New-York tribune., 1907-07-01
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
POLICE AND STRIKERS.
Wyiter Thinks Men Should BE Dealt
7cifh More Harshly.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

Sir: In your editorial the drivers strike in
the Street Cleaning Department you omit the most
important protest they make against the tyranny
of the department, which is the sidebo9rds on
the carts" thus enabling rich city in its petty
economies to take the bread out OF the mouths u
of would-be drivers. Is II any wonder scit-Te-
specting drivers should go out. when the de-
partment is inconsiderate Of the rights Oh
workingmer"?
However. New Workers. as class, are not
anxious about providing employment for lanoGins
men in these days. when work at fabulous WIseS
is open to all classes able to do manual laoor-
Mayor Mcclellan was none too early in turning the
whole garba sc business over to DR.. Darlington ahd
he takes hold II he meant business. ~ Is now
''uu TO- Police Commissioner Bingham TO see that
the aew men are protected, and with pVotecuoa
every drivers place can be filled In fe" houfS
with as good better men than the graft ser
that is now on strike. Hundreds of owners or laTSA
buildings are and have been, paying private carriers
for the removal of garbage rather than submit 10
the eXaCtIons of these same drivers VINO reiuseu
10 handle it unless they were paid 70: doing so
I have noted in all these strike outrages that
with the rarest exception, no arrests OF strikers
made. Men willing 10 work are mobbed. beaten
and killed: the police sometimes appear on the
scene. but if any is arrested it is the men who
want TO work Who ever heard of a striker in our
city being tried for violating the law? Even wheh
deliberate and premedita ed murder was proved, as
the at the Plaza Hotel and not rev
others. property wrecked and destroyed. hundreds
of men beaten and injured. many OF whom died.
the perpetrators Of the ouraSes go free under the
plea of 'the rights OF labor"
The head of every department In the city ought
TO have il known. and in an emphatic way. that
any employe. from the highest 10 the lowest going
on strike will he dishonorably discharged, and VIII
not employed again while tho powers that be
are conducting affairs II IS absurd that the busl-
ness of any department of the city should be sub
ject to the orders of "a walking delegate. AMI
that well paid employees. protected by Civil Service
rules should have II In their power TO quit on
moments notice.
The same rule ought to apply to employees OF the
state and nation. The telegraphc report OF the
strike OF delivery men Boise, II correct
ought to be met by order from the POSTMASTER
General dishonorably discharging every one OF
them and ordering their arrest and trial for con-
spiracy 10 interfere with the transportation and
delivery of the United States mails the United
States being the prosecutor.
The time ought not to be far distant when all
public servants, employees of railroads telegraph
and other public utilities indispensable 20 the pub
lie should to be under the control OF "a walk
ing delegate or a labor council; and while their
rights ought 20 be jealOusly guarded. the "te-up
of the telegraph service of a city or OF the coun-
try, of street lighting OF street or railroad
systems. any department of public service
should be criminal the part Of those directly
or indirectly causing II. Corporations may and do
give poor service In many cases. but none Of them
would dare discontinue their service, and they are
open Indictment for neglect but labor organtza-
tions have no legal existence. and in many cases
murder. arson. riot and intimidatou- OF all kinds
are the favorte methods used 10 obtain their ends
The trial now In Idaho shows the anrnus OF
some of the labor leaders Of the day. T. X q.
New York City, June 29 1877.