The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-25
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eral district of Alabama. But no fur ther evidence was needed to convince those who are open to conviction. Events which have transpired' in many sections of the union in recent years should have been conciusive It comes down to the plain. seif-evident fact that organized strikes are not only un- fair and unjust. but that they have be- come an actual menace to our civiliza- ton. They are destructive to peace and quiet. subversive of law and order. and a direct incentive to crimes and excesses which no government can permit without losing the respect of the civilized world.
 The labor unions and their suppor- ters have much to say about the rights of labor," but most of them cannot or will not look on but one side of the question. Labor has the same rights that capital has; no more and no less. The banding together of laboring men in an oath bound. iron-clad union is one side: the banding together of all employers in an equally inpervious confederation would be the other side. The unions demand that nothing but union labor shall be employed. Sup pose all the men of means all em- ployers of labor should take the posi- tion that no union man should be em- pioyed--where would be the differ ence. In theory or ethics? Each side could fairly and logically take the position that it was simply protecting It's own interests, and neither could dispute the claim or have right to complain of it. The employers have the same moral, legal and constitu- tlonal right to protect themselves and their interests that the workers have The right of one is no more absolute than the right of another. If one has a right to prevent any but union men obtaining employment the other has an equally absolute right to say that no union man shall be employed. There is no disputing the equity. fair ness and propriety of this argument.
 It is idle to say that a general and organized strike can be carried through in an orderly and peaceful manner. That assertion is dlscredited everytime there occurs a general strike. The leaders and managers of a strike; those who order 1t and have control of it, may be honest and sincere in their desire and intention that there shall be no disorder, no violence and no in- fringement on the rights or property of others, but they ought to know by this time that when a strike gets fully under way they can no more control it than they could control cyclone. This is especially true of strike In a mining district, because of the eharac- ! ter of some of the workers. No one will deny that there are honest. indas- trious Iawabiding and peace-loving men working in the mines. just as there are in ali other industries. but will any one claim that all are of this character?
 Take the Birmingham mining dis trict as an example. We all admit that there are good men among the miners. but all must be equally aware that among the large numbers enl- ployed there are men of quite a diff ferent character. They are foreigners who know little of our laws and care less. They will work doggedly, indus triously and quietly until the strike Is ordered and then they are ready for any kind of lawlessness. The hidden savage in them comes out and the labor leaders lose all power to con- trol them, however honest and sincere may be their efforts. Not only has mans right to work been taken from him. though that is crime of itself, but that is not the worst. Men have been murdered in cold blood. houses have been dynamited. the lives of peaceful citizens have been endanger- ed. traffic and travel have been inter fered with. peace and order have been set aside and the laws of the State not only openly flouted but have been subverted and set at naught An actual and literal reign of terror has been and Is now going on until the fair name of our State has been grievousIy shamed
 All this Is true. as every one knows who has kept up with the course of events in and around Birmingham. and can any one say that this is a peace able and orderly strike and that the strikers are acting only within their rights? Such an assertion would be flying in the face of facts, for 1t would not be true, and this strike is fair sample of all others. labor union is more absolute and merciless than the autocracy of Turkey or Russia. If their objects were devoted to helping each other in time of need without in- terfering with the inherent rights of others they would be commendable but that is not the principle governing