Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-17
100000 100000,
PEOPLES PULPIT.
The Law of Individual Liberty.
By R. Williams, of Keb.)

Nbf ~. w VI INtu.J
Editor of Courier: In taking up this
question it is my aim to discuss individual
rights of all men given them under the con-
stitution and laws. 1t must be conceded
that each and every individual has right
to pursue any lawful business or vocation
in any manner not inconsistent with equal
rights of others and this right is not in
creased or diminished by the fact that he
becomes a member of a coal operators asso-
citation or labor organization or any other
voluntary society.
The coal operator, whether he be an in
dividual or belong to corporation. has
right to conduct his business and control
his property in any manner not inconsist-
ent with the equal rights of others. He
has right to employ such help as he
chooses. being responsible to his other EN-
ployes for any neglect in choice of compe-
tent fellow laborers, and society owes to
him the duty and the obligation of protec-
ton in this right against all unlawful eff
| forts.
| On the other hand, the laborer whether
! ne belongs to an organization or Is an
humble outsider in the great system that
! governs labor. has an absolute right to
contract for his services with whom he
peases, and the right to contract carries
with it the right to determine the rate of
compensation and all of the terms and con-
ditions of the employment except such as
may be regulated by the laws of the state.
Having these rights, which have been mu-
tually covenallted to protect it is the duty
of the state to insist that they shall not
be encroached upon either by individuals
or organized bodies of individuals under
any pretext whatever. For the very idea
of the power and the right of the people
to establish a government makes 1T the
duty Of every individual to obey the estab-
| lished government
TT 1,h NOT only n riobt
| to contract for his services but he has a
right to determine whether he will sell his
| services to any particular individual or cor
| poration. He has a right in the absence of
I contract to the contrary to refuse to
work for any one. He has a right acting
without threat or violence to persuade his
| fellow laborers to refuse to work for any
! given person or corporation, and it must
| be remembered the right which belongs to
| the individual is not lost to collection of
| individuals.
| labor organization has a perfect right
| to do collectively what any of its indiVldu,
| al members might do. That is it has a
right to do ANYTHING for its own welfare,
| which is not inconsistent with the equal
| rights of its other members.
| Ii is to be hoped time and experience
| will correct this evil. The ranks OF
| the laborng men have been filled up with
| those who have not been trained up to dis
tinguish between their own personal rights
and the rights of others. As result they
have acted in too many Instances upon the
1 assumption that as an organization they
4 had rights, which they would not have as
individuals In other words. have the pow
er to go beyond the limitations fixed upoI
| the individual and thus are liable to en-
croach upon the rights of others, and this
encroachment has been resisted at times
unlawfully until between contending forces
IN 80 itrl afriti p1nt n
a condition of warfare is thus engaged il
resulting in public disturbance and
condition bordering on anarchy.
This is manifestation of the mob spiri
which has for its national result the crush
ing out of individual liberty and it canno
serve the true welfare of any man or me-
whether they are employers or employees
In this letter am not to be understood
as condemning labor organizations
or the coal operators association
or any combination Of individuals that wor
, for the good of their own ends. loo
tupon labor organizations as the logical rt
suit of experience of the times, and til
result of our economic system hence
any criticism. it is in the interest of tn
labor organization. state. and nation. whic
, has been guarded by too much indiffei
ence in the past, both by the individual
; and corporations. as well as associations
in dfsregarding the fundamental rights q
men and to- assume Il disregard for tn
law as well. In so doing they have soug
to adjust by force and lntlmldatlons Ihei
own controversies.
The rights Of the working man are nc
safe when he is forced into refusing tina
employment which is essential TO his lif,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness an
the best welfare of the state and natlo
! demand that there shall be no compulsio
exercised over the individuality any con
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