The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-13
WHAT or THE rUrUREs

tcring any of the mechanical trades or occupations. The tendency of true Americanism is to be independent and free from dictation, and the higher the intelligence of the man the less he is disposed to submit to coercion. A man of proper spirit and right feeling can lily bear to have others tell him what he must do. what he must charge for 1t and when he must stop. He wants to feel free to make his own contracts, and free from responsibility to any one but his employer. Tn short, The true and genuine American doesn't fancy wearing a collar or putting on a badge of servitude.
 1t matters not what may have been the original intent and object of union- Ism. 1t has now reached . stage where no man can belong to . labor union and remain free. He Is at the mercy of tyrant more exacting and domineering than the Czar of all the Russias. He never knows at what time he may be ordered to quit work. without any de- biE0 VI HE SWHs L1S may O0 tuOEVu8h~ ly satisfied with his job. his pay and
 his employer. but that counts for noth-
 ing. When the union boss or the walk
 ing delegate orders a strike he must
 quit work, even though the act leaves himself and family totally without
 means of support. He has a collar on
 his neck and a badge of servitude on his forehead and is no more a free man
 than were the African slaves of former times.
 gent and liberty-loving Americans he's itate to enter a mechanical trade under such conditions? When a man joins a labor union he is no longer a free man. The man who joins 1t voluntarily as- sumes bonds from which he cannot re- lease himself. He works with a collar on him and is in constant dread lest he be told to lay down his tools. He never knows that he will be allowed to make a living or when he will be- come a loafer. And at the same time it is becoming each day more difficult for a non-union man to get a job. He
 Is practically boycotted or marked. and is shut off from work wherever it is possible for the unions to do it. And if he gets a job that is in all respects
 satisfactory to him, he can never tell at what hour a strike may be ordered and he be forced out along with the union men. There is really nothing to encourage a young man to become a mechanic.
 A still more serious result of the con- tinued encroachments of unionism will be to drive capital away from any bus mess that requires the making of con- tracts or the employment of labor The uncertainties attending such invest ment of capital are becoming more ap- parent with every day that passes. be- cause 1t almost invariably happens that strikes are ordered and carried out just when they will cause most trouble, ex- pense and embarrassment to contrac- tors or employers. Just now there are coal strikes in various places. involving thousands of men, and threatening the loss of millions of dollars to the mine owners and contractors. Why are these strikes and lockouts prevalent just at this time? Plainly because this is the season of the year when the demand Thousands of firms. individuals ard in dustries lay in their winter supply of coal before the cold weather sets in. This is plain to the union leaders and walking delegates and they know that the contractors will allow themselves bled and imposed on rather than fail to carry out their contracts. They are held up. and that's all there is about 1t.
 And 1t is so in almost every industry. A man has a contract for the erection of large building, or a costly bridge, or something of the kind, and is under bond to complete it within a certain time. This affords the opportunity for the bosses to order a strike Know ing the tenure of the contract they re- alize that the contractor must either yield to their terms or lose much money. and perhaps lose a large forfeit, even If he does not lose his contract entirely. In plain words, he is in a po- sition where he must suffer himself held up and robbed because he can't help himself.
 , So 1t goes on. The same thing occurs in the mills. the factories and all other industries. Both the workingmen and the contractors are at the mercy of the union bosses and the walking dele gates. The former must quit work when ordered even if it means starva- tion for those dependent on him. The latter must submit to any kind of ex- tortionate demands or throw up their contracts. It is a game where intol. erance wins from both sides. It need excite no wonder if capital gradually seeks channels where 1t will not be at the mercy of unions. No one need be surprised if intelligent, highminded young men refuse to enter a trade where they can no longer call their souls their own. Unless there is change for the better the time is fast when all subordinate me- chanical positions will only be desired or accepted by men who have no self respect or independence. for no other class will willingly submit to become vassals or serfs.