United labor bulletin., 1910-05-19
ORIGIN OF THE BOYCOTT.
The Word and Its Connection With the
Trade Union Movement.


About 80 years ago, great popular
organization was started in Ireland
known as the Land League movement,
which had for its purpose the protection
of the farmers and the working people
of the country against the tyranny and
plumber to which they We're subjected by
the landlords and employers.
The Land League did not become sue
cessful until Mr.. Charles Stewart Parnell
was chosen leader of the movement, as
well as leader of the Irish party in the
House of Commons. Mr.. Parnell found
that he had powerful enemies to contend
with on the outside, as well as some I'M
faithful ones inside the movement.
About the fall of 1880 Mr.. Parnell at
tended large mass meeting at Ennis.
There, in a speech which rang through
out the land, he struck The keynote OF
the agitation; he laid down the lines on
which the league should work. Slowly,
calmly, deliberately, without culver Oh
passion, a note of rhetoric or an exclam-
alton of anger, but in a tone that pene-
trated his audience like a touch OF cold
STEEL he proclaimed war against all who
should resist the mandates of the league.
Mr.. Parnell said: Depend upon it that
the measure of the Land Bill next session
will be the measure of your activity and
energy this winter. 1t will be the meas
ure of your determination to keep firm
grip ON your homesteads; it will be the
measure of your determination not to
bid for farms from which others have
been evicted, and to use the strong force
of public opinion to deter any unjust man
amongst yourselves-and there are many
such-from bids for such farms. Now
what are you to do to tenant who bids
for farm from which his neighbor has
been evicted?"
Here there was much excitement, and
cries of Kill him!" Shoot him!" Parnen
waited, with his hands clasped behind
his back, looking quietly out on the
crowd until the tumult subsidized, and
then softly resumed: Now, l think l
heard somebody say Shoot him!' but
wish to point out to you very much
better way-a more Christian and more
charitable way-which will give the lost
sinner an opportunity of repenting."
Here there were inquiring glances,
lull and silence, which was scarcely
broken until Parnell finished the next
sentences long sentence, but every
word of which was heard, as the voice
of the speaker hardened and his face
wore an expression of remorseless deter
mination. When a man takes farm
from which another has been evicted,
you must show him at the shop counter,
you must show him in the fair and in
the market place, and even in the house
of worship, by leaving him severely
alone, by putting him into a moral Cow
entry, by isolating him from his kind as
if he were leper of old-you must show
him in your detestation of the crime he
has committed, and you may depend upon
it that there will be no man so full OF
avarice, so lost to shame, as to dare the
public opinion of all right thinking men
and to transgress your unwritten code
of laws"
The closing sentence was received
with a shout of applause; the doctrine
of boycotting, as it afterwards came to
be called, was accepted with popular en-
thusiasm
Three days afterwards the men of
Connaught showed how ready they were
to practice as Parnell had preached.
Captain Boycott, the agent of Lord
Erne, and who was a bitter enemy of
the common people, had been offered by
tenants and workmen on the estate what
they conceived to be just rent. He re-
fused to take it, and the tenants refused
to give more, whereupon he elected
them.
A few days later the process server
went forth to serve the ejectments but
he found If he evicted anyone, he would
be compelled to dispossess all the people