The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-09-03

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Popsr Read Before the Chd,aauqua Circle.
II RELIEVE that prior to the fall of
our earliest ancestors it was the
intention that humankind should
spend their lives in one continual
ronBd OF pleasure without labor of any
kird. After man sinned, however, it
seems that he was doomed to labor and
the command went forth, "By the
sweat Of thy brew shalt thou earn thy
daily bread" @
While in those days labor may have
been considered penalty, we have
since learned that 1t is boon, in fact q
necessity to cur existence, an import
ant element in our progress and a
means to happiness and prosperity.
The right to work is therefore God
given right and also right guaranteed
BY the constitution of the United
States.
1t woHld seem then that whether we
work because of divine command or
because OF the necessities of our ma
ture, that we have the perfect right to
do so without interference on the part
of any one so long as we do not inter-
fere with the personal rights of others.
But in these days of trusts and labor
unions such is apparently not the case,
for even IL q man is willing to work
and must do so in order to earn daily
bread for himself and dependent ones,
he must 6rst affiliate with an organiza-
tion whose leaders will tell him just how
many hours he is to work, how much
he shall produce, what compensation
he is to receive and make him subject
20 the orders Of walking delegate.
Now there are great number of in
telhgent naen who do not care to join
IN organization that takes away their
individuality and the question is, have
these men q right to work? The labor
unions say they have not and in vari-
eus ways attempt to prevent them from
earning living. During strike the
non-union men stay by their employ
nent and others very much in need of
work secure long looked for job and
what happens? They are frequently
set upon and beaten by gang of
tOughs banded together as labor un-
ion. True, these men often take the
place Of strikers, but in so doing they
are simply exercising their right as free
men and American citizens to take po-
sitions which are offered and to earn
their living In strictly law-abiding
manner. Acts Of violence against the
non-union man are of daily occurrence
during strike, but we have yet to
hear Of labor union expelling its par
ticipating members or passing resolu-
tions condemning such disgraceful
proceedings, and by their failure SO to
do, they give their approval to the per-
petration of crime against the per-
sonal liberty of the individual.
All men have right to organize and
all fair minded men will approve the
principle and applaud the aims of la
Dor unions as set forth in their consti-
tntions, believing that the workingmen
throngh united action can do much to
better their condition. But they have
no right to demand that the individual
be compelled to unite with it before re-
eeiving employment. Neither can they
expect the endorsement of the public
when they resort to acts of violence re-
sultine from the denial Of the right of
every man to sell his labor to whom he
pleases and on such terms as to him
seems best. ANY man, union or nom
union, has right to quit work if dis
satisfied with his wages or hours of
work, but he has no right to interfere
With the man who takes his place.
Some people will say, Why don't all
hboring men join the union and thus
avoid this continual strife? If this
we're done it would be an easy solution
Of the question. They don't, however,
and there must be some reason for SO
many men remaining outside the fold
Of unionism, especially as it seems to
be fact, that Of the two classes the