Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-25

antitrust law have been IN cases
where the combinati tion or contract was
in fact unfair, unreasonable, and
against the public interest.
Encourage Trade Agreements.
"It is important that we should en-
courage trade agreements between
employer and employe where they are
lust and fair. A strike is a clumsy
weapon for righting wrongs done to
labor. and we should extend, so far as
possible. the process of concillatlon
and arbitration as substitute TOT
strikes. Moreover, violence, dlsorder'
and coercion, when committed IN con-
nection with strikes, should be as
promptly and sternly repressed as
when committed in any other connec-
tion. But strikes themselves are, and
should be, recognized to be entirely
legal. Combinations of workingmen
have a peculiar reason for their ex-
istence. The very wealthy individual
employer, and still more the very
wealthy corporation. stand at an enor-
nous advantage when compared 10 tne
individual workingman; ana Wnlle
/ there are many cases where II may
not be necessary for laborers to FORM
a union, in many other cases 1t is IN
dispensable. for otherwise the thou-
sands of small units, the thousands OF
Individual workingmen, will be le1t
helnless in their dealings with the one
big unit, the big individual or corpo-
rate employer.
"rwenty-two years ago, by the act
of June 80, 1886, trades unions We're
recognized by law, and the right OF Ia
boring people to combine for all laWfui
purposes was formally recognized, this
right including combination for mutual
protection and benefits, the regulation
of wages, hours and conditions OF Ia
bor. and the protection of the lndlvld-
nal rights of the workmen in the pros
ecution Of their trade or trades; and IN
the act of June L. 1898. strikes were
recognized as legal in the same pro-
vision that forbade participation in or
instigation of force or violence against
persons or property, or the attempt TO
prevent others from working, oy vlo-
lence. threat, or intimidation. me
business man must be protected IN
person and property, and SO must the
farmer and the wageWorker; and as
regards all alike, the right of peaceful
combination for all lawful purposes
should be explicitly recognized.
Employers Right to Combine.
"The right of employers to combine
and contract with one another and
with their employees should be ex-
nlicitly recognized: and so should the
right of the employees to combine and
To contract with one another and with
the employers, and to seek peacaoly TO
nersuade others to accept their views,
and to strike for the purpose OF peace
ably obtaining from employers satls-
factory terms for their labor. Nothing
should be done to legalize either a
blacklist or boycott that would be
illegal at common law; this being the
tvne of boycott defined and condemned
nv the Anthracite Strike Commission.
"The question of financial legislation
| is now receiving such attention in both
houses that we have a right to expect
action before the close of the session.
IT is urgently necessary that there
should be such action. Moreover, ac-
tion should be taken to establish pos
tai savings banks These postal saw
ings banks are imperatively needed FOR
the benefit of the wageworkers and
men of small means. and will be a
valuable adjunct to our whole financial
system.