ameri-
can principles with regard to freedom in
| labor. I find that the principles that an
American has right to sell his labor at
estly disputed. Indeed it is said that no
American has right to sell his labor at
| any, price; without considering the effeGts
| of his sale on associated labOrers in the
same trade or business. The right to
earn bread for his family by whatever
| opportunity presents itself is denied. He
| f1 H..
| out considering the effects which his
taking the price he is wiling to accept
may have on thousands of other men
who are not willing to accept that price.
| This doctrine cuts deep. and the American
people have got to consider and reconsid-
er this contest of opinions. 1t is a scri-
Gus contest of opinions with regard to
personal liberty
Boycott Is Cowardly Interference.
The sort of violence which the labor
| unions Justify is various, and there has
been Il great development in the variety
of violence within the last ten years. The
inevitable violence now takes the form.
first, of a few serious outrages on per-
sons and on property. 1t does not take
many OutrageS to alarm considerable
population. Three or four assaults. three
or four killings, few blown-up houses.
these operations need not be numerous,
they need not be frequent. The more ef-
fective method. when combined with these
the boycott. j have not time to describe
the varieties of the boycott. Suffice 1t to
say that the boycott, in community
where union men are in power pene-
trates every nook and corner of society.
Every shop, every office. every profess
sional mans. employment is assailable.
there in II community where the union
has large majority. The police, the
courts and the newspapers can all be con,
trolled. They have been repeatedly, and
a
have to look forward to the absolute de-
feat both of the grand jury and of the
jury. in communities where the unions
are in power. You see how much ground
that coNers-the police, the courts and
the newspapers, The community ut large
Is thus deprived of information and The
ordinary protection of the courts and the
officers of the courts.
One step remains to be taken in COM
munities where the labor unions are In
militia. We shall probably see during the
next few years strenuous efforts, direct
and indirect, on the part Of the unions
wa ways of controlling it; the method adopt,
serve--lill the local militia with union
TO; and, thirdly, the boycott will be ef-
fectiye TO this end unless the American
public learns how to disarm the boycott
The formidableness of the boycott, ex-
cept in region where the union men are
In a clear minority, is singular phenom-
enon in American society. The total
number of laborers organized in unions
of the United States cannot possibly be
placed higher than e,0O0,00 Colonel
Wright head of the labor bureau, says
that he cannot place it higher than 1700.-
900. 1t is, therefore, conceivable that the
more numerous non-union men,. or the
American public at large, should learn
how to control or defeat the boycott. 1t
needs to be defeated. 1t is "A cruel, cow
ardly interference with the rights of all
The people,
A Lesson from the Coal Strike.