The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1904-02-24

man who does not
belong to the union from obtaining
work at any wages he may be willing
to work for?
mo"
II never heard you say so before"
said jenkins rather ruefully. 81 bet
the cigars with Judge Sawyer that you
would say yes, and it looks as If
have lost"
"You certainly have lost" declared
the colonel. "lf there Is any one opin-
ion fixed in my mind, 1t is to the effect
that no man or combination OF men
have a right to interfere In any way
in preventing another man from doing
any honest work for such wages as he
chooses to accept"
81 was confident that such was your
belief and so informed our friend Jen.
klns," smiled Judge Sawyer "Ic was
equally positive that you would defend
the policy of certain Of the labor unions
to the contrary"
"1f you think the unions have no
right to do as they do why do you not
denounce themT' asked the puzzled
postmaster. "Thc way the labor un-
ions are carrying on at the present time
is an outrage. If they have no right to
do these things, it is about time they
were stopped"
"DO not hold me personally responsi-
Bile, Jenkins" protested Colonel Mon
roe 81 did not organize these unions
and so far as know have no influence
with them There is no especial rea-
son for becoming excited because they
are doing that which they have no
right to do. If they directed their
course along the straight and narrow
path of legal and moral rights you
would laugh at them. We live IN an
age when the question Is not, What are
our rights! but is more accurately eX-
pressed by the question, What arc our
nights? Men are not solicitous about
the exact limitations OF their rights
but govern their conduct and deter
mine their policy by eXacting all with
in their might or power. The same
rule holds true with corporations, dis
tr!cts. states and nations When we
watch great nations ignore the legal
moral and sacred rights of weaker and
dependent uatlons: when we see great
corporations braZcnly defy the laws
them; when we know that the world is
ruled today not by the law OF right, but
by the hand Of might, there is no call
to become mduly excited because the
labor unions have followed and prof.
lted by these examples. 1t is wrong,
Of course and | have not word to
say in defense OF such policy rs an
abstract question of ethics"
"Thcrc IS nothing more sacred than
the right Of Il man to work." asserted
Judge Sawyer
NONSENSE" exclaimed Colonel Mon
roc. There are lots of things more
sacred than the right TO work. rs you
call 1t. | should say TINT the right to
right TO work"
Every true" asscntCd tile judge. "but
tho average man hns 10 work In order
to live. Deny him that right. and you
have practically sentenced him to
death"
"Granted. my dear Judge. but you
speak as If the right to work were
something that man once had and has
lost. hold that the right OF man to
work and to secure to himself the pro-
ceeds of his labor is an absolute and
inalienablo right, but that 1t has been
repealed ever since the present wage
or industrial system was installed. His
right consists solely in the privilege OF
asking for work. He has the right OF
petition. Ills prayer may be refused
again and again until he and his wife
and children perish from starvation"
''At least you will admit that man
should not be lnterfered with In his at
tempts TO secure employment" amend
cd Judge Sawyer.
"You might as wen assert that book
canvasscr should not be retarded in bis
efforts to sell his wares" returned
Colonel Monroe. "You have the right
to refuse to patronize him, and all 9th
ers have tho same right. No one is un-
der moral or legal obligation to buy
his books, and he may perish or become
an object OF public charity without So