The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-06

be found whom necessity compels. and
the unions permit, to sell their labor to
employers using the respective sys-
tens: and this is conclusively shown
by the tenacity with which such en-
ployers have fought for the rights of
their employees in this respect. in the
courts of New York, South Carolina
and Georgia.
That employers or any other set of
anti-union citizens are fighting bat
tie for the rights of non-union work
men is not true, as the non-union
wOrkingmen and passive labor desire
the shorter hours and higher pay for
which unions strive as much as the /
workingmen who are willing to nght
for them, while the socalled right OF
every individual Ito sell his labor to
whom he pleeses and under any con-
ditions he sees fit"' is not right or a
privilege, but a necessity or apparent
necessity. On the other hand organ
| lied labor, striving as it does for re-
munerations, rights, mad privileges
which all workingmen without excep- |
| ton desire. is fighting non-union and
! passive labor's battles just as truly as
| the revolutionary patriots fought for |
the liberties of timid non-combatants
and unconverted Britishers. Then as
now the opposition and non-committal
| elements were looked upon by enthu-
siasts as traitors to the cause.
Mr.. Parry's Argument Analysed.
| Let us look into some of the specific
allegations of Mr.. Parry. Does or
ganized labor demand that individual
and property rights be suspended in
behalf Of labor?
| A union shop carries on it's business
entirely unhampered by the unions,
! except as to the relation with it's en-
ployes, which is only a small part of
| the business management. The union
demands for the workingmen such
| measure Of elf-government as entities
a man to a hearing when he has a
grievance instead of subjecting him to
the arbitrary mandate of the employ
err; and the union, of necessity, to
| maintain its very existence is driven to
| employ the "closed shop" principle, to
| prevent the employment Of Chinese
coolies and other temporary and UNI
American allen residents, the employ
ment of child labor, or the employment
or non-union men, even tho rate
higher than the union rate is temper.
arily paid, as all such employment
would result in the displacement of
union workmen and the breaking up
Of the union. After the union has
been suppressed only the men who are
essential to the running Of the shop
receive fair pay, Nwhile the others get
comparatively unskilled man can do
fairly well. under the direction Of a
capable man. Certainly the union
stands, in principle, for the rights of
the many individuals against the exac-
tons of the few and for the rights of
the man who is tied as a slave to his
particular vocation (being too old to
master new lines of work after mas
terlng his trade), against the zdollar
which never grows old and is always
equally expert in all vocations and
!, lines of work.
mo Mr.. Perry may be right in say
ing That the fact that present condi-
TONS are more favorable to working
men than earlier conditions, is not en-
tirely due to organized labor: He will
certainly admit that labor has had to
flght inch by inch from slavery condi-
tons, upward by degrees to present
standards, and it must be logically
conceded that the labor forces organ
lzed can accomplish more than they
did when not so organized. Much Of
, the amel1oration of the working
mans condition was brought about by
legislation, which legislation was in
tended to prevent and did prevent the
petty 1nsurrections and riots that were
features of the early labor troubles.
, 1t Is safe to say that there is to-day
no extensive avenue of EMPLOYMENT
in the country that is not affected di-
rectly or indirectly by union standards,
lnsur1ng better pay and more consid-
i, crate treatment of workingmen. The
industry, demanded by the unions for
the Workingmen is combatted with the
same arguments that were used
against the granting Of political rights
to-day enjoyed by the citizens in a
free commonwealth; and our gov
eminent employs the closed shop prin-
ciple, too. and for the same reasons as
the labor unions, against Chinese, an.
archists, and others who endanger its
existence.
Does Capital Recognize the Rights Of
Individuals? S.
In answer to this question 1t i:
necessary only to call attention to the
following facts:
! State laws must be invoked to com
pei employers to institute the mos
necessary appliances for the safety o
: workmen; after usurious capital ha
secured from the farmer practical
I. control of his crop on it's own terms, il
advance Of the harvest, speculative
capital forces an artificial price on tn
food of the masses; longer hours AM
less pay follow the victory of capita
in labor strike-witness the ten-hou
day for eight-hour pay in the Mime
apolis mills since the strike, excep
where men hold essential positions
Men of capital have robbed the com
ID monwealth Of a large share of the hes
n timber, agricultural and mining land
a. | LndC SnOulu nave belonged TO tn
m homesteader but was diverted to tn
. possession and use Of the capitalist
without paying to the state proper
tionate revenue, by means Of per
nicious laws forced by them onto tn
or, statute books and kept there to-da
.ty against the will Of a long sufferin
az public. A president, admired by tn
mt people, may go down to defeat be
sly cause the capitalstic interests wish t
nd see the rights Of the people sus
'ut pended and they may accomplis
III their purpose, because they can a
ways influence a certain portion
Ia. voters, by the use of money directl
~. or indirectly, either to help elect the
~ minions or to defeat workincmen VIII
, o. are striking for conditions enablin
me them to live as BELTS American
IN. Capital is being boarded by increa
ted ingly greater and more dangerous il
nan dustrial despotisms. which are tt
s os greatest menace of our free institl
tiy tons. They overawe executive, legi
se lative and judicial government on tt
DO one hand, and incite by their injusti,
ual the anarchistic opposition of IL
"a "a wronged. Organized labor is the mo
e,Is powerful resisting force unfolding tt
to rights Of the many against these ind
Ids viduals.
. Mr.. Parry Would Cheaper Produc
by Decreasing Wages and Increa
the Demand for Labor by Inducil