The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-02-04

good water, irst-class railroad facili-
ties and the best grade Of fair, capable
and peaceable mechanics known.
Details given upon inquiry of the
"Secy. Of the Citizens Assn"
Identification.
The public should remember that
there are a few Labor Unions conduct
ed on peaceful lines. and in proportion
as they are worthy they have won
esteem, for we, as a people, are strong
ly in sympathy with any right act that
has for its purpose better conditions
for wage workers. But we do not for
get that we seek the good of all and
not those alone who belong to some
organization, whereas even the law
abiding unions show u~ndeniable EVIL
dences of tyranny and oppression when
they are strong enough, while many
of the unions harbor and encourage
criminals in their efforts to force q
yoke of slavery upon the American
people. As a public speaker lately
said: THE arrogance of the English
King that reused the fiery eloquence
of Otis, that inspired the immortal
declaration of Jefferson, that left war
rem dying on the slopes OF Bunker HUI
was not more outrageous than the con-
ditions that a closed shop would force
upon the community. These men burst
into rebellion when the king did but
touch their pockets Imagine II you
can their indignant protest had he
sought to prohibit or restrict their oc-
cupation or determine the conditions
under which they should earn their
livelihood" and to assault, beat and
murder them, blow up their houses n
poison their food if they did not sub
nit.
The public should also remember
that good true American citizens can
be found in the unions and that they
deprecate the criminal acts Of their
fellow members, but they are often in
bad company.
Salt only hurts sore spots. SO, the
honest, lawabiding union man IS not
hurt when the criminals are ~enounced
but when you hear a union man "hol-
Ter" because the facts are made pubic,
he has branded himself as either one
of the iawbreakers or a sympathizer,
and therefore with the. mind OF the
lawbreaker, and likely TO become one
when opportunity offers. That is one
reason employers decline to hire such
men.
A short time ago inquiry came from
! the union forces to know ii Mr.. Post
would keep still il they would call
off the boycott on Postum and Grape
Nuts.
This is the reply: "The labor trust
has seen fit to try to ruin our business
because we would not join its criminal
conspiracy. We are plain American
citizens and differ from the labor union
plan in that we do not force people to
strike, picket, boycott, assault, blow
up property or commit murder.
We do not pay thugs $40 to break in
the ribs of any mar who tries to sup
port his family nor $50 for an eye
knocked out.
We try to show Jul plain, honest re-
gard for sturdy and independent work
men by paying the highest wages in
the state.
We have a steady, unvarying respect
for the ~law-abiding peaceable union
man and a most earnest desire to see
him gain power enough to purge the
unions Of their criminal practices that
have brought down upon them the
righteous denunciation of a lons,suf-
fering and outraged public, but we Will
not fawn, truckle, bend the knee, wear
the hated collar Of white slavery, tho
union label, nor prostitute our Ameri-
can citizenship under orders Of any
labor trust.
You offer to remove the restriction
on our business and with union gold
choke the throat and still. the voice
raised in stern d~enunciation OF the
despotism which tramples beneath an
iron shod heel, the freedom OF our
brothers.
You would gag us with a silver bar
and muffie the appeal to the American
people to harken to tine cries for bread
of the little children whose faithful ia
Tiers were beaten to death whi.e striy-
ing to earn food for them.
Your boycott may perhaps succeed 10
throwing our people out of work and
driving us from business, but you can
not wrench from us that priceless jewel
our fathers fought for and which every
true son guards with his life There
fore, speaking for our work people ana
ourselves the infamous offer Is de-
clined."
POSTUM CEREAL CO., LTD