The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-24

To the Editor of the India napolis Journal:
Every man. woman and child with a
heart must admire the outSp0ken attitude
of President Roosevelt toward the millions
OF unorganized employees who are at the
mercy of the mere handful OF organized
employees in the several profitable trades of
the land. True, he could not do otherwise
If he sees that laws are impartially and
faithfully enforced, but 1t is not every ex-
ecutive that dares to face such combina-
ton as organized labor is, and the Journal
has rendered valuable service to these un-
organized millions by repeatedly calling at
tention to the fact that, without dissent
ing opinion, the most eminent jurists Of
the world have held that it is the duty Of
the state to protect every employe in his
divine right to work any place, at any
price that he and his employer may agree
upon. 1t is to be hoped that in due time
the enforcement of this law will bring all
trades unions to a recognition Of the
rights of the millions not in the unions,
while their respective organizations may
continue to benefit employers and employees
alike without detriment to any. But now
comes a much more threatening and op-
pressive class of -unions-unions of pro-
ployes as are bricklayers or carpenters, and
they are amenable TO the same economic
laws as trades unions are, and they are en-
titled to no amenities that these are not.
The most formidable of these, because as
yet the best developed is the doctors
union, which is composed of all possible
pathies and of no pathy at all, having a
common object in view, namely, to prevent
nonunion men and women helping the State
unless they can show union card in the
shape of State license TO practice medi-
cine In one respect they are ahead %, o, OK
union has yet attained law which pre-
scribes penalties for accepting employment
by nonunion man or woman. All trades
unions have to this date relied upon harass-
ing nonunion men and women by calling
them ugly names and by occasionally as
saulting a few, but no other union has ever
asked court to punish by fine or impris-
onment, or both, an employee that accepts
service, not having a card TO show that he
or she is in good standing in the appropri-
ate union. am informed that a case OF
this kind-the first ever made in the world.
so far as L can learn-iS now pending in
our Criminal Court. Its outcome will be
watched with interest the world over, be-
ing test case. AS 1 understand ii, a
Christian woman, member OF Christian
church in the city, being about to become
a mother, employed a sister member of the
same church TO be present professionally
at the confinement; but she had no union
card and is now to answer for the violation
of the law prepared by the doctors union,
winch 1OrDldS anybody 3 accepting employ
ment in such cases without the card pre-
scribed by law. This is not interesting to
the doctors of the world only but to the
preachers and lawyers and others as well.
Ii doctors may unionize and keep nonunion
doctors from accepting employment, why
may not the preachers? Surely there is a
large lot of bungling preachers that can't
begin to pass a satisfactory examination
before a State board of preachers selected
on purpose to keep cheap preachers from
practicing their profession and accepting
employment to the detriment of the COL
lege-bred preachers who think they know
il all. True, the common people hear them
gladly and they have in many cases very
large congregations, but what Is State for
if 1t cannot protect educated preachers,
seeing that many of them preach to much
smaller congregations than these uneducat-
ed men do?
But if the courts sustain this law by
sending this sister to Jail because she cam
not or will not pay the assessed fine, that
will be only the beginning. AT the convo-
cation of the colored BaptistS last week in
Indianapolis one of the best educated and
most eloquent speakers, referring to his
personal experience, said among many 9TH
er good things II was very sick, but / sent
for the elder, my pastor, who laid his hands
on me and prayed and / got WE'LL This
was greeted with immense applause In the
form of amens and hallelujahs by the as
ISOLATION, but il will De sneered at by the
unionized doctors, for that man had no
card from the State authorizing him to heal
the sick but sneers will not prevent mil
lions OF people from believing in the old
Bible: besides, this old elder is liable to
be indicted for practicing medicine without
u. L. SEE.
Aug %