Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-05-15
UNIONS HAVE COM'YO STAY
A College President who Defends
the Organization OF Labor.


the Organization OF Labor.
In an address before the New Eng
land Society of Scranton. Pa. Rev Or
W. y. Stry Ser. president OF Hamilton
college. said:
Unions OF labor have come 20 stay
Combination and "comrGeity OF inter
est" are their inherent right also. They
are a fact and factor They must be
recognized They are recognized even
In denying them recognition.
Fingers I'm ones ears is an nltimatum
that two can play at. To hide under
the bedclOthes may comfort the child.
but will not stop the thunderstorm.
Even TO u criminal the law does not
deny the right to choose his own attor-
ney. The credentials Of any Spokesman
are from those who send him. not frCm
those to whom he Is sent. The principal
accredits his agent.
Organized capital speaks through It's
delegate. abOr has Gie same right. If
a given envoy is difficult. austere or Of
fensive, SO much the worse for those
who commission him. Either party may
request different delegate. but to pre-.
scribe how he shall be chosen or TO re-
fuse all is to break or diplomatic re.a
lions. The right not to deal through self
sent meddlers does not modify the duty
to recognize those who are properly in
dorsed. Only faulty challenges the
right Of men to act and to speak col
lcctively and by whom they will. OBJ
viously 100000 wOrkmen cannot state
their cause separately TO ten executive
boards. The question. gentlemen. as to
Mr.. Baer, or as to Mr.. Mitchell. is not
whether he is in the employ of those &c
whom he goes. but whether he is au-
thOrized by those from whom he comes
The contention of the operators that
they may dictate just how their men
shall approach them cannot hold its
ground before American common sense
and fair play 1t will TALL. 1t falls al
ready. for that public which does not
bubble knows that practically the
United Mine Workers as such and in
the person OF John Mitchell are before
the commission and the country. The
arbitrary precept issues so far only In
mutual eXasperations and furnishes the
prolific opportunities of marplots. Any
genuine effort to agree must listen to
all parties claiming TO be such.
AS to the alleged nonresponsibillty Of
the miners because they are not incor-
porated, remember that since they can.
not be enjoined they cannot entoin. IL
is, even further remember, that their
adhesion to their word given is their
whole capital. They know that the
country watches them i'm this to see IL
they be men. Under immense tempta.
ton they have this summer past kept
their word. 1t is much. 1t is enough.
Incorporation may be n wise device. but
1t is not the first and great command.
ment.
AS to compulsory arbitration" who
wants It? 1t is a contradiction in terms.
The essence OF arbitration is voluntary
consent to take advice. II It's obiter
dicta are amicably accepted, it is excel.
lent. If II can compel, it is but n new
court, and we are where we started.
Agreement and litigation are two oppo
site ways. II arbitration could be com
pulsory, II would be superfiuous.
But, and moreover, not only must cor
porations give the freedom they take
not treating equity as thing TO be set
tied by an eX parte dictum; they must
also admit and rectify their errors.