The Detroit times., 1909-01-29
7 O|LER' 5 WEAPON
IS BOYCOTT, SAYS
GOMPERS
LABOR DEMANDS NOTHING BUT
JUSTICE AND EQUALlTY-6OY-
coTT is AN INHERENT RIGHT
TO EVERY MAN.

NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-President
Samuel Gompers. OF the American
Federation OF Labor. was the princi'
pal speaker al meeting of the ETH
cal Social league, in the East Side
parish hall. last night. Gompers sub
ject was Trade unions and social
progress. The greater part OF his
speech, though, was defense OF the
| boycott and guarded arraignment
OF the court that recently sentenced
| him 70 a year In Jail.
Gompers said that the Sherman law
which was enacted to protect the pub
| lie from the Vaccinations OF great
combinations of wealth. has been de
cided by the supreme court TO apply
10 organizations of men and women
a member of any labor organization
may now be mulcted in heavy dam
ages or sentenced by federal court
10 "A years Imprisonment and fine OF
| $4,000.
is 1t not absurd to say that there
is no difference between combina tons
of capital and combinations of men
and women" Gompers asked, and
then he added: The trust deals in
dead. inanimate things; does IT not
NAANl lAOlh q OOuS vi ii'h VIM tui
not separate their labor from their
very flesh and blood?
If there is to come a better day. is
II to come by cataclysm.
revolution. or by Il quiet,
If by legislation, or by ju-
dicial Interpretation OF laws, trades
unions are To be outlawed, II we are
not to be permitted TO carry on our
work for special uplift. then what ?
Labor is not typified by the man with
the hoe; II stands erect and demands
nothing but Justice and equality.
I'VE have been trying to get legisla-
ton that Will treat men and women
differently from coal and pork and
they accuse us of wanting class and
special legislation. The words come
with poor grace considering the class
and special legislation of the last half
century. See how easily great cor
poration gets rid of a $29.000,000 fine.
In regard to strikes and the boy
colt, | don't like strikes, but a dog
that can bite, is safe from many {
kick. There is no power like well
organized union to prevent strikes.
Il don't like the boycott. There Ii
not man, woman OF Cullu tOWdTt
whom / have ill-will; but there are
some won't deal with, some to whom
prefer to give my trade rather thar
to others. When two people agree to
do this, it is boycott.
They tell us the boycott Is a for
eign institution. II Is not; it's revolu
tionary American. From Adams time
It has been q natural weapon OF man
kind and for court TO throw itsel
into a spasm because the word is not
euphonious IL almost incomprehensiblt
TO rational beings.
What property right has any con
Germ In your patronage? You car
transfer IL or take 1t anywhere you
please. Call that process boycott oil
what you please, 1t Is an inherent RICH
OF man and we're going TO stand FOL
that right.
Il have said and hope | may re
tain my sanity TO repeat again ane
again." continued the speaker impress
sively. that when It comes TO choic'
between obeying a court order tina
infringes the constitution, ! shall have
no hesitation I'm upholding the consti
tutional guarantee.
Freedom OF speech and OF thu
press is natural right We shall con
tinue to uphold that right. and II som,
men have 10 bear the consequences
there are others"