The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-24

coal commission Is ScruuniZed the palmer
1t becomes that some OF its conclusions and
recommendations will have far-reaching
| influence not only in the anthracite field,
but in the labor world generally. The find
ings Of the commission that grant an in
crease Of wages and reduction of hours are
important to the miners in the immediate
relief they give. including a large dividend
of back pay, but they are the least impor-
tant parts of the report. Far more impor-
tant are the findings of the commission
that deal with principles and conditions.
These are distinctly in favor of law and
order and the protection of the public
against the effects OF strikes. They are in
favor of individual rights as against organ
lied masses of men. The Journal has al
ready called attention to the emphatic Ian
guage Of the report regarding the boycott
"a word of evil omen and unhappy ORR
gin"-and the clear definition which brings
the boycott within the conspiracy law.
Other expressions were equally as strong.
Touching the question of the persecution OF
nonunion by union men the commission
says that in the late strike disorder and
lawlessness existed to some extent over the
whole region and throughout the whole
period. Continuing, the report says:
The history of the strike is stained with
record Of riot and bloodshed eliminating
In three murders, unprovoked save by the
TACT that two of the victims were asserting
their right to work, and another, as an Of
nicer OF the law, was performing his duty in
attempting to preserve the peace. Men
who chose to be employed or who remained
aSSaile6 Threatened
they and their families terrorized and in
Inundated. In several instances the houses
or such workmen were dynamited or other
wise assaulted, and the lives of unoffend-
ing women and children put in jeopardy.
The armed guards employed to protect the
collieries and the men who worked them
appear not to have been an unnecessary
precaution, and the Governor of the State
was, as the evidence before the commission
soldiery Of the Commonwealth to preserve
Its peace and vindicate its laws. A
labor or other organization whose purpose
can only be accomplished by the violation
OF law and order of society has no right to
exist.
A strong declaration Of principle like
this, under circumstances that make it
binding, is far more important to the public
than any award concerning wages or hours
Equally important is that part of the re-
port which defines personal rights and the
right of every individual to be protected
In the lawful exercise OF them. Every per-
son who has watched the course Of labor
unions in recent years must have noticed
their tendency to place the rights of organ
izations above those of the individual, thus
giving mere numbers dominating suprem-
acy that is not authorized by law. The
courts have sometimes found 1t necessary
to antagonize this idea, but no court has
done it as strongly as the commission does.
AS the language Of the report on this point
cannot we'll be epitomized it is quoted:
The right to remain at work where others
nave ceased to work or to engage anew in
work which others have abandoned is part
OF the personal liberty of citizen that
can never be surrendered, and every in
fr1ngement thereof merits and should re-
ceive the stern announcement of the law
All government implies restraint, and it is
not less, but more necessary in self-gov-
erned communities than in others to COM
pei restraint of the passions of men which
make for disorder and lawlessness Our
language is the language of a free people,
and fails to furnish any form of speech by
which the right of citizen to work when
ne pieases. Tor whom he pleases and on
what terms he pleases can be successfully
denied. The common sense of our people
as well as the common law forbids that this
right should be assailed with impunity 1t
Is vain to saw that the man who remains
at work while others cease to work or
takes the place of one who has abandoned
his work helps to defeat the aspirations of
men who seek to obtain better recompense
for their labor and better conditions of life.
Approval OF the object of strike or per-
suasion that it's purpose is high and noble
cannot sanction an attempt to destroy the
right of others to different opinion in this
respect or to interfere with their conduct
in choosing to work upon what terms and
at what time and for whom it may please
them so to do. The right thus to work
cannot be made to depend upon the ap-
prevail or dfsapproval of the personal char
acter and conduct of those who claim to
exercise this right. If this were otherwise
then those who remain at work might if
they were in the majority, have both the
right and power TO prevent others who
choose to cease to work from so doing
This all seems too plain for argument
Common sense and common law alike de-
nounce the conduct of those who interfere
with this fundamental right of the citizen
The assertion of the right seems trite and /
commonplace, but that land is blessed
where the maxims of liberty are common
places.
1t is well to have the fundamental right
of the citizen" declared i'm calm and tenn
perate language like this. Fiery orators
who get excited in the heated atmosphere
of labor unions, and emotional leaders who
yield to their impassioned appeals would
do well to ponder this assertion of the su-
periority of individual rights to those of
organizations. In the eye of the law the
rights of the humblest individual worker,
even though he may be called "a scab," are
as important and as deserving of protec-
ton those of the most numerous and
powerful organization. This is one of the
principles of free government that is not
yet as well understood In this country as it
should be.
The findings OF the commission on these
matters of principle are not binding in the
same sense that the specific awards are
but they win be quoted for years to come
and will be potential in enlightening and
creating public sentiment. They will con-
tribute much towards clearing up the at
mosphere in some quarters and in estab-
fishing the principle that the rights and
privileges of nonunion men are as sacred
as the rights and privileges of unionists
AN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.