The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-01-30

If the champions of the nou-un-
ion shop are SO proud of their
stand in the matter and SO conyin.
ced of their own fairness and wis
dom We really fail to see why they
should object to the publication of
that fact.
If as they claim, the public is
with them and disapproves of un-
ions and their method of 'scollect-
i've bargaining, we should think
that the publication of the fact of
n firm declining to pay union wa
geS or concede union hours would
be its best possible advertisement
and one that would be eagerly
sought. Not so it seems. The
Bucks Stove and Range Co. judg.
ing from the terms of the injunct-
ion desires to stiile the voice of Ia
Dor and enforce a continuous and
unbroken silence on the subject of
its bad standing with union work
men.
If Mr. Van Cleave's opposition
TO the union shop is Il matter of
honest and conscientious convict
ion we should think he would
writhe in pain under an injunction
which prevents the publication of
that fact.
The very injunction proceedings
from which Justice Gould quoted
Judge Taft, and other precedents
he mentions, were cases in which
the injunction privilege was abused
by being wrongfully applied Two
wrongs do not make right in an
injunction any more than other af.
fairs of life.
No person can be compelled to
buy an article. If the purchaser
chooses to let alone certain products
for any reason or for no reason
there is no way of compelling him
to buy.
The publication of the Bucks
Stove and Range Co. on the "We
Don't Patronizc' list of the Amer.
lean Federation of Labor is only
an incident in the history of the
case. These stoves might have
been let as severely alone by pur-
chasers if they had never been
mentioned on that list. 1t is not
the matter of removing that firm
from the list against which we pri-
marily protest, it is this iniunct-
ion invading the freedom of the
press,
1t is true that there do exist il
legal combinations and conspiracies
for the purpose of unwarrantable
interference with business, or even
its destruction, but these are not
organized by wage-workers. The
criminal conspiracies in restraint of
trade are organized by private
trusts, by rascally promoters, by
unscrupulous manipulators of fl
nance.
| The air is filled with the lamen-
tations of innocent victims of such
conspiracies, but do we ever hear
OF these pirates in the business
world being eDjoined from contin-
ulng their depredations or threat
ened with contempt proceedings if
they do not desist from their un-
lawful practices which even involve
property rights. Never! These
ihJ uhStiohS dIe applied 10 wage
workers exclusively though they
involve personal rights and liber-
ties. IT is THE DENIAL OF EQUAL
ITY BEFORE THE LAW AGAINST
WHICH WE PROTEST.
We earnestly hope that public
opinion on this subject will be so
compelling, so widespread, and so
intense that Congress will at an
enrly date crystalize into statue
law the expression of this feel
ing by enacting the American Fed
Grafton of Labor bill s'to limit and
regulate injunctions'' which is de-
signed to restrain the improper use
OF the injunction power and to pro-
tect rights which have been un-
warrantably invaded.
Labor's watchword and policy
of mo Wage Reduction has al
ready justified itself and proved of
wonderful beneficial result to the