Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-26
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SATURDAY EVENING, SEPT 4
BE DECENT AND S

the Santa Fe New Mexican publishes
an able article dealing with the labor
situation III Albuquerque. The AIbn-
quergue papers are evidently afraid
TO protest against the unwlse and i'm.
just proceedings OF members Or the
central labor union down there. At
least not a protest was raised against
the nnheard action OF the central body
In appointing q committee TO wait on
all the people OF the city to ask them
TO discharge men for no other reason
than that they do not belong 10 a
union, The Optic believes that In or.
ganized labor Hes the greatest hope
for the working d But the organi-
cation must be on intelligent grounds
and the great mass Of workmen must
not be made the tools OF ignorant agi.
tators such as form the leadership OF
the Albuquerque central labor union.
II better sense Isn't manifested, I'M.
lon labor will be killed In Albuquer-
que. Whether the papers dare speak
for them or not the citizens down
there are prepared to yield to no un-
Just demands,
The people Of America have already
declared themselves upon several
propositions relating to the labor ques.
tion, and 1t were futile to attempt 70
controyert the will OF the people. They
have declared that workingmen have
= perfect right 70 organize and that
any discrimination against them on
this ground by employers Is tyr.
amy. They have declared. also that
working men have q perfect right 10
leave their work In n body. II no o
tracts are broken. and this two. do
spite the silly rulings Of some courts.
They have declared that organized Ia.
Dor has every right to bring every rea-
sonable pressure upon employees 70 80
cure better conditions and upon other
working men to induce them to Join
unions.
But the sovereign people have also
said that It ls Just as right that the
man who exercises his free will aud
does not join a union should have the
privilege OF working II anyone chooses
20 employ him. Unspafingly the peo'
ple have condemned acts Of violence
and bloodshed. This question must be
settled on its merits. Unless union
labor adopts intelligent methods u
will o the battle. And there Is
grave danger. In these unsettled times
that the unwise action OF a few lead
ers will disrupt the whole splendid OF.
eanizatIon, which has In II tho promise
of such infinite good. The
Knights Of Labor has sounded the
warning, the. peerless leaders barrow
and Mitchell have sounded the warn.
ing. and the thoughtful labor man the
United states oycr is inclined to heed.
AS the New Mexican says 70 be wise
and decent and just in the great move
ment is the solution Of the labor prob
lem.
The New Mexican article follows;
aThe unions OF Albuquerque are try.
Ing their best TO ruin the prosperity
~ that city BY closing II % all but
union men. The result Is easy TO pre-
dict. Factories and mills do not %
cate where coerciye measures are TAX.
en- 70 prevent union men from
working and the Atchison. Topeka 4
santa Ne railway has more than once
shown its disposition TO run It's rail-
way system the way IL pleases without
asking let or leave Of any union The
contemplated removal Of The shops
from La Junta on account OF an un.
called for strike by union men should
be d warning 10 Albuquerque laboring
men that something Of that kind may
happen II the unions become too az.
roeant. A house 10 house canvass "
being made at Albuquerque 10 induce
every employer Of labor TO discharge
nonsunion men for no other cause
whatever than that they are not mem
beers OF q labor union. Labor Unions
have their place Of usefulness and can
and DO help the workmen except when