Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-02-03

Suppose an American In foreign
city should be chased by 4 mob. cnught
and beaten unconscious. then his
mouth pried open and carboi!c acid
poured down his throat. then his ribs
kicked in and his face well stamped
with iron nailed shoes. murdered be-
cause he tried TO earn bread for his
children. by the Eternal. sir. u Meet
of American men OF war would assem-
BILE there. clear for action and blow
something on the face Of the earth.
II PREPARATION wero not made for the
blood of one Of our citizens.
And what answer 80 We make TO the
appeals OF the hundreds OF widows
and orphans o! those Americans muir
dered by labor unions7 How do We
try to protect the thousands OF intclii'
gent citizens who. with reason. prefer
not to Join any labor union and be
subject to the tyranny OF the heavily
paid rulers OF the labor trusts?
Upon n firm refusal by MIR. Post to
Join this criminal conspiracy gen
eral boycott was ordered on Grape
Nuts and Postum NIL over tho coun'
try. which vet the good red blood oil
our ancestors In motion. brinEin.
forth the reply that has now passed
into history: We refuse to Join any
conspiracy Of organized labor to ruin
publishers. nor will We discharge
any OF our trusted employees upon the
orders OF any labor union. II they
can make their boycott effective and
sink our ship. We will go down with
the captain on the bridge and In com
mRnd.'
This set the writer's In labor papers
crazy and they rcdoublcd their abuse.
Finally one Of their official organs
came out with large double column
In Pronunciation OF BATH. Greek. call
inE II "A running sore on tho face OF
Michigan" because II would not be-
CON. organized" and pay In dues to
their labor leaders. The usual coarse.
viilainous cplthcts common To labor
union writer's were INDUCED In.
The result vas To weld public sen
;imcn, In Battle Greek 10. protection.
A citizens association was started.
and mass meetings held. Good cit'
s"ns who happened 10 be- members OF
local unions. In some cases uuit the
unions entirely for there Il small need
of them there.
The working people of Battle Creek
arc of the highest order Of American
mechanics. The majority are not
union members. for practically all OF
the manufacturers have for years de-
rlIncd to employ union mon because
Of disturbances about eleven years
ago. and tho union men now m the
city are among the bca; citiscns.
No city In the state OF MICHIGAN
pays rs high average wages a. BATH"
Creek. no city of its size IN as proc.
porous. and no city has SO large a pro-
portion Of the best grade OF mechanics
Who own their own homes.
So the work people masHcd together
~,,h the other citizens Of the organI'
sation of the Citizens Assn with the
following preamble and constitution;
Whereas. From 1891 to 1894 the
strikes instiTa,cd by labor unicns In
Battle Greek resulted In the dcH'ruc'
lion Of property and loss of large
sutna of money In wages that would
have been expended here: and,
Whereas. These acts caused serious
damage TO the city and in market
way delayed Its progress at that time:
and.
Whereas, Since the year. 1894 the
citizens have been enabled, by public
sentiment. to prevent the recurrence
Of strikes and labor union disturb.
ances w,'-h have been prevalent else.
where: and,
Whereas. The employers OF this city
have sicadfaStly refused to place the
MANAGEMENT of their business under
the control OF labor unions. but have
maintained the highest standard OF
wages paid under like conditions any.
where in the United States. and here.
by unanimously declared their Intent
to continue such policy: and the ON.
ployes OF this city. - large percentage
nf whom own homes and have famI.
lies reared and educated under condi.
lions of peace and the wcll.carncd
prosperity of steady employment, have
stuadfastly maintained their right as
free American citizens to work with.
out the dictation and tyranny Of labor
union leaders. the bitter experience of
the past offering sufficient reason for
a determined stand for freedom. and.
Whereas. The attitude of the citi.
zens ON this subject has been the
means OF preserving peaceful cOndi.
tions and continuous prosperity. in
marked contrast to the conditions cN.
isting in other cities suffering from
the dictation of trades unionism: II Is
therefore
Resolved. That the continuance OF
peace and prosperity in Battle Greek
can be maintained. and the destructive
work of outside interference avoided
under the combined effort and action
of all our people. by the formation OF
a Citizens Association.
CONSTITUTION.
Article Name.