The Honesdale citizen. [volume] (Honesdale, Pa.) 1873-1908, 1908-08-06

or mine, sufficiently great to equnl the
difference between the cost Of produC-
tion abroad aud at home und that this
difference should, Of course, include
the difference between the higher
wages paid IN this country and the
wages paid abroad nuI embrace rea-
sonable profit to the American pro
Queer. a system Oi protection thus
adopted uud put in force has led t.
the establishment of II rHte of wages
here that has greatly euhunced the
standard Of living Of ia" lJbOIug man.
1t is the policy " the l.crullicaI party
permanently to continue that standard
Of living In 1sg7 the D!ugey Tariff
Bill was passed under Wh.,h we have
had. us already said II pertod Of enor-
nous prosperity
Necessity For Revision Of Tariff.
The consequent material develop
ment has greatly changed the cuudl-
tions under which many articles de-
seribed by the schedules of the turln
are now produced. The tariff IN a
number OF the schedules exceeds the
difference letween the cost Of produc-
tiun of such articles abroad and at
home, including reasonable profit 10
the American producer The excess over
that difference serves no useful pur-
pose, but offers temptation TO those
who would monopolize the production
and the sale of such articles in this coun.
try, TO profit by the excessive rate. ON
the other hand, there ure some few
other schedules In which the tariff is
not sufficiently high to give the meas
ure OF protection which they should re-
ceive upon Republican principles, and
as to those the tariff should be raised.
A revision OF the tariff undertaken
upon this principle, which IL at the
basis of our present business system,
begun promptly upon the incoming OF
the new administration, and considered
at a special session with the prelimi-
nary Investigations already begun by
the upproprut" committees Of the
House und Senate. will make the dis.
turbance of business incident TO such
a change NJ little as possible.
Labor and What the Republican Party
Has Done For II.
We come now 20 the question VI Ia
Dor. One important phase Of the pol
been an anxiety to secure for the wage
Garner an equality of opportunity and
such positive statutory protection as
shall place him on a level IN dealing
with his employer. The Republican
party has passed an employers lahi-
ity net for Interstate railroads. and hus
established an eight hour law for gov
eminent employees and on government
construction. The essence of the re-
form effected by the former is the
abolition OF the fellow servant rule,
and the introduction Of the compara-
tive negligence theory by which an en-
ployee injured In the service of his
employer does not lose his right to re-
cover because OF slight negligence on
his part. Then there IL the act pro-
viding for compensation for injury to
government employees. together with
the various statutes requiring safety
appliances upon interstate commerce
railroads for the protection Of their
employees, and limiting the hours OF
their employment. These are all in
stances Of TIE desire Of the Reput-
lican party I. 70 justice to the wage
sive nsasurs for compensation of gov
ernment employees will be adopted in
the future
To give to employees their proper
position In such a controversy, 10 en-
able them TO maintain themselves
against employers having great cap
ital, they may well unite. because In
union there is strength and without 1t
each individual laborer and employee
would be helpless. The promotion Of
industrial peace through the instru-
mentality Of the trade agreement is
often one Of the results Of such union
when intelngently conducted.
There is a large body OF laborers,
however. skilled and unskilled, who
are not organized into unions. Their
rights before the law are exactly the
same as those of the union men, and
are to be protected with the same care
and watchfulness.
In order TO induce their employer
Into compliance with their request
for changed terms Of employment.
workmen have the right To strike in u
body. They have u right TO use such
persuasion us they may, provided II
does a.t reach the point Of duress. to
lead ter reluctant co-luburers TO Join
them IN their union against their en-
ployCr, ana they have right. II they
choose, 10 accumulate funds to support
those engaged in strike. to delegate
to officers the power to direct the ac-
tion of the union. and to withdraw
themselves ana their associates from
dealings with. or giving custom to
those with whom they are In coutro-
versv.
What Laber Cannot Lawfully Do.
What they have not the right 10 do
Is 10 inJure their employers property.
To- injure their employers business by
use Of threats or methods Of physical
duress against those who would work
for him. or deal with him. or 10y car
rying on what is sometimes known as
secondary boycO against his Gus
toners or those with whom he deals.
II has l'een claimed that lujunrtions
do not issue 10 protect anything but
property rights, and that business IL
not property right; but such Il propO
sition il wholly Inconsistent with all
the decisions Of the courts. The Su
preme Court of the United States says
that the injunction Is a remedy 10 pro
tect property or rights Of II Iecuniary
nature aud We may we'll submit 10 the
considerate Judgment Of all laymen
whether the right of mau In his bust
ness IL not rs distinctly right of
peCuuary nature as the right TO his
horse or his houS" or th" stock of goods
on his shelf. aud the instances IN
which luJuuctiOus to protect business
have leen upheld hy all courts are 80
many that II is futile further 10 discuss
the proposition.
II Is difficult 10 tell the meaning OF
the Democratic platform upon this sub
Ject. II says:
Questions Of judicial practice have
arisen especially in connection with IN
dustriul disputes. We deem that the
parties TO all judicial proceedings
should be treated with rigid impartial
fly, and that inJunctiOns should not be
issued IN any cases IN which injunc-
tions would not issue II no Industrial
dispute were involved"
This declaration Is disingenuous II
seems 10 have been loosely drawn with
the especial purpose Of rendering II
guagaptII,la IA pup IutprDrpto tim ltV uup