New-York tribune., 1903-08-24
LABOR USIoyIsTs AND UNION ABUSES

LABOR UNIONISTS AND UNION ABUSES.
The recent conviction Of Laurence Murphy of
having stolen $4,000 of a labor unions money
intrusted to him. and the evidence produced in
his defence that the money was extorted from
contractors by Murphy and the members of the
strike committee Of the union evoke this COM
ment from "The Advance Advocate Of St
Louis the organ Of the international Brother
hood of AIaintenance-of-W Way Employees:
The boodling methods Of Murphy and his con-
federates have drawn forth columns of denun-
cations of abor organizations in general from
the organs Of plutocracy which seek to create
ply is but legitimate outgrowth of unionism.
Ihey are overlooking the very important fact
that the Murphy incident is not the first in
stance OF crooked dealing and illicit money get
ting IN the history of this country, although it is
pIoDdply tue HIst III Wnlcn a prominent labor
man Inquired SO dIsgracefully a labor organiza-
tion is, like other human institutions composed
of men to some extent endowed with the frail-
ties of the hum race, and it is a very narrow
Drained bigot indeed who will condemn a whole
race of people a class of people, or even a
class organization, because individual mem
Der or members of the race or class or organiza-
tion occasionally commit grave offences against
the statutory laws Of the country and repuI-
sive to every sense of morality and justice
This comment is perfectly just, and, so far
as the public comment on the Murphy incident
has been Of the nature indicated, it deserves
tAdI answer TFeat corporations. men IN high
office, leaders in the Church, have too often
been guilty OF crime to make the exposure of a
dishonest labor unionist a plausible reason for
the condemnation of organized labor. But the
revelations which have lately been made of
corruption practsed through the instrumental
ity Of labor unions have led to some criticism
OF organized labor which is not disposed of by
any such plea. 1t is not fair to blame a body
OF men for the rascalities of few among them
but 1t Is just TO ask them not to rally around
the rascals and treat those who try to punish
them as enemies Of the cause OF organized labor
mat has been too much the attitude of labor
unions and II is responsible for some of the
unjust criticism which the labor organ resents;
Tor when people see unions rushing forward TO
prevent the punishment of blackmailers whom
they should wish TO see punished if for no other
/ reason than that their practices bring disgrace
on the unions, they not unnaturalv copcIuda
that the unions do not really object 10 black
mailing. II is just the same as when unions
rallied TO defend rioters and denounced as enc
mics those whose only function and purnose
was 70 keep order. All the assurances. how
ever sincere. of devotion TO law and order
went for nothing in face of practical Il blind
and unintentional, alliance with disorder.
We do not fail 10 make allowance for the
force of partisan spirit The faithful have
more than once risen up TO stone as enemies
Of the Church those who pursued merely the
men misusing the offices OF the Church Human
nature everywhere is inclined to this weak