The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-10-07

arrogant determination of a few self
constituted union leaders who, I'M
der existing rules and regulations, ex-
ercised tyrannical control over thou
sands of unionized wage-earners,
whose practical interests were ignored,
to run the business of the community.
He cites numerous examples to show
that this determination was expressed
and accompanied by criminal acts, such
as maltreating non-union teamsters
surreptitiously removing linch-pins,
cutting traces, impeding stalled teams,
and parading men with 'placarded
collars in front of stores, which did
not surrender to the dictation of the
unions. These methods he character
ICES in very strong terms. as European
and not American, as the attempted
substitution of government by ignorant
and unprincipled Cars for American
institutions, and as a stupid effort by
these pretentious incompetents blindly
followed by a few score of thousands
throughout the country, to overturn
the Declaration of Independence and
to obliterate personal liberty among
eighty millions of Americans. He sug-
gests. as the outcome of the strikes
fully demonstrated, that, after reckon
ing with their own consciences," those
of the strikers, leaders and rank and
file, who had projected and were seek
ing to execute this absurd scheme,
would also consider whether they are
sufficiently powerful to defy the Amer
lean people, and warns them not to
Invite and compel the assertion of a
power they cannot hope successfully to
resist
THE striking unions says Mr..
Highton, having applied every capt.
talistic mode of concentration to their
own ranks, in which no account is
taken of diversity of gifts or energy,
but all stand upon common level, de-
liberately seek to drive employers into
an alliance with themselves against
the entire people of the United States
This attitude is not only illegal, but
absurd.
1.-THE vital necessity of the times is
to hold both capital and labor within
the law, and to compel both to respect
individual liberty, which is the most
precious inheritance of Americans
Mr.. Highton quotes figures to show
the progressive reduction of hours and
the increase of wages, until there is
scarcely a word of dispute anywhere
quires:
What, then, is the bone of conten-
ton, but the aggressive assaults of a
limited number of wage-earners upon
every form of industry and enterprise
not controlled by themselves
However, as all thoughtful citizens
have done, he disavows the imputa-
ton of criminality against many of
the unionists, who had been involuntar-
lily dragged into an appearance of law
lessness. Nobody" he declares,
will deny the intelligence and respect
ability of most of the rank and file of
unionized and striking wage-earners,
nor of the millions of non-unionized
wage-earners, equally under the pro-
lection of the law and secured at least
theoretically in their individual lib
erty." He justifies free speech, where
it can be applied without force or in
trusion,' which he carefully discrimi-
mates from intimidation.
''All men have a right to work" he
asserts, and Furthermore that "if a
laborer or a mechanic does not wish to
join a union, he does not become an
outlaw by that fact, which also does
not confer upon union man the right
to smite him in the mouth"
He thinks, as events are now prov
ing, that there may be "a reorganiza-
ton of certain unions in the United
States upon basis that would elimin-
mate illegal and tyraunical features
and supply the means for reas-
enable educational facilities and for
recreation, and thus command the
sympathy and the respect of the Amer
lean people, without distinction of
class, sect, or party and admits that
lin 1900 there are unions and unions
and there are entire systems of COM
binations of capital and of labor that
move together in almost unbroken
harmony" He alludes pointedly to
the fact, which Mr.. Mccarthy, an in
teligent leader. had mentioned, that
the San Francisco unions that could
have produced the greatest pressure
in favor of the strikers, had remained
aloof," and proceeds: Il can readily
conceive of a case in which I and mil
lions of american citizens would re-
joice to see every workingman in a
community turn out, even to aid an
unimportant union" The American
q