Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-23


movement of such Importance a grave re-
| sponsibility. 1t has, by Its voluntary act,
created dangers and should, therefore, be
vigilant in averting them. 1t has, by the
concerted action of many aroused passions,
which, uncontrolled, threaten the public
peace; it, therefore, owes society the duty
of exerting Its power to check and CONNIE
these passions within the bounds OF reason
and Of law. Such organizations should be
the powerful coadjutors Of government In
| maint aiming the peace and UNFOLDING the
law. Only can they deserve and attain
the respect due to good citizenship and only
so can they accomplish the beneficent ends
which for the most part they were created
to attain.
No Right to Exist by Law-Breaking.
"a labor or other organization whose pur-
pose can only be accomplished by the vio-
lation Of law and order of society has no
right to exist.
THE right to remain at work where
others have ceased to work, or to engage
anew in work which others have aban-
doned, is part of the personal liberty of a
citizen, that can never be surrendered, and
every infringement thereof merits and
should receive the stern announcement OF
the law. All government implies restraint,
and 1t is not less, but more, necessary in
self -governed communities than in others
to compel restraint Of the passions of men
which make for disorder and lawlessness.
Our language is the language of free peo-
by which the right Of a citizen to work
when he pleases, for whom he pleases, and
on what terms he pieases, can be success
fully denied. The common sense of our
people, as well the common Jaw, for
bids that this right should be assailed with
impunity. 1t is vain to say 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 bet
ter recompense for their labor, and better
conditions of life. Approval of the object
of strike, or persuasion that its purpose
is high and noble, cannot sanction an at
tempt to destroy the right of others to
different opinion in this respect or to inter-
fere with their conduct in choosing to work
upon what terms and at what time and for
whom it may please them SO to do.
1.-The right thus to work cannot be made
to depend upon the approval or disapproval
of the personal character 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 ma
jority, have both the right and power to
prevent others, who choose to cease to work,
from so doing.
The Boycott.
1T also becomes our duty to condemn an
other less violent, but not less reprehensi-
BILE, form Of attack upon those rights and
liberties Of the citizen which the public
opinion of civilized countries recognizes and
protects. The right and liberty to pursue
a lawful calling and to lead a peaceable
life, free from moestation or attack, con-
Germs the comfort and happiness of all men,
and the denial of them means destruction
of one of the greatest, If not the greatest
of the benefits which the social organiZa-
ton confers. What is popularity known as
the boycott "a word of evil omen and I'M
happy .origin) Is a form of coercion by
which combination Of many persons seek
to work their will upon a single person. or
upon few persons, by compelling others
to abstain from social or beneficial business
intercourse with such person or persons.
Carried to the extent sometimes practiced
in aid Of a strike, and as was in some in
stances practiced in connection with the
late anthracite strike 1t is a cruel weapon
of aggression, and its use immoral and anti
social.
ITO say this is not to deny the legal right
Of any man or set Of men voluntarily to
refrain from social intercourse or business
relations with any persons whom he or
they, with or without good reason, dislike.
This may sometimes be unchristian, but 1t
Is not Illegal But when 1t is a concerted
purpose Of a number of persons not only to
abstain themselves from such intercourse.
but to render the life of their victim miser-
able by persuading and intimidating others
so to refrain, such purpose is a malicious
one, and the concerted attempt to accom-
plish it is conspiracy at common la NV and
merits and should receive the punishment
due to such a crime.
Examples.
Examples Of such secondary boycotts'
are not wanting in the record Of the case
before the commission A young school
mistress, of intelligence, character and at
tainments was SO boycotted, and her dis
missal from employment compelled for no
other reason than that brother not living
in her immediate family, chose to work
contrary to the wishes and will of the strik-
ing miners. A lad about fifteen years old
employed in drug store, was discharged,
owing to threats made to his employer by
delegation of the strikers ON behalf of their
organization, for the reason that his father
had chosen to return to work before the
strike was ended. In several instances
tradesmen were threatened with a boycott
that is. that all connected with the strikers
would withhold from them their custom,
and persuade others to do SO, If they con-
tinued to furnish the necessaries Of life to
the families of certain workmen who had
come under the ban Of the displeasure Of
the striking organizations This was carry
Ing the boycott to an extent which was
condemned by Mr.. Mitchell, president Of
the United Mine Workers of America In
his testimony before the commission. and
which certainly deserves the reprobation of
all thoughtful and law-abiding citizens.
Many other instances of boycott are dis
closed in the record Of this case.
Weak Attempt at Justification.
Some weak attempt was made at the
hearings to justify the boycotts we have
been describing, by confusing them with
what might be called for convenience sake
the primary boycott. which consists merely
in the voluntary abstention Of one or many
persons from social or business relations
with one whom they dislike. This indeed
might amount to a conspiracy at law If
the ingredient of malicious purpose and
concerted action to accomplish It were
present but whether this be so or not the
practical distinction between such a boy
colt and the one we have been reprobating
is clear.
1T was attempted to defend the boycott
by calling the contest between employers
and employees war between capital and
labor, and pursuing the analogies of the
word, to Justify thereby the cruelty and
Illegally of conduct on the part of those
Inti 81 ri % aol, L.