The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-22
TUESDAY, DECEMBER ., 1908.
Individual Rights.

a. a INDIVIDUAL Kl6ntS.
IIarper's Weekly is publishing a series
4pf articles by John Keith, entitled "stran-
& ale Hold Of Labor" In which the writer
undertakes to show the influence Of or
Eanized labor upon human affairs. There
i! are four OF these articles The first ono,
printed November 18th, considered the
effects OF strikes in the building trades
or various cities especially in New York,
! resulting in increased rent; tho second,
4 published week later, dealt with the prob
lem Of transportation, showing what loss
ana misery It Is possible for labor unions
Il, bring on the whole country by con-
trolling the means of distribution; tho
third article. in the current Issue, Is con-
earned with the Influence Of organized
labor on tho cost Of livng and the price
4 Of food.
.The facts. which Mr.. Keith sets forth
IN this article" says the editor. .'are not
n novel, nor obscure.
Most Of them will DO recognized as
heretoforc published in tho newspapers
But il is highly Instructive TO have them
gathered and put together as he has done
i it. The labor unions have, indeed. got q
etrangle-hold on the people Of this coun-
Try. II bchooves every citizen and voter
to consider carefully what they have
done, what they are DOING and what they
will do If they can, and to ask himself
what are the proper limits of their pow
crs,{ and by what processes they are TO
be restrained within those limits. The
unions include altogether only Il conf
yaranvey small fraction Of our popula.-
Ai,n a. ~
n strength and advantage that they arc
able In an extraordinary degree to i'm
u rose their will on the whole country"
II Nj. Keith says in tho conclusion Of
his last article that ut is a question how
long the voters Of our cities and Of tho
country Mt largo will tolerate these raids
upon their pockets, and upon their very
rights to live without tho coercion and ty-
lanny Of a few INSCRIPTIONS leaders Of
organized labor" The fact Is the voters
have very little to do with It.. The
cannot compel men to work when they do
law cannot prevent strikes. The law
not choose to work. The law cannot pre-
vent men from organizing themselves into
labor unions, and standing together FOR
their own protection. Its the right of Ia
boring men to organize: it is their right
to set price upon their labor; ills their
right 10 refuse to work for a reduced
& scale OF wages, or upon any terms that
all such organizations will be responsible
in any craft Gan succeed In organizing all
tile members Of their craft. thoy will be
:.b:e TO make their own terms, and men
may employ them or not, as they please.
Every man has an inalenable right to
his own labor. and he may dispose of It
y or not dispose OF It as lie chooses. The
law cannot Interfere,
The only thing tho law can do Is to
prohibit tho labor unions from interior
ing with the rights of others. The mem
hers Of union may make rules for them.
4 selves. but not for outside laborcrs. They
may prevent their own men from working
upon terms which do not suit them. hut
they may not prevent outsiders from do
Ing so. They may refuse to work for all
ird!vidual or a corporation upon terms
81 hich do not suit, but they may not, IN
ton from employing nonunlon men, upon
terms that they may agree mutually
upon.
Moreover, VIC believe that the time will
come when labor unions will be held re,
spopSible In law for the unlawful acts o
their members. That principle has beer
declared in England. In the TaffNalc de
cision, and recently similar decision
was rendered by Judge IIodom. O.
Chicago. The Franklin Typographical
Il Union declared strike on Septembe
9th. and after various acts Of violence
the court, on October 10Th granted an in
junction against the union, restraining IT
employees from interfering with those VIII
had taken their places, Evidence wa
uroouced 10 show that the union member
had violated the contract, whereupon tn
court imposed fino Of one thousand dol
lars. the specific offense being contemp
of court 1t is true this labor union wa
Incorporated under the laws Of the Stat
OF Illinois, but whether incorporated o
nor. the time will come we believe, whe
A nll such organizations will be responsibl
in law for any unlawful acts which the
may commit,
III cur government the Tight OF the In
diyidual must be upheld In law and pre-
tected by the courts, and those who tres
pass. whether they be individuals or a
organization of individuals, must be AN
VIII be restrained by law. otherwise III
very foundation stone of Our goyernmer
will have been removed. and tho s,ruc
turs will fall.
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Party Factions,