The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-02-02

lockouts and labor warfare is Battle
Creek. Mich.
The storyg The work people. mer
chants, lawyers, doctors and other citi
zens became aroused and indignant al
! the Efforts OF the labor unions through.
out the country to destroy the bust,
ness OF one OF our largest industries
the Postum Cereal Co, Lid, and at the
open threats IN the Official union pa
pers that the entire power of the Ma.
ticnal and State Federations OF Labor
was being brought to bear to punish
the industries Of Battle Creek. and
particularly the Postum Co.
This sprung from the refusal Of c.
w. Post TO obey the orders OF the
unions to take the Postum advertising
away from various papers that refused
TO purchase labor OF the labor trust
the unions.
Mr.. Post was ordered 70 Join the
unions in their conspiracy to ruin"
and put out OF business" these pub
fishers who had worked faithfully for
him for years and helped build up hts
business. They had done no wrong,
but had found Il inconvenient and
against their best judgment to buy
labor OF the labor trust. Il seems a
rule Of the unions to conspire TO ruin
anyone who does not purchase from
them upon their own terms.
An inkmaker or papermaker who
failed to sell ink or paper would have
the same reason to order Post to help
ruin these publishers. So the ped
der in the street might stone you II
you refused to buy his apples: the
eabman to run over you II you refused
TO ride with him; the grocer order the
manufacturer TO discharge certain
people because they did not ~patronize
him, and 70 on to the ridiculous and
villainous limit OF all this boycott
nonsense, in trying 10 force people TO
buy what they do not want.
II q man has labor to sell let him
sell II at the best price he can get Just
as he would sell wheat, but he has no
right to even intimate that he will OBJ.
struct the business. or attempt It's ruin
because the owner will not purchase
of him.
The unions have become so tyran-
nou and arrogant With their despot-
ism that a common citizen who has
some time 10 spare and %innoceutiy
thinks he has a right 4 put a little
paint on his own house finds he must
have that paint taken OF and put on
again by the union" or al SORTS OF
dire things happen 10 him, his en-
ployer Is ordered 70 discharge him. his
grocer Is ~boycOtted Il he furnishes
him supplies. his family followed and
insulted and his life made more mis-.
cradle than that Of a black slave be
fore the war. II he drives a nail TO
repair the house or barn the carpen.
tiers union hounds him. Tie takes a
pipe wrench to stop a leaking pipe
and prevent damage 70 his property
and the plumbers ~uninn' Toes things
TO him. He cannot pat a little mortar
10 a loose brick on his chimney OF
the bricklayers'. p%lasterers' or bod
carriers union Is Mp in arms. and II
he carelessly eats a loaf OF bread tina,
has no union" label on IL the bakers
union" proceeds 10 make lie nicer.
able for him.
SO the white slave is tied hand and
foot. unable 20 liu a hand TO better
himself or do the needful things. with.
out first obtaining permission from
some naughty. ignorant and abusive
tyrant OF some labor union.
Il would all seem rather like a comic
opera II Il did not rob people OF their
freedom; that kind Of work M not
be permitted long Ia America.
Some smooth managers have built
up the labor trust in the last few
years. to bring themselves money and
power and By managing workmon.
have succeeded In making a possible
Tor them 10 lay down the Law Ia some
cities and force workmsn and citizens
10 obey" implicitly. stripping them
right and LETT Of their liberties.
They have used boy cottlne, picket
ing. assaults. dynamlting of property
and murder 10 enforce their orders and
rule the people. They have gone far
enough 10 order the President To re.
move certain citizens from ONCE be
cause the unions weren't pleased.
That Means they propose to make
the Law OF the unions replace the law
o. This government and the union lead.
dominate even the chief Execu.
tive.
This is q government OF and for the
people and no organization or trust
shall displace Il. But the unions try
II every now and then. led b. desper.
ate men as shown In their defiance OF
law and support OF I~awbreakers.
The union" record OF assaults.
Gripping OF men and even women and
children. destruction Of property aud
murder OF American citizens during
the past two years Is perhaps ten
times the volume OF crime and abuse
perDetnated by slave owners during
any two years previous 10 the civil
We are Ia a horrible period OF
l%etharey. which permits as 10 stand
idly by while "a American citizens
are abused. crippled and murdered Ia
and hundreds BY an ~organixa.
ton Or trust having for lts purpose.