Arizona republican., 1904-04-28
PHoENIx. ARIZONA, APRIL 2S, 1so4
4 Courageous Union.


 The Carriage and Wagon Workers union O fthe city of Chicago did thing the other day which will place that union on a proud eminence in the esti- nation of the public. The organiza- tion, finding that one of it's members had assaulted and slugged a non-unior workman, punished the offending mem Der by fine and by prosecuting him in the police courts. It is a safe as sumption that the Chicago Carriage and Wagon Workers union is com posed of self-respecting Americans.
 It called for courage, perhaps, for the against it's law w-breaking member, but it is the kind of courage which is bas- ed upon the highest intelligence and most enlightened self-interest. It can not be questioned that during the past two years the cause of union labor has suffered beyond measure because of the violence and general law breaking of striking union men. Especially has a deep prejudice been created in the public mind by the ferocious assaults upon non-urion workers. In theory. unicnism means a regard for the in- terests of every workingman. In prac- tice, where violence has reigned, 1t has meant the prescription of all workers who have failed to join the union.
 While listening to the yawping of walking delegates and jawsmiths about the oppression" and cruelty of cap- itai, misguided workingmen have vis- ited upon their fellow workers a great CT degree of oppression and brutal cruelty than the most tyrannical en- ployer ever thought of infiicting upon any laborer-for never yet has any employer, however degraded, made war upon helpless women and chil- dren. Only last week, a mob of strils- ing miners in Pennsylvania chased a. non-union miner across town and into his cabin and out of it again, and as he to death. Meanwhile, other members of the mob set fire to the cabin. and the non-union miners wife and chil- dren were burned alive. The story as recounted in the dispatches contained 80 little that was surprising that news editors treated it as of little iInpor- tance.
 It may be freely conceded that the strikers who destory property commit assaults and do murder, form but q small percentage of the total member ship Of the unions involved. In fact there Is no dispute on this point But where the average union is at fault is in failing to deal sternly with the law breakers. The intelligent members of the unions recognize that the whole cause of unionism ss Grievously injured by the few criminals in the organiza- tionS, but the usual excuse is: "We must make the union as strong as pos sible, and we cannot refuse to admit these objectionable men into the or ganization."
 As matter of fact, 1t weakens the unions to give the law-breakers any recognition or standing whatsoever. And when actual violence is committed by the aw-breakers. a false theory of standing by the union" leads the great majority in the organization the men who deprecate all violence to keep quiet and give the mob lead CTS a clear field Accordingly, and much as it is to be regretted, unionism has fallen into more or less disrepute. The American people would prefer 10 approve union labor in every way. Ev- erything which is intended to better the condition Of mankind has, in the abstract, the cordial support of the people. But lawlessness will not be tolerated. and the organizations which engage in the breaking of contracts which encourage a disregard for the rights of the individual, and which fail to aid in the punishment of law breakers, must suffer the consequences of public condemnation.
 The Carriage and Wagon Workers union of Chicago has earned the praise of every citizen who wishes to see the republic endure.