The independent., 1903-05-07
ORGANIZED LABOR
Mr.. Plain Discusses the Rights of Organ
lied Labor-Embodied in Our
Fundamental Principles

cussion of the subject of the Purpose
of Government, we may have been
like the mariner, who in dark and
gloomy weather wandered hither and
thither, and perhaps crossed the path
that led to some haven, but as the
clouds cleared and the sun came into
view, the love of safety was so strong
in his heart that he wished to see the
sun, SO that he could discover how far
the storm had drifted him out of the
path of safety; SO it is with us: we
were searching for justice, the pOlesta-
which guided the trainers of the Dec
laration of Independence. The franz
ers of the constitution had no other
purpose in view than to make justice
and liberty the chief corner stone of
our government. We really wantei
the readers of The Independent to get
back to the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, SO that they could see where
we are today. How far the elements
of corruption and political stratagem
had shunted the purpose of our gov
ernment till today it is the instru-
ment of political harlotism and the
servile tool of plutocratic creed.
The Declaration of Independence
was built up and brought into per-
petuity by the great maxim that "all
men are created equal" What made
that declaration sound and logical was
it made the citizen politically free and
made possible social progress. The
simple declaration that all men are
created equal" was the parent of the
principle that governments derive
their just powers from the governed"
The natural tendency of the citizen
who believes that all men are Gre
ated equal Snd that governments
derive their just powers from the gov
erned" is to dispense Justice to all,
privileges to none'
The mariner by misfortune, may BE-
cast upon the rocks. The people, by
ignorance or contempt for the rights
of each and every citizen, are respon-
sible for the oppression and political
crimes, which tester and purify the
body polite. There is only one ave-
nue. by which the people can fre,
themselves from political perfidy, that
is, to zealoasly guard the rights of
each and every citizen as vigorously
as they guard their own lives.
In a previous article in which We
endeavored to square the rights of
capital to organize by the principle
that ii any organization was. detri-s
ment to the masses or was not organ
lied for the purpose Of more thorough
~ working its natural field, but was
for the purpose Of destroying all
bounds and making complete mo-
nopoly; if that was the great purpose
of organization, then such an organi
Zatlon was not compatible to the great
maxim, equality to all, privileges t..
none,"
We would rear that principle as {.
standard test of the rights of any
class to organize. II any organiza.
tion clogs the natural channels of
commerce, so that the fruits of labor
is shunted into the hands of the few.
then such an organization Is not
good, but an evil.
AS to the rights of labor to organ
ize is one so full of equity that one
hardly need discuss it. But there are
some things which might be studied
and thought about, so that by re-
search and reason one may see the
justice of, strict construction of the
rights OF each and every citizen. We
must realize that the government is
not the patrimony of the few, and tia:
governments highest and noblest pur-
pose is to dispense justice; govern
ments are to regulate and guard the
rights of all men; they are not to en-
rich the few at the expense of the
many. Governments are the means
by which the people are to enjoy thei.
Inherent rights.
The rights of labor to organize is
embodied in the great principle which
is SO fundamental to the enjoyment
of liberty. Life. liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness guarantees to each
and every citizen the freedom of pre-
serving not orly his own life, but the
life and liberty and other natural or
inalienable rights of his fellow citi-
zen.
In adjusting organizations of any
kind to the great principle that f
such an organization is detrimental
to the commoIweal, or does not take
into consideration the rights of each
and every citizen; such an organiza-
tion is not compatible to the welfare
of the greatest number, therefore does