Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-05
QUESTION or RIGHTS.

ISL
Labor nnionism has received two
unpleasant shocks lately In the de-
cision in regard 70 employing non-un-
ion men in government work an
nounced BY the president. and in the
decision handed down by Judge Rog
ers OF the United States Circuit court
in the labor injunction case of Boyer
ct al VS.. the Western Union Telegraph
company.
Az to Mr.. HeesereIt,s announce
ment that onnnionists should not be
disseminated against in government
departments. ii IL impossible to see
how he could have reached any other
decision, even If he felt that BY 50
doing he would ALLEVIATE the entire la
Dor vote In his coming campaign. For
The constitution Of the United States,
which he haa sworn TO uphold, declares
that every citizen possesses equal
rights and does not even intimate that
membership In D labor union should
be the test OF such rights. And the
supreme court has ruled that eligibil-
ity 70 government employment Is In
cluded In those rights.
1t is probable that labor unionists
who were deeply gratified for Mr..
R~ooseyelt's Intervention In the great.
coal strike will be reasonable enough
to see that when their demands are
IN direct violation or the constitution.
no president who Is worthy of his
trust will yield 10 them.
In the second case cited, that Of six
union men against the Western Union
Telegraph company, II was claimed
that defendant had been dismissed
from service because Of membership
In a local union, that q conspiracy Elk.
listed On the part Of said company to
break up the union, and finally that
tho company maintained a so.called
black list. The court refused the In.
junction suit and sustained the com
pany on every point. 1t held that the
Western Union company had a perfect
right 70 discharge any employc, grant
Ing that no contract be violated, for
any cause or without assigning any
cause. He further held that there
could be no such thing as a conspiracy
to commit such a lawful Act, And he
finally held that the Western Union
company has d perfect right to main
tain a list containing the name u dis
charged employees. the cause Of their
discharge and to furnish such q Hist
70 their fellow employers, provided
only that It's contents be truthful.
This lis a very clear cut decision
throughout and is interesting because
OF the wide application Of the points
covered.
There are many things which organ
ICED labor can accomplish and in do
ing which 1t can elevate and better III
condition. But one thing II q no,
accomplish, and that is TO compel IA
employer TO hire incompetent labor
and TO prevent competent men outside
or Its ranks from securing employment
II charity ruled the world. and ths
golden rule were tine measure Of con
duct, labor would have no need TO or
ganixe for protection against the OPP
preston Of employers. and employers
would have no need to resist the I'M
reasonable demands of labor. But I'M
fortunately we have not yet reached
such a perfect stage OF social econ
omy. Therefore, the interests or these
two great factors Of the ~indnstria
world often seem TO conflict and eacf
acts as a check upon the other.
When the employer or the union l,
not guided by wise counsel and actu
ated by a high purpose either is 'likel,
to use Its power for selfish and un
worthy ends. When. ms has recent,
been done In Chicago. the employer
and the union combine and conspirs
together In order to Cypress the gen