The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-27
IS THERE A BOYCOTT?

= i
friends Of tho union car men now on
strike are trying to aid them In their con-
test with the Passenger and Power Com
pany by threatening to boycott any one
who rides on the cars. and thus to In
lure their business, IL they have any.
and so deter them from using the cars.
we trust that these reports are greatly
exaggerated and that, If such spirit
and purpose exists at all, 1t is very linz
tied, and will be abandoned.
It seems to be forgotten that the very
existence Of the street car line is for the
convenience Of the public, and not for
the sake OF the owners OF the company.
The franchise was given by the city for
the operation OF the cars in order that
the public might have convenient and
cheap means Of transportation, and not
that a certain number of individuals might
make money. The public is only re-
motely concerned whether these indvid-
uals make any money or not. If one set
OF stockholders should lose all they
have in the enterprise. another set will
take 1t up and carry It on, so that the
public t.4ast may get ITS service regard
less eQSthe losses OF individuals. the fun
damental idea and purpose being that
the public should enjoy the best service.
The convenience afforded by street car
lines is such that the public have be-
come absolutely dependent upon them
for their comfort and for proper atten-
ton to business. It is terrible hard
ship upon the aged and infirm to be de-
prived OF the means Of transportation for
short distance, and even to the most
vigorous to have to walk miles when
they ara amply able to pay the five
cents required for transportation. 1t
seems almost like an absurd thing to say
to a workingnan who is getting good
wages and who lives, 1t may be. long
distance from his work, that he will
have to get up at an unreasonable hour
and exhaust himself by miles OF walk
going to his work. and after the days
labor exhaust himself still more in re-
turning to his home, merely to deprive
the company Of few cents. which they
are much better able to do without, than
he Is 10 waste his energies In useless
walking. It does look like biting off
your nose to spite your face.
In a Western city, we think 1t was In
dianapolis. where similar boycott was
attempted. and was for a while a serious
interruption to the business Of the town,
the citizens at large finally united in y
body and stopped the whole thing, but
not before a great deal of bitterness and
misery had been entailed.
But besides the discomfort and unreal
sonableness of such methods. 1t Is well
established In law thar such a boycott Is
entirely unlawful. We take the following
from an exchange:
Recently a case was decided In Chi
cago in which the boycotters were held
liable for damages in warning the mer-
chants not TO patronize or sell goods to
any one who was holding out against
the strike. The fact that the boycott
was not a corporation was held not to be
material. Every man of the union. as
an individual, was held liable for dam
ages. In the union there were many mer
of property. accumulated BY hard work
and these men will have TO respond ir
damages for voting with the others II
favor of the boycott, The result OF this
suit should teach men who are sueabl
that it Is unsafe to take part in boy
colt"
But, above NIL, the people of Richmond
ought TO dwell together in unity
Whatever rights the labor unions have
they are fully and Justly entitled to Sc
cure by processes which are perfect
lawful and efficient There Is no occa
sion for going outside of the law an
adopting course which will excite AMI
mostly and bitterness between peopl
who ought to be friends, and which i'm
poses injury and Injustice upon innocen
spersons who have no part whatever Il
the dispute between the railroad compan
and its car men. We know tho fact tina
some OF the best informed Of the labo
union people deprecate the boycott as
source of greater Inconvenience and ir
jury to the people than the railroad
and, above all. as a source OF bitter
ness and strife which should not ext.
among the people of Richmond,
=-=-=---=.------=
REGISTER.